Re: (erielack) Dansville Hill, and maximum speeds on pre-merger Erie and DL&W

["David Green" <davandli_@_empacc.net>]

A guy I work with has lived in Avoca, NY all his life and one day he
commented on the difference between the Erie line and Lackawanna main
through the village.  I remember him talking about the differences when
crossing each set of tracks.  Erie trains were always very slow so you
didn't have to worry about getting hit by them.  But,  "The Lackawanna
trains used to go 70 mph through town..."

- - Dave Green, ELHS #1366

- ----- Original Message -----
From: "A Samostie" <quahog_@_sprint.ca>
To: <erielack_@_lists.railfan.net>
Sent: Sunday, March 10, 2002 3:35 PM
Subject: (erielack) Dansville Hill, and maximum speeds on pre-merger Erie
and DL&W


> Dear Group,
>
> Two questions for you.
>
> 1)  I've never seen a line profile of the DL&W main, so this question
> may seem obvious to some of you... nevertheless...
> What were the grade percentages and lengths of the grade over Dansville
> Hill, eastbound and westbound?
> Were pushers (for freight) required in both directions?
> Were passenger consists ever heavy enough to require additional power
> over the hill?
>
> 2) What were the maximum authorized speeds for passenger trains on the
> pre-merger Erie (including both the Hornell-Buffalo line and West End)
> and the DL&W?  Where were the high-speed segments located?
>
> I'm assuming that the max. speeds on the DL&W were in the flatlands of
> western NY state, but the Binghamton-Corning segment and the NJ Cutoff
> could also support high speeds.  Not sure about high speed segments on
> the Hornell-Buffalo Erie line, but I'm guessing that high speeds could
> be attained across Ohio and Indiana.
>
> Cheers,
> Alan <quahog_@_sprint.ca>

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