RE: (erielack) Binghamton/Sayre Connections

[Gordon Davids <g.davids_@_verizon.net>]

The D&H/LV operation between Binghamton and Sayre was a trackage rights 
agreement between the Erie and the D&H, giving the D&H trackage rights 
between Binghamton and Owego, and an interchange agreement between the 
D&H and the LV.  LV trains to Binghamton operated over the Erie on the 
D&H trackage rights east of Owego.  D&H trains to Sayre operated under 
that trackage rights agreement to Owego, and under the LV interchange 
agreement between Owego and Sayre on the Auburn Branch of the LV.

The D&H/Erie trackage rights agreement began on December 1, 1903.  
According to the D&H Centennial History, "On (September 28, 1903) the 
president reported that the Erie Railroad Company was willing to provide 
the company with trackage rights for freight trains between Binghamton 
and Owego.  By reaching Owego, freight could be intechanged directly 
with the Lehigh Valley Railroad, and on December 1 this arrangement 
became operative under a contract."  The book is silent on how the D&H 
and Erie reached that agreement, and it doesn't say anything about D&H 
operation on the LV between Owego and Sayre.  I don't know how much the 
D&H paid the Erie for the trackage rights, but the Erie certainly was 
paid for it.

While the Erie maintained the automatic train stop system on the 
Susquehanna Division, the D&H kept several ATS-equipped locomotives at 
Binghamton for the Sayre Job.  While D&H passenger trains 205/208 made 
their daily round trip Binghamton - Albany, the D&H had two equipped 
RS-2's at Binghamton.  One went to Albany during the day, and one or two 
went to Sayre and back at night.  The LV crew came to Binghamton (Bevier 
Street) during the day.  I believe that later, after I left the D&H in 
1972, the D&H went to Sayre in the daytime, because I have seen photos 
of the D&H Baldwin RF-16's in Sayre by daylight.

Gordon Davids

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