Garbutt NY, (SW of Rochester) narrow gauge RR to mine?

A new mystery!
I have never heard of this one before..
a co-worker of mine just told me a story he heard about a narrow gauge railroad that once served a mine at or near Garbutt, NY.

Garbutt is near Scottsville, south and west of Rochester, along the BR&P/B&O/R&S..

The story is that the community of Garbutt was originally a nearly 100% Africian Americian community, the town was made up of residents who worked the mine and the narrow gauge railroad.

I found a reference to a former Gypsum mine in the Oatka Creek area..
http://www.navicache.com/cgi-bin/db/dis ... 78&print=1

and here is a current topo map, showing no signs of a former ROW outside of the B&O..

http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=18&n= ... atum=nad83

anyone ever hear about this mine or railroad?
Scot

Scotty - Your coworker is probably referring to the narrow gage electric mine RR that ran between the gypsum mines and the calcining plants along Oatka Creek in Garbutt. The mine railroad roadbed and catenary pole bases are still in evidence, though not easy to find this time of year. (It's best seen when the leaves are down...)

Easiest way to find it is to park at the Oatka Creek Park lot on Union St opposite Quaker Rd. From there follow the trail generally northward and downhill toward the creek. When the trail reaches the south bank of the creek you are on the roadbed. From this point the line ran east a couple hundred(?) yards then turned north and crossed the creek and into a mill. Portions of the bridge piers still exist in the creek bed. Heading west the line paralled the creek for a few hundred yards then turned south and I presume underground through a mine portal (now filled in).

Incidentally another railroad - the Scottsville Branch of the PRR - ran to Garbutt from Scottsville and had a connection there with the the BR&P/B&0. Theortically the PRR could interchange with the BR&P in Garbutt, though I doubt it ever did. Some evidence of the Scottsville Branch ROW still exists. However portions of it are heavily overgrown, and toward the western end are essentially impassible - as nydepot can readily attest!

As to the town of Garbutt being nearly 100% African American when the mine/calcining plants were in operation, I doubt that statement is valid. However after calcining plants had closed a large migrant labor camp was located there. During summer harvest the population of Garbutt blossomed as migrant workers occupied the camp. The camp remained in operation until sometime in the early 50's.

Bob is right and portions of the mine haul was also done with mules. The mining in Garbutt was fairly well documented in photos as the bulk of it occured after 1900 (as drywall, fireproof blocks, etc.). Before that it was mostly lime for farmer's fields.

Charles

Actually, the railroad once went all the way into Caledonia, around back of the fire hall and crossed Main Street. The old roadbed is easily seen along 383 curving off to the right on the left side of the road 1/4 mile before you get to Wheatland Ctr Rd. The Big Springs Museum in Caledonia has info on this. This was part of the early mule railroad.

That is a seperate railroad, the Scottsville Le Roy Horse RR or Le Roy Scottsville Horse RR. I don't remember the name off the top of myhead. The RRs Scotty mentioned are confined to just the gympum mines (building to building) in Garbutt.

But, you are correct in the location of the other RR.

Charles