[Date Prev][Date Next]
[Chronological]
[Thread]
[Top]
RE: PS&N (was: (erielack) Diamond)
List
When the PS&N's predecessors built to Wayland they did not run to Hornellsville (as it was known until 1906). That was opened c. 1889. The line to Wayland Junction (the last 1.26 miles from Wayland Junction to Wayland was via Trackage Rights on the DL&W) was originally planned to give the DL&W a connection with the Genesee Valley Canal Railroad (later the PRR) at Rockville NY. For a time the DL&W, the Lackawanna & Pittsburgh (the name of what later became the PS&N at the time), and the Buffalo, New York & Philadelphia (which leased the GVC prior to its completion) operated an Olean-Hoboken through sleeper and, more importantly, participated in the Globe Fast Freight Line, which operated a Fast Freight Line generally between Chicago and New York (in this case) via the B&O-BNY&P(and a connection)-L&P-DL&W. This was all in the late 1880's and quickly collapsed. By 1890 the through sleeper was gone and the connection at Rockville out-of-service.
The vision of the (later) PS&N's managers focused on the possibilities of a coal road and the PS&N was incorporated on August 2, 1899 and closed the gaps by c. 1905 to create a viable coal route from the Brockway area to the DL&W at Wayland, the PRR at Olean, and the Erie at Friendship and Hornell.
BTW the PS&N is Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern--at the time of its incorporation the Steel City spelled its name without the "h" (it did so for about a decade but later reverted to the contemporary spelling).
The Pittsburg & Shawmut was planned to be controlled by or be a part of the PS&N but was built as a separate railroad company due to the PS&N being in Receivership. A consultant studied the P&S-PS&N c. 1915/16 when discussions were heavy about bring the PS&N out of Receivership and merging the two railroads. He found that, insofar as the P&S's bondholders were concerned, the P&S would be more profitable as an independent railroad interchanging the majority of northbound coal traffic with the Erie rather than its parent PS&N. Since much of this traffic was destined to the Erie anyway the substitution of Brockway for Hornell as a junction cut the PS&N out. The split was made in 1916. It survived until 1947 on what was left, which included locomotive fuel coal for the DL&W (which served no bituminous mines) and, despite Phoebe, burned a lot of the stuff), the GT, and others.
For some years after its abandonment the PS&N's Hornell Terminals were operated (until abandoned by, surprise, Conrail), part of the Olean Terminal (by the PRR and PC until abandoned by Conrail), portions of the St. Marys Terminal (by the PRR, PC, CR, and I think still operated by the B&P), and about three miles of the main line north of Farmers Valley (operated by the PRR, PC, and now WNY&P). A portion near Brockway survived into the PC era IIRC.
In the Interstate Commerce Commission's c. 1929 grand plan to merge the nations railroads into a few large systems the C&O-NKP-Erie (and others) system was to take over the PS&N but that, of course, never happened.
Hope this look across the right-of-way fence at a DL&W partner and an Erie competitor and partner is of interest.
The primary sources of PS&N information is Paul Pietrak's The Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern and
the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern Railroad Historical Society which pubishes a bi-monthly newsletter and has a PS&N 4-wheel caboose, a
passenger coach, and wooden office car (the Clara) on display at Angelica, the railroad's New York operating HQ.
M J Connor
> From: pat.moore_@_att.net
> To: erielack_@_lists.railfan.net
> Subject: PS&N (was: (erielack) Diamond)
> Date: Mon, 9 Jun 2008 15:01:34 +0000
>
> Yep...the PS&N ran from Brockway, PA, up to Wayland, NY. The extension to Wayland was I suppose to interchange with the DL&W, as they could already interchange with the Erie in Hornell and other places. Although the PS&N was abandoned in 1947, you can still see traces of it today around Swain and again inside Stony Brook State Park near Dansville. A small part of it around Hornell survived through the EL years and into 1980s as the "North Hornell Industrial Lead" to serve a few industries around that city. I'm not aware of any other surviving pieces, noting that the Pittsburg & Shawmut split from the PS&N in 1916.
>
> And, I might add since we are all entitled to our opinion, yes, this particular issue of The Diamond was simply outstanding! My compliments to the authors!!! For me it was a glimpse into a strange land that I knew nothing about. As a kid, my EL ended at the Cass St. interlocking in Hornell. Everything beyond the point at which the tracks curved out of sight looking west down the former Allegany Div. was "over the edge of the earth" as far as I was concerned. Who among us hasn't had that experience as a kid wondering what lies around that distant curve or beyond that far hill?
>
> -pat moore
>
>
> -------------- Original message ----------------------
> From: Dale and Ev SBC <gobills_@_ncweb.com>
> >
> > At 05:33 07-06-2008, you wrote:
> > >Date: Fri, 6 Jun 2008 21:40:24 -0400
> > >From: "Todd Stearns" <toddsyr_@_twcny.rr.com>
> > >Subject: (erielack) Latest Diamond
> > >
> > >Congratulations on another great issue of The Diamond. I must admit I wasn't
> > >at first that enthused with the main article on the Allegany Division. Why
> > >would I be? I know little of the region and have read even less about it.
> > >Seeing photos of the region has been even less commonplace for me. Well let
> > >me say that my opinions were soon completely reversed. The Division is very
> > >well documented, literally and photographically. I learned alot about the
> > >regions operations, signaling, equipment, terrain etc. Though there are some
> > >black and white photos, the majority are in very nice color. I even intend
> > >to use some photos to help weathering my model track and ballast. Well, not
> > >ballast but dirt, in the yards anyway! Many thanks to the author and
> > >photographer(s) for producing a great eye opening article.
> > >
> > >Todd K. Stearns
> >
> >
> > The accompanying map is also intriguing. Did the Pittsburgh, Shawmut
> > and Northern really run that fare north?
> >
> >
> > Dale
> >
> >
> > The Erie Lackawanna Mailing List
> > http://EL-List.railfan.net/
> > To Unsubscribe: http://Lists.Railfan.net/erielackunsub.html
>
>
>
>
> The Erie Lackawanna Mailing List
> http://EL-List.railfan.net/
> To Unsubscribe: http://Lists.Railfan.net/erielackunsub.html
_________________________________________________________________
Instantly invite friends from Facebook and other social networks to join you on Windows Live™ Messenger.
https://www.invite2messenger.net/im/?source=TXT_EML_WLH_InviteFriends
The Erie Lackawanna Mailing List
http://EL-List.railfan.net/
To Unsubscribe: http://Lists.Railfan.net/erielackunsub.html
------------------------------