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(erielack) FW: Sunday after the convention

From: Schuyler Larrabee [mailto:sgl2_@_laai.net] 
Subject: Sunday after the convention


I took the Orange County tour on Sunday after the convention.  Spent the 
day with Mike Quinn, who's a NYS Trooper, (occasionally helpful . . .) and 
three other ELHS members.  Since I can't recall all three, I won't mention 
any of their names.  We left about 8:45 AM, and went to Mill RIft bridge 
first, on the NYS side, which I'd never been to before. You could see the 
D&H Canal, and during the day we learned why that's Bridge No 2 on the 
Erie.  Bridge No 1 was between Port J and the river, where the canal went 
back to the north side of the tracks.  This apparently was a location with 
quite a large number of tracks crosssing the canal as it was, even in those 
days, part of the yard.

Then we went to Graham, high up on the west side of Shawangunk Mountain, 
which is the final west-end junction between the low-grade Graham line and 
the original Main Line which went over the top through Otisville.  It's 
here you can see clearly that "low-grade" is a completely relative term! 
 Then on up to Otisville, with a quick stop to see where the road now 
occupies a short section of the line west of town.  Located the station 
site, now a parking lot, and then went down to the present Metro North 
station location.  From there we went pretty directly to Maybrook, where 
the local Museum was opened just for us.  Doug Barbario was there to assist 
in interpretation, and to provide some guidance on details of what we'd 
already seen.  Spent a very short hour here, a lot more time would be 
justified.

Then to Chester, where the station is on a curve and a significant grade. 
 The station is recycled as the local historical society's building, along 
with an art gallery/display space (nice stuff on display!). The tracks are 
gone here, converted to a bicycle/walking trail which sees some pretty 
serious use.  There's also a significant hunk of concrete in a parking lot 
across the way, a track bumper, since there used to be a small yard here. 
 In Doug's superb PowerPoint program he showed a slide of this location, 
with an Erie steel stockcar in that yard.  I asked why a stock car would be 
spotted here, and learned that there used to be an abbatoir in Chester. 
 According to the local citizens the stock used to be driven in the streets 
across town.  And this is NYS, not Colorado!

The day got interesting here. One of out party wanted to catch Metro North 
at Salisbury Mills, just east of Moodna Viaduct, which was to be on the 
tour.  Just out of Chester, going north, we came upon a just-occurred auto 
accident with the local Fire and Police in somewhat exaggerated attendance, 
and they proceeded to hold up traffic (for no really good reason) for a 
good half-hour, so the Salisbury connection was missed.  So, with a 
somewhat relaxed schedule we proceeded up through Blooming Grove and 
Washingtonville, where Mike pointed out the former ERIE station on the 
Newburgh branch (you would never know) and on down to the Viaduct.  Our 
rail-borne passenger decided to go to Beacon, and catch a Metro North or 
Amtrak train to GCT, so he could connect to Penn Station for his Amtrak 
train to Rhode Island.  On the way there, east on Route 94, we spotted the 
former O&W ROW, the Newburgh branch coming into town, and the Newburgh 
Short Cut.

By now, we're down to just Mike and me, since the other two either went on 
the layout tour, or had a commitment in Easton PA to get to.  Mike, a very 
courteous man, bore with me, and we went to Greycourt, where the L&HR 
crossed (and the NYS&W still does cross) the old ERIE line (now the bike 
trail).  Then to Goshen, where the station is now the City Police station. 
 Here we were able to sort out the root of the Montgomery Branch, and (sort 
of) figure out where the tracks went south on the Pine Island branch. 
 These two branches were really pretty much the main line for the L&NE on 
its way to Maybrook.  We went south from here attempting to find traces of 
the Pine Island Branch, with only two successes (and that's not for a lack 
of back-road wandering looking for traces).  In Florida, NY, we found a bit 
of ROW, and a lumber yard with doors spaces at 40' on the road side, with 
just enough space for there to have once been a track there.  In Pine 
Island, where the once-station is now a back room for the local NAPA auto 
parts store.  It was pretty hard to imagine that this was a location where 
L&NE 2-10-0's and ABBA FAs hauled long strings of anthracite to Maybrook. 
 North of where the tracks were in front of the station, the neighbors have 
filled in the depression where the tracks would have been and there's trees 
there that were probably planted a year or so after the tracks were pulled 
out.  You cannot identify where those tracks used to be . . .

One thing I was pretty amazed about was the grades on the old Main Line. 
 It's perfectly clear why the Graham Line was built.  The old line had 
steep (!) grades, sharp (!) curves (often at the same time) and was 
surrounded very tightly by buildings and rock faces all along the line.  It 
was clearly a line from the 1840's.  It's really surprising it survived as 
long as it did.

I have to extend deep appreciation to Mike Quinn, who provided a long day's 
ride (we got back to Matamoras about 5:30 PM) and pleasant company.

Schuyler

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