Lackawanna Cut-Off - Part 7: Roseville Tunnel

This video is about Roseville Tunnel on the Lackawanna Cut-Off in northwestern New Jersey. We'll tour the top of the tunnel, and the tunnel itself, which wasn't supposed to be a tunnel at all. We'll also look at the two-year project that is planned to rehabilitate the tunnel for NJ Transit service to Andover, NJ. Videographer: Larissa Walsh.

[@rbmccloskey]

My Grandfather, Hugh McCloskey worked on this section of the Cut-Off, he was a shovel operator on the cuts and removing the bench within the tunnel.

[@fiddlerpin]

Great information on the Roseville tunnel. I live about 5 miles from it in Lake Hopatcong. Walked thru there many times. Tunnel is lit up in the daytime due to its being straight and in line with the afternoon sun. Have always liked the history of the Lackawanna RR . I have a great book, The Lackawanna Railroad in Northwest New Jersey. Has all kinds of information about the cutoff.

[@bp4170]

Great job. Learned a lot about the Railroad that I love. Thanks Chuck!

[@dudehuh5491]

always the ice tunnel to me thanks for keepin around

[@jamesrobertson573]

I wanted say that your series has been sospectacular

[@blownb310]

Another great segment! I see that it has 537 views but only 19 of us bothered to click the 'like' button so far. I wish people would have the courtesy to click 'like' and give Chuck his due credit.

[@LackawannaCutOff]

It's a tough group. Maybe once the trains are running the "likes" will increase, lol.

[@Arturo-sm1tb]

288 likes now 4 years later...the rate is really going to increase as people start discovering this incredible series, and as the construction begins in earnest on the full cutoff to Scranton.

[@user-ku2nh1zy6d]

Yeah man watch n this triggered many memories I grew up in forest lks and that entire area was my playground from Westbys -panther lake - wrights - Kim's Roseville tunnel Johnson lk I hunted trapped and explored from rocky cliffs w a plate saying that so n sos ashs were laid. Here to a huge smooth bark tree ( maybe ironwood tree/) w initials carved 18 90 ? To headstones 2 in a well just the middle of nowhere they were servants at Colby mansion buried on outskirts or forest lks great place I've been an Alaskan resident now 30+ years and must say very cool interesting and unique area of NJ teaming w wildlife has changed very little in 35 + years😊

[@LackawannaCutOff]

Glad you're following us from AK!

[@user-ku2nh1zy6d]

Great research a lot of RR facts that I was unaware of

[@skerbs7755]

I love this series!

[@warrenwilson4818]

Saw it just one day late!. More good health to Chuck. (St. Joseph, MO)

[@jamesrobertson573]

Also. There are many people that are waiting for more! The commuter assoc. that you lead now ; please keep us up to date with that. Is there any chance that nj transit would extend to Phillipsburg or beyond.(Allentown)

[@LackawannaCutOff]

Yes, but there's no schedule for that at present.

[@stepside2839]

My friends & I use to go to the tunnel in the 60s One can feel the air movement. I would think the engineers would calculate the volume of air movement .. Especially when a train comes thru to present to the EPA. The Phoebe Snow moved alot of air & sometimes we were either at the east end or 50ft to 100+ft in the tunnel. Fun & Liberties then compared to today. We were always cautious & measured .. Research 1st

[@user-ku2nh1zy6d]

60 s ha ? That's awesome me late 70s &. 80s grew up cresent Dr South a stones throw away from the tunnel I only remember seeing train 2 different times cause it was shutting down 😊

[@stepside2839]

A couple of us had the Kodak 8mm movie camera & Mick had his 🤔either 35mm Olympus or maybe it was his 35mm Minolta. I think I still have some 8mm movie film of the train. Projector has a burned out bulb☹️. I wonder if any of our gang has any slides, pictures, or film left. We lost one of the gang😢. 3 of us could probably dig up some photos … getting old sucks

[@countrypaul]

Great info, but a little more illustrative videography would be welcome. No matter - thank you for the obvious labor of love and the scholarly research.

[@jaynegus4526]

This project would normally have been completed by now. Here in the US we have an entity that prevents that though - - the EPA ! The EPA has interfered with every good idea since it was created. It is amazing how much water accumulates in a tunnel. A tunnel is no different than a vertical well shaft for a homes well water supply - - the only difference is that a tunnel is horizontal instead of vertical. I have walked deep into the Hoosac tunnel and the water flow is amazing.

[@rardiehl2302]

Hello. Where can I please get historical information of the first Lackawarna Rail Road ?

[@LackawannaCutOff]

Not sure what you're asking. What's the "first" Lackawanna Railroad? The Old Road?

[@user-ku2nh1zy6d]

Yeah grew up in forest lks near the tunnel we would ride dirt bikes always away 1! Time into Penn

[@Construction_King]

Hey Chuck, I don’t think anyone has asked this question on any of your videos but what made you interested in the Cut-Off? Were you a DL&W fan or were you fascinated by the construction or both?

[@LackawannaCutOff]

Angelo 2267, I’ve touched on that a little bit, but at some point I may devote an episode to that.

[@nickbrodziak611]

How bad was the snow accumulations in these cuts? I'd think it could be quite large

[@lanerovito4324]

I love Laura.

[@tonejames9272]

Informative.

[@michaelroke9248]

Why would they keep the tunnel and not just make it a “cut” to avoid the ice, drainage, water, and tunnel rehabilitation and future maintenance. 1000’ shouldn’t be that much of an issue, and would probably save money in the future.

