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RE: (erielack) Latest Southern Tier Happenings

I didn't think I was imagining this. I figured the connection at that end was problematic due to the fact that the Erie and B&O lines did not cross at grade. I imagine the Windfall connector involved a runaround move. The Ashford-Machias connector is more direct and the resulting route has a very small circuity penalty compared with the original B&P to Buffalo. I'm also glad to hear the very scenic segment through Great Valley is active once again. Thanks, John for the update. BTW, and this is off-topic, does the B&P actually reach Pittsburgh or just Newcastle?

Paul B

The B&O / B&P has not had a connector with the Erie at Carrollton in modern
times.  The former B&O crosses over the former Erie on a bridge at that
location.  The closest "recent" connections, to my knowledge, were at
Salamanca (main line), and at Limestone (Bradford Div).

The R&S abandoned between Machias Jct and Silver Lake Jct in about '92 or
'93.  A few years later, the B&P abandoned north of Ashford Jct.   This left
them (GWI) with a stub to Machias, and no route of their own to Buffalo.

Sometime during all of this, a new connector was built at a place called
Windfall, near Salamanca.  This became the "new" connection between the
former Erie line, and the former B&O.  The steam-era interchange in the city
of Salamanca was then abandoned and subsequently torn up.

The B&P trains ran briefly from Salamanca - Windfall (>Erie) - Olean
(>PRR) - Buffalo.  This arrangement did not last very long, but I did see
one train take this routing.  I suspect that this is the arrangement that
Paul B. is describing.  It lasted awhile - perhaps a few months to a couple
of years; can't say for certain.

Later, a connector was rebuilt at Machias Jct. between the B&O and the
former PRR.  This was done on the former steam-era interchange ROW between
the B&O and the PRR, which had been abandoned many years prior.

At some point after this Machias connector was built, the B&P trains started
running Salamanca - Ashford Jct. - Machias Jct. - Buffalo.  As far as I
know, they still take this routing today.

John R.


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