The Lackawanna Chapter entered into a five year lease on the DWG station in January,1999. After the snow had melted that March, we met to assess the clean-up job that lay ahead. It was immense. The last train had stopped at the gap in the fifties, and half a century of zero-maintenance, coupled with the depredations of thieves bent on stealing all the slate roof copperwork, had left the building in deplorable condition. It was hard to know where to start. We began by removing all the vines and trees that covered the structure, and then went to work on the exteror debris. The Borough of Delaware Water Gap had been using the areas under the station canopies to store their road and water works department's materials. Tons of aggregate and road patching materials were removed. Then we went into the station building where the contractors working on borough projects had stored and discarded their materials. It was knee-deep in hydrants,valves,water pipe,construction materials, earthmoving vehicle tires and parts,etc. Mixed in with this was valuable bits and pieces of the interior trim that the architectural ornamentation thieves had left behind. We sifted through all this debris with care, and worked with the borough's men to retrieve items still useful to them. By the time autumn was upon us we had the building cleaned out. The last task for that year was getting some tarpaulins on the roof to shed the snowload and rain.

April 2000 found us assessing this year's work schedule. Winter winds weren't kind to our emergency roof covering effort. Getting a more permanent cover was a priority. Also, we had lost a section of the men's lounge station wall to the freeze-thaw cycle. Framing up some bracing on other vulnerable walls was now a priority. We had applied for and received a grant for emergency stabilization on the county budget, and so the bidding process was started for the roof covering. We went to work on cleaning out the freight house, and finished this job by this August. Grading of the areas around the buildings was accomplished with rental equipment, and drainage is being improved around the buildings this month.

We now have a roofer under contract to erect a self-supporting, wood-framed, metal skinned cover over those portions of the station and freight house most in need. The remaining parts will be re-tarped in a more permanent fashion. We need to do this work to buy time to raise funds for a complete engineering study of the station, as the original plans cannot be located. After this is completed, selective demolition of the structure can be done. Those canopies and roof sections in imminent danger of collapse will be removed to prevent them from harming the stone and brickwork in a fall.

Work left to do this year includes:

Framing and enclosing the men's room walls.
Framing a cover and surround for the chimney.
Framing a support wall for the canopy.
Assisting the roofers and co-ordinating our work with theirs where necessary(chimney, etc).
Getting power and a pole light installed.
Tarping the two ends of the structure not in the roofing contract.
Site work

Volunteers are always welcome! We especially need people with skills in the building trades. Next year our big focus will be on fundraising, and help in this effort is essential for the success of our project. Funding cycles often take years, and anyone with the skills or determination to help make this a successful effort will be most welcome.

If you cannot physically participate, but wish to make a tax-deductable donation to our effort, you can send a contribution to:

"Treasurer, Lackawanna Chapter, R&LHS", and send it to:

G.W.Herkner,Jr., 73 Deer Ridge Rd., Basking Ridge, NJ, 07920

Photo Album
History of Station
Project Plans
Return to R&LHS Home Page