[@LackawannaCutOff]

The tunnel os part of an historic rail corridor, so the tunnel will stay as a tunnel. Besides, the project to restore the tunnel is fully funded.

[@bholberg561]

I agree. Day lighting the tunnel is the best solution. Present day Class 1 railroads always consider this as an option

[@k3eva]

Chuck I enjoy your youtube series on the Cut-off. While it's rare that I use NJT, I am familiar with the area. Very interesting and it shows a deep knowledge on the subject. I had a few comments/questions: a. Is the extension to Andover still contemplated for 2020? b. Will the Andover line run the dual mode diesel/electric power? c. Looking at Google Earth, NJT is storing upwards of 30+ old power locos at Port Morris wye. Is that normal? d. Will the problems with the Hudson tubes, take money away from the cut-off project and cause delays. e. For once I'm glad SEPTA has 100% of their PTC work completed. I wish NJT was more on top of their game, and didn't need to close down the AC line from 30th Street. 😯 Thanks Chuck. Rich Luce Warminster, Bucks County, Pa (SEPTA user)

[@LackawannaCutOff]

A. 2020 is iffy right now. B. Yes, as far as I know. C. There were Arrow cars as well earlier. No, it’s not normal. D. Probably not.

[@travelingman484]

Am I understanding that the Lackawanna line is going to be back up in service eventually?

[@LackawannaCutOff]

Yes.

[@travelingman484]

Chuck Walsh OMG. getter’done

[@travelingman484]

Chuck Walsh one more thing. The tracks that went through the back of slatington or slateford I always murder that towns name. Would they put the tracks back there again? That I don’t see happening. Those folks would flip! Let me know please. Very curious.

[@LackawannaCutOff]

@@travelingman484, Slateford, yes, in the next phase. They don't own the ROW, so they may squawk but that won't matter in the end.

[@mailtrap22]

Has work on the tunnel rehab begun? If not, any word on timetable? Thanks, always!

[@mailtrap22]

LOL. Followed your advice and went to Wikipedia for latest info!

[@LackawannaCutOff]

2020 or 21, that’s what NJ Transit is saying.

[@grimninja2004]

nothing was happening as of September of 2019 . when i visited

[@1940limited]

I don't remember which video it was, but in the one in which you showed the Amtrak train to Scranton I noticed the signal was green. I thought they'd have been dark by then as it was a few years after Conrail stopped operations on the cut-off.

[@LackawannaCutOff]

That's the "Farewell the Cut-Off" (Part 14) episode. That was East Stroudsburg. The signal system was still operational at that point in PA. I believe Conrail kept it operational until they stopped using the Pocono mainline to service the Portland power plant (1980, I think).

[@1940limited]

@@LackawannaCutOff I'll have to watch that episode again. Wasn't the Amtrak train run sometime in the early 80s? That was the last chance to save everything.

[@LackawannaCutOff]

@@1940limited, it was run Nov 13, 1979. The timing was bad. The track would have needed work. The signals on the Cut-Off were out. Stations would have needed work, etc., etc.

[@EngineerCatPyro]

Back in 2005 i used to ride quads with a friend that lived in hopactong. we would ride from the start of the cut off all the way out to the Roseville tunnel and even further down the cut off. I did do some research at the time about it, but it was nothing like this. So cool to learn more about this. I've always had a fascination with trains and rails. Before the Roseville tunnel on the east side there was a long area that looked liked it was filled in like the Pequest fill. Do you have any info on that?

[@Construction_King]

Engineer Cat That would be Wharton Fill.

[@bdento59]

A 7-month per year mating season construction restriction for a bat species that doesn’t even inhabitate the tunnel?! Nothing like the slow walk technique of NJDEP to hinder progress. I would presume that future rail service through the tunnel would create a much larger and continuous daily disturbance of any bats that were unfortunate enough to try to mate there, thus making a pre-service construction moratorium basically a moot point in comparison. From what I understand, the NJDEP continues to search for and protect abandoned mines for the benefit of the bat populations in the state, so I doubt that this 1024 feet of semi enclosed space would make much of a difference as a breeding ground that would no longer be feasible for same once the tunnel is put back into daily service.

[@LackawannaCutOff]

There are no bats in the tunnel.

[@mattsmocs3281]

I know that making it shorter sounds good but, is it really nessisary to shorten it, sounds expensive and stupid since steam traveled through with no issue and what do you expect, a single train a day. EL had 24 a day and no issue these things ventilate themselves going through

[@LackawannaCutOff]

It's a requirement. If the line hadn't been abandoned it probably would be no issue.

[@mattsmocs3281]

Chuck Walsh ahh ok. Also just wondering about the track alinement. Will it be on the east lane or west or in the middle. Since it would work better than the DL shifting on the PA side main line. Which will be a hassle to operations due to the shifting but a easy fix as cutting sections and tacking new sections on will be no issue. I have a lot of questions about it but. Thank you for the reply

[@LackawannaCutOff]

Those details would need to be worked out.

[@mattsmocs3281]

Chuck Walsh alright thank you I am very interested since this project affects me greatly. I am a volunteer for steamtown which runs on the PA side and all these details are important so every side works out well evenly,

[@markemanuele1929]

Have you NOT ever heard of a WIND SCREEN for your microphone???

[@LackawannaCutOff]

Mark, already taken care of in subsequent episodes. Thank you for noticing, however.

[@elpee2174]

Id like tomsee rail service faster than 2019 he says... I hope rail service NEVER comes bsck to the cutoff!