Erie Lackawanna
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From: Todd Hollritt thollritt AT yahoo DOT com
Date: Thu, 11 Nov 2004 12:58:07 -0800 (PST)
Subject: RE: Rails to Trails
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THANKS to all the list members who replied to my request for Rail Trail information. Last Saturday I retraced the Erie Mainline in Orange County NY.

I met my friend in Chester, New York. The former Erie Railroad station is now a museum, the station has been nicely restored! A sign stated it’s usually open on Saturday’s but was closed all day. I was able to peek inside, and I could see it is filled with both railroad and local history. (See Photo)

We decided to head eastbound to Monroe NY and as soon as we left the station we were gliding above beautiful farmland. The whole trail is smooth and paved and as we coasted into Greycourt I could picture E-8’s and RS-3’s with commuter trains, but it must have been a sight to see EL piggyback trains that used this route as a shortcut. We passed under the L&HR and noticed one rail customer still exists, there was a tank car spotted on a siding adjacent to the trail. Plus two neglected PC flatcars. The paved trail ends just outside Monroe, and I did spot what appeared to be a small station on the east side of the tracks, didn’t look like an Erie structure though?

After a quick break it was westbound to Goshen, freights must have sounded great working uphill, because as we went past our starting point in Chester you could feel it’s been a slow uphill climb, cresting just west of the station we coasted into Goshen. A neat little town with a great atmosphere! I’ve looked at so many photos of trains along this route, and now I got a real feel for the area. Even checked out the historic trotter track, horses and stables, well worth a visit! After a little sight seeing we returned to Chester, the whole roundtrip turned out to be 22 miles total!

I highly recommend this former EL rail trail; sure it’s bittersweet seeing the Erie Lackawanna is now a glorified sidewalk. Especially when you pass an old Signal Mast or rail related lineside relic. But it’s a great ride!



Todd (ELHS 1318)



From Archives@Railfan.net
Message-ID: <41924AD6.80600@lucent.com>
References: <200411101032.iAAAW1Rp024370@net.bluemoon.net>
Date: Wed, 10 Nov 2004 12:07:34 -0500
From: David M Goessling
Subject: (erielack) Re: PA & NJ hikes

some final (?) additions to this thread:

two books to get ahold of:

Pennsylvania Rail Trails
ISBN: 092579418X
Format: Paperback, 180pp
Pub. Date: March 2003
Publisher: Rails-to-Trails Conservancy

Covers the entire state. History info can be a little weak, in fact
doesn't
always tell you what RR the trail was originally. But, good maps and
includes
contact info for trail administrators.

24 Great Rail-Trails of New Jersey: The Essential Outdoor Guide to the
Garden
State's Best Multi-Use Recreational Trails Built on Abandoned Railroad
Grades
ISBN: 1889787043
Format: Paperback, 212pp
Pub. Date: January 1999
Publisher: New England Cartographics, Incorporated

excellent maps and commentary, some a little out of date, as some
trails have
been upgraded since publication. But still a great book!



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