by SST
Before you all chew my butt off for posting this in NYS, consider that the NYS forum is far busier than the PA forum. 66,000+ posts vs 9300+ posts. After driving nearly 400 miles, I wanted more than 2 replies. So, consider it something like, I"ve returned and am reporting back to the NY constituency. My dad and I rode the KK around 15 years ago out of Kane. Having just drivien the route, I wish we had taken it out of marienneville. A more rural and scenic section of the railroad.
I picked Rt66 out of Kane initially because I thought [mistakenly] that this was part of the famous RT66. But I decided to check it out anyways. I later found out via the PA forum than the Knox and Kane RR followed Rt66 from Kane to Clarion. Yesterday the weather cooperated and I made the run.
After turning off 219 on to RT 6W, I found the RR used by the KK. All or most of the rails are still in the ground. Crossings removed. Overgrowth was everywhere. It was hard to follow. I entered Kane and parked at the depot and then walked around the town. I went into the depot and they had some RR stuff. Lots of art and paintings. One painting really got my attention until I saw the asking price. haha I lost interest pretty quick. A really good painting though.
After studying the route, I actually followed other roads instead of 66. I stuck pretty close to the row. South of Kane, there is still rail in the ground. All crossings have been removed though. Without my Garmin GPS, it would have been hard to spot the ROW. Lots of overgrowth and sizible trees on it.
The Kane depot.
I got off of 66 near Rt948 south of Russel City. This may have either been a logging road or a fire road. Looking at it from Google SAT, I wasn't quite sure what to expect or if I'd have to turn around. But it was a great stoned road. Pretty smooth. Even when I took Old Lamont Rd [stone] it was in far better shape than many asphalt roads. Anyways, I came out on Watson Farm Rd and headed south. Rails still in the ground. I came across this MOW equipment. I assumed that it was landlocked because all crossings were removed. I think it’s a cutter.
As I moved south along Watson Farm Rd, I eventually found out why the cutter above was where it was. "They" are pulling up rails and converting it into a motorbike trail. From this point south to Clarion, no more tracks in the ground. The condition of the ROW was freshly converted into Marienneville. South of Marienneville, lots off grass growing on the ROW. Used but not heavily.
I entered into Marienneville and found the stalls. I saw them on Street view but wasn't sure it was still there. In the Google areal view, the turn table pit is there. But they have either dug it up and filled it in or just filled it in. I could not locate the pit or its foundation. The sheds look in reasonable condition. Beat up but still standing. What really baffled me was how many stacks of new RR ties were on the property. There must be a couple hundred new ties stacked there and recently moved. Like within the past couple of days.
This is the shed. No pit in front of it. You can see a couple of stacks of ties against the wall. Many more to the right out of view.
This inside of the shed. Taken through the hole in the wall. I did not enter it.
The Marienneville depot.
After departing Marienneville, I came to the little town of Leeper at the junction of 66 and 36. Google SAT view and Street View shows a little yard with rails in the ground along Railroad St. I went and checked it out. No more rails.
After that, I just stayed with Rt66. Just north of Clarion, I saw this church steeple in the distance. Because it changed how I was looking at the road, I spotted two cabooses along 66. It was weird because the KK Row was way off to the east. So I stopped. I don't know if this was a tiny little museum or if it was just a private collection. Pretty cool either way. I looked to see if anybody was around. Quiet. I snapped a couple of picture and then departed.
I guess I got to much sun into the camera. Better then nothing.
After that, I drove into Clarion and followed the row into a camp ground on the north side of Clarion Airport. I followed it as far as I could go but there was no way to keep going.
I did spot a trestle over the Clarion River via Google. I tried to find it but had no luck. I picked up East End Rd near the Airport. The ROW approaching the trestle is on the south side of I-80. I started down a path that I was certain was the ROW to the bridge. But it got so steep going down hill, I thought, no way can a train operate here. I turned around back to East End Rd and crossed the River looking for the other side but I never found it. I had climbed a steep hill thinking the row was here and then starting down the other side, I gave up. Not really knowing what was ahead or if I’d be able to turn around, I stopped at the widest area and got turned around and started home.
