by S. Robert Powell, PhD.
The D & H Canal and Gravity Railroad was a system of transportation between northeastern Pennsylvania coal fields and the ports of New York and New England. From its opening in 1828 to its demise in 1898, the canal system transported millions of tons of anthracite coal.
The D & H Canal Company had planned to transport their coal from the mines in Carbondale to the Hudson River entirely by canal; however, the number of locks needed to scale the Moosic Mountains between Carbondale and Honesdale precluded this plan. A “gravity railroad” was the solution. Construction of a 16-mile gravity railroad from Carbondale to Honesdale was begun in 1827. Designed by D & H Chief Engineer John B. Jervis, the “gravity” utilized a series of inclined planes and steam engines to pull carloads of coal up and over the Moosic Mountains, a rise of almost 1,000 feet. Even horsepower played an important role in this endeavor. And it was on these tracks that the first commercial locomotive in America, the Stourbridge Lion, turned its steam-powered wheels.
The D&H transportation system was an astonishing engineering accomplishment that was constructed under the direction of some of the best minds in early nineteenth-century America. While built primarily to transport coal, it also shipped a wide range of products to market, including wood, stone, brick, cement, and provisions. During its 70 years in operation many villages, towns, and cities were founded and flourished along the line between Carbondale and the Hudson River.
Robert Powell is one of the foremost experts in the history of the railroad in the northeast, and of the economic, technological, and cultural impact the wealth and energy extracted from this area had on the entire United States. During his many years as President of the Carbondale Historical Society, Robert Powell has written a 24-volume series of books and more than a hundred articles on the history of the Delaware and Hudson Railroad and on the history of Carbondale. He previously taught European literature and the humanities at SUNY (Oswego), Brooklyn College, Susquehanna University, and Penn State University.
This is the fourth in a series of six Local History Seminars held at Peggy Bancroft Hall in South Sterling. They are free and open to the public, and light refreshments will follow the talks. Registration is requested by contacting Bernadine Lennon at 570-857-0882 or [email protected]
The Local History Seminars are sponsored by The French Manor, Frey-Fetsock Funeral Home, and 24-7 Innovations. We are grateful to our Business Partners for their support.
