Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Riding ELDCPS's Christmas Train into the past...

Received via email

Actually the train ride, sponsored by the Erie Lackawanna Dining Car Preservation Society (ELDCPS), was to Gouldsboro (PA) on December 10th. Saturday's four inches of snow and sunshine made a nice touch to what amounted to being a pleasant ride through the Poconos. The ride was described as follows " The train will stop at the historic Gouldsboro station for everyone to have the opportunity to explore the restored station. At the station, passengers will enter the Dickensian world of A Christmas Carol with volunteers dressed in period-authentic costumes, featuring stories, caroling, and a visit from Santa, Scrooge, and his ghostly visitors." Passing over the grade crossing in Tobyhanna I recalled that was the crossing I bicycled over in my NJ to Wyoming bike trip on a day that was hot and humid. The Goldsboro Area Foundation proved to be very good hosts at the station with their various home made goodies. At 3:30 it was time to depart for the trip back to East Stroudsburg. Our train was held for about twenty minutes around Mount Pocono for a northbound DL freight. Once that train passed we were once again heading for East Stroudsburg. All in all, it was a nice day on a trip that was well run.
 
Image 1: Passengers getting ready to board in East Stroudsburg for the 1 PM departure. Motive power for this trip was DL 2403 and DL 2423.
 
Image 2: The Christmas Train awaits its passengers to board in Gouldsboro for the return trip to East Stroudsburg.
 
Image 3: I was tempted to try an existing light photo and the Christmas Train's evening return provided me that opportunity. My location for this scene was the porch on the East Stroudsburg Tower and for a "stand" I used the tower's wooden railing.