On my way home, I did a quick drive through Knox. It you didn't know anything about the KK, you'd never know a train even was there. Everything is erased. Sad.
It was a fun mini-road trip and I'm glad I did it.
I picked Rt66 out of Kane initially because I thought [mistakenly] that this was part of the famous RT66. But I decided to check it out anyways. I later found out via the PA forum than the Knox and Kane RR followed Rt66 from Kane to Clarion. Yesterday the weather cooperated and I made the run.
After turning off 219 on to RT 6W, I found the RR used by the KK. All or most of the rails are still in the ground. Crossings removed. Overgrowth was everywhere. It was hard to follow. I entered Kane and parked at the depot and then walked around the town. I went into the depot and they had some RR stuff. Lots of art and paintings. One painting really got my attention until I saw the asking price. haha I lost interest pretty quick. A really good painting though.
After studying the route, I actually followed other roads instead of 66. I stuck pretty close to the row. South of Kane, there is still rail in the ground. All crossings have been removed though. Without my Garmin GPS, it would have been hard to spot the ROW. Lots of overgrowth and sizible trees on it.
The Kane depot.
I got off of 66 near Rt948 south of Russel City. This may have either been a logging road or a fire road. Looking at it from Google SAT, I wasn't quite sure what to expect or if I'd have to turn around. But it was a great stoned road. Pretty smooth. Even when I took Old Lamont Rd [stone] it was in far better shape than many asphalt roads. Anyways, I came out on Watson Farm Rd and headed south. Rails still in the ground. I came across this MOW equipment. I assumed that it was landlocked because all crossings were removed. I think it’s a cutter.
As I moved south along Watson Farm Rd, I eventually found out why the cutter above was where it was. "They" are pulling up rails and converting it into a motorbike trail. From this point south to Clarion, no more tracks in the ground. The condition of the ROW was freshly converted into Marienneville. South of Marienneville, lots off grass growing on the ROW. Used but not heavily.
I entered into Marienneville and found the stalls. I saw them on Street view but wasn't sure it was still there. In the Google areal view, the turn table pit is there. But they have either dug it up and filled it in or just filled it in. I could not locate the pit or its foundation. The sheds look in reasonable condition. Beat up but still standing. What really baffled me was how many stacks of new RR ties were on the property. There must be a couple hundred new ties stacked there and recently moved. Like within the past couple of days.
This is the shed. No pit in front of it. You can see a couple of stacks of ties against the wall. Many more to the right out of view.
This inside of the shed. Taken through the hole in the wall. I did not enter it.
The Marienneville depot.
After departing Marienneville, I came to the little town of Leeper at the junction of 66 and 36. Google SAT view and Street View shows a little yard with rails in the ground along Railroad St. I went and checked it out. No more rails.
After that, I just stayed with Rt66. Just north of Clarion, I saw this church steeple in the distance. Because it changed how I was looking at the road, I spotted two cabooses along 66. It was weird because the KK Row was way off to the east. So I stopped. I don't know if this was a tiny little museum or if it was just a private collection. Pretty cool either way. I looked to see if anybody was around. Quiet. I snapped a couple of picture and then departed.
I guess I got to much sun into the camera. Better then nothing.
After that, I drove into Clarion and followed the row into a camp ground on the north side of Clarion Airport. I followed it as far as I could go but there was no way to keep going.
I did spot a trestle over the Clarion River via Google. I tried to find it but had no luck. I picked up East End Rd near the Airport. The ROW approaching the trestle is on the south side of I-80. I started down a path that I was certain was the ROW to the bridge. But it got so steep going down hill, I thought, no way can a train operate here. I turned around back to East End Rd and crossed the River looking for the other side but I never found it. I had climbed a steep hill thinking the row was here and then starting down the other side, I gave up. Not really knowing what was ahead or if I’d be able to turn around, I stopped at the widest area and got turned around and started home.
On my way home, I did a quick drive through Knox. It you didn't know anything about the KK, you'd never know a train even was there. Everything is erased. Sad.
It was a fun mini-road trip and I'm glad I did it.
