Re: (erielack) Erie/DL&W Main in NYS

["Schuyler G Larrabee" <sgl2_@_ix.netcom.com>]

An excellent review, Tom.  The only thing I can add is that, I believe east
of Nichols, there's a remnant in a farmer's field, on the north side of the
highway, between the river and the highway, which includes a bit of elevated
fiil, and a concrete bridge, in the middle of an otherwise flat field.  I
think it was David Monte Verde (who's probably travelled this section of 17
more than the rest of us put together) said that he's noticed the farmer's
been mining this fill for years, and the bridge is the last thing left.

SGL
- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Tom Beckett" <tabeckett_@_stny.rr.com>
To: <ELRRco_@_aol.com>; <erielack@lists.railfan.net>
Sent: Tuesday, July 16, 2002 9:54 PM
Subject: Re: (erielack) Erie/DL&W Main in NYS


> The section between the Binghamton station and approximately the Old
Vestal
> Road overpass is still in service as the Johnson Running Track as far as
CP
> Johnson, and west of there it's the Vestal Spur. The former NYSEG Goudy
> station in Johnson City, now owned by AES, receives coal; National Pipe
and
> Plastic in Vestal receives covered hoppers of plastic pellets.
>
> The line from end of track to African road has been removed, and is
> presently unoccupied. From African Road-it's behind Wal Mart and the new
Old
> Navy-to Main Street, the road that crosses the bridge into Endicott, is
now
> the Lackawanna Rail Trail, and is quite popular. This was done by the
Newman
> Group, who built the Town Square Mall and the Old Navy, as part of the
> project to build the latter plaza, as a condition of their permit to
build.
> Rail was still in place on this line until about four years ago.
>
> At the point where the trail ends, NY 17(it's the Southern Tier
Expressway,
> not the Thruway, which more closely follows the NYC) picks up the ROW and
> runs on it til Waverly. The station at Apalachin, which now houses a
Subway
> and an ice cream shop, after  being unocupied for many years, still stands
> between NY 17 and 434. Also still standing are the freight house and
station
> in Nichols, which appears to have been a bar or restaurant in its last
> incarnation, though I think it's now out of business-I don't get there
very
> much. Nichols was served til 1965 from Waverly; an Agway mill was the
reason
> for this section of the DL&W's continued existence. As a side note,
there's
> no evidence of the junction with the Ithaca branch or the bridge at Owego,
> though there are remnants of the ROW in the village of Owego, as well as
> along NY 96 and 96B going up as far as the turn off to White Church.
>
> West of Waverly, there is still evidence of the ROW visible along the road
> from Athens to Wilawanna, Pa. It's easier to find if you follow the line
> from Wilawanna, which is NY 17 exit 59A. Go south, then turn on the road
to
> Athens. The ROW is on the south side of the road.
>
> From there west through Chemung, the ROW has been built over by the
highway,
> but from about the point where NY 17 drops to 55 mph, it is once again
> visible on the left side of the highway if you're westbound, though not in
> continuous view because of elevation differnces. Approaching Elmira,
you'll
> see a truss bridge off to your left, which is the end of track in the
Elmira
> area. It is occasionally used as a switching lead to Kennedy Valve. The
> track goes back into town, where it connects with the ex Erie yard. I
> believe there is also some DL&W track in use on the north side of the
city,
> or in Elmira Heights. I'm not sure what is left at the Holding Point, or
if
> any of the ROW still exists into that location.
>
> The ROW is still in place through Big Flats, though it has been
obliterated
> in some places. I recall seeing a feed mill with cars spotted in that
area,
> so there may still be parts of it in service.
>
> The Southern Tier Line through Gibson, ironically, is on the DL&W
alignment.
> The project that put the NY 17 Corning Bypass in place resulted in some
> major relocation there. The railroad was placed on the DL&W alignment, the
> highway was put roughly on the Erie alignment. Of course, a two track
> railroad and a four lane highway built to Interstate standards take up
much
> more space than a four track railroad, so the river also had to be moved
to
> make room, and it was. The channel was redirected, giving you the
> arrangement in place today. If you go to the location of the 1951 Erie
> station-it is/was(I'm not sure if it's been demolished) at the location of
> CP Corning-you can see where the DL&W main parted ways with the Erie.
>
> I wasn't there at the time, so someone who knows better please correct me,
> but I'm guessing the Erie's double track ABS main line was superior to the
> DL's, and may have had more on line business.
>
> Tom B
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <ELRRco_@_aol.com>
> To: <erielack_@_lists.railfan.net>
> Sent: Tuesday, July 16, 2002 6:33 PM
> Subject: (erielack) Erie/DL&W Main in NYS
>
>
> > Dear All,
> >
> > How much of the former DL&W ROW between Binghamton and Gibson, NY is
still
> intact (i.e. not obliterated, or paved over with the NYS Thruway)?
> >
> > Also, I was looking through my Erie Memories book, and noticed that the
> former Erie main from Bingo to Corning has a somewhat up-and-down profile.
> Was this the case with the DL&W line?
> >
> > Finally, for what reasons was the old Erie kept, at the expense of the
> former Lackawanna Route?
> >
> > Thanks a lot,
> >
> > Phil Bell
> > ELRRco_@_AOL.com
> >
>

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