Scranton, PA., now home to Steamtown National Park, was once served by 5 Class One Railroads, ( by definitions of the mid - 1940's ), as well as an Interurban. The 5 were Delaware, Lackawanna & Western, Delaware & Hudson, Erie, Central of New Jersey, and New York, Ontario, & Western. The Interurban was the Lackawanna & Wyoming Valley, aka: The Laurel Line, which ran from Scranton Southwest through Pittston, to Wilkes - Barre, PA.
Anthracite Coal was the big motivator for the railroads in the Lackawanna Valley.