Ashley Planes

 abandoned / shut down, funicular / cablecar station (rail transport on the ground)

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An incline railway that operated from 1837 (initially with canal boats) through 1948, to raise and lower coal cars into the rich anthracite coal basin around Scranton and Wilks Barre. The Lehigh canal company eventually sold the planes to the Central Railroad of New Jersey in the late 1800's and the railroad operated the planes until 1948.

The setup consisted of three inclines each powered by a steam power plant hooked to a mechanical drum and winch system. Cars would be pulled up/lowered down the planes by a pusher car then rolled into place to be raised/lowered again at the next plane (or into the terminal yards).

An alternate all rail route called the Back Track existed into Scranton, but due to the grades involved it was only used for passenger traffic, light engines and empty rolling stock. As dieselization progressed loaded trains could more easily navigate the Back Track leading to the planes being shut down.