Old photos of Pennsy in Letchworth

The Pennsylvania RR through Letchworth State Park has always been a source of interest for me, and the right-of-way now known as The Greenway is a favorite hiking destination of mine. I was able to find the following photos of the Pennsy when it was still in use near the Erie Portageville bridge for those who are interested:

http://www.letchworthparkhistory.com/lpa93.html

and

http://www.letchworthparkhistory.com/lpa86.html

This website has lots of old photos of the Genesee Valley Canal, including an aqueduct, and of