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 #878832  by CPSD40-2
 
Been up to visit family in AuSable Forks many times, and over Thanksgiving, finally did some exploring of the area. Came across a bridge still in place over a creek near Clintonville, the old station in AuSable, a boxcar being used for storage outside of town, and the old paper mill as well. Trying to find any photos of activity on this line though has been next to impossible, save for some steam era shots in Peru, NY. I'd like to find out when the line was last used, and what industries were being served at the time? Was the local based out of Plattsburgh ( South Junction ) or did it come up from Ticonderoga? I would assume RS-3's or similar units for power?

Any info, or photos, would be muchly appreciated! Thanks!
 #879052  by umtrr-author
 
I would like to know a lot more about this branch myself, as it is the basis for one end of my model railroad. However, there seems to be very little about this line including photographs.

I can recommend Michael Kudish's "Where Did The Tracks Go In The Eastern Adirondacks" which has a chapter on the branch. I'll see if I can add a bit more to this thread later.
 #880548  by umtrr-author
 
A little more on this topic as promised:

Kudish (in the above book) cites a 1985 article called "The Ausable Branch of the Delaware and Hudson" which appeared in Adirondac 49 (2), pages 8 to 10 and 12, (February-March). Adirondac is the publication of the Adirondack Mountain Club. I checked their website and the magazine title is spelled without the "k".

Kudish writes that this is the first article he had ever seen with pictures of the Ausable Branch. I can imagine that this publication might be a little difficult to find, though.

A number of years ago I tried a query on this topic in a D&H discussion group, but there were no replies.
 #887496  by Steve Wagner
 
InterMountain sells HO models of 8,000 gallon tank cars lettered for the Robeson Process Company of New York. That firm had some sort of facility on the AuSable Forks branch. I read somewhere years ago that it did recycling of waste products long before that term was coined.
 #888209  by chief
 
Ausable Branch started at South Jct. 4 miles south of Plattsburg. Local freight service came out of Plattsburg.Stations on line were, South Jct, Laphams Mills, Peru, Harkness, Rogers,Ausable Forks. ( Flag stops were made at Salmon River & Ferdona)
Passenger service ended in 1931, Freight service ended in 1975 thanks to Conrail, tracks were removed in 198
Hope this helps
 #888233  by RussNelson
 
umtrr-author: Neal Burdick is the editor of the Adirondac, a Friend of mine, and may have access to that back issue. Or I can ask my father-in-law, Jack Freeman, who volunteers at the ADK offices, if he can find it.

CPSD40-2: Is this the bridge you found? It's at the corner of Clintonville and Arnold Hill Roads over the Little Ausable River: http://www.openstreetmap.org/browse/way/94023036
There's also one in Laphams Mills, just west of the Northway, crossing the Ausable. http://www.openstreetmap.org/browse/way/94026213
And there's another in Thomasville, between 9N and the river, between Shaw and McCrea Streets. http://www.openstreetmap.org/browse/way/94026209
It looks like they removed the Northway bridges just a few years ago.
 #888576  by umtrr-author
 
Russ: Thanks! It would be great to see that issue.

Steve, your mention of the Roebson Process Company set off a "duh" on my part. There was a book published by the NEB&W Green Dot Press (the folks at RPI) called "The D&H 1931 Industry Sampler." This book is a reprint of "Industrial Development" and included photos and short descriptions of a selection of industries served all along the railroad.

There are photos of Roebson Process and J&J Rogers in this book; both were located in Au Sable Forks. There is also a "photo" of the Northern Orchard Company of Peru, but the image is of a basket of apples, not the actual industry.

The Roebson Process tank car was among the first roadnames released by Intermountain in both HO and N Scales. An interesting choice to be sure considering its relative obscurity, but I'm not complaining!
 #888580  by CPSD40-2
 
Russ - Yes, that is the bridge I photographed. It is in remarkably good condition! Here's a link to the photos I took back around Thanksgiving:

http://s267.photobucket.com/albums/ii31 ... %20Bridge/

And a link to the photos of the old J&J Rogers ( I believe ) plant on the opposite side of the river from the village:

http://s267.photobucket.com/albums/ii31 ... er%20Mill/

Enjoy!