Re: (erielack) Erie Split Mains

["Tom Beckett" <tabeckett_@_stny.rr.com>]

There was also a stretch between Burns and Canaseraga on the Buffalo Sub
where the two tracks were split, though not to such an extreme degree. The
EB was higher than the WB, possibly by about 15-20 feet, and they were
perhaps 40 or 50 feet apart at their widest separation(I'm guessing this
from 100 miles away-don't hold me to it). This lasted til Conrail pulled the
EB when they single tracked the line west of  Waverly in the 90s.

Schuyler had some comments about Conrail pulling out some of the track to
inhibit competition(BTW-you're right, Niobe is the sticks. I chased OIEL out
there about 10 years ago, to where the C&E split, I know). I could never
understand Conrail's dog in the manger, or scorched earth policy in this
regard. They did it to the NYSW on the Syracuse Branch as well. It should
have been apparent to anyone that the Erie route was not going to be viable
as a through route once Conrail had pretty much decimated the west end, and
its participation in some kind of "alphabet route" was probably equally
unlikely. They made no bones about the fact that they had no interest in the
line, and only kept it because NY State put up a pot of money for track
rehab, on the promise that Conrail would run a specified number of trains
per week on it. This they did, at least part of the time, by running empty
hopper trains back and forth. Then in the last few years, Conrail made every
effort to thwart the acquisition by the counties out there, who were trying
to keep it intact to serve local industry. It just makes no sense.

Tom B
- ----- Original Message -----
From: <Smtimko_@_aol.com>
To: <alcoman_@_net.bluemoon.net>; <luxpan@hotmail.com>
Cc: <erielack_@_lists.railfan.net>
Sent: Wednesday, January 09, 2002 3:53 PM
Subject: Re: (erielack) Erie Split Mains


> The Eastbound climbed up (slightly) starting at Cambridge Springs and went
> over the top of the WB and ran North of the WB through Millers and then
> crossed back over the WB and they came together just West of Union City.
> They were separated from about MP 72.5 to about MP 87.7, but they were on
the
> 'wrong side' so to speak for about three miles between MP 82.75 and MP
85.41.
>  At one point the lines were about a mile apart.
>
> The RR also was split apart between DV Falconer and WO Waterboro, but that
> was due to the fact that the WB was the B&SW.  Both tracks between the
above
> points were TCS, but the B&SW was predominately used at the Westbound,
except
> for trains for the B&SW.
>
> There were split mains between WC JCT (MP 1.49) and Steamburg (MP 12) for
a
> few miles, but that was due to the Kinzua Dam track relocation in the
early
> 60's.
>
> The lines were also split between Ravenna and Brady Lake.  The distance
was
> about 3.1 miles.  The EB main for a portion of that location was the
former
> PRR (don't know what years).
>
>
> SMT
>

------------------------------

End of ErieLack Digest V3 #433
******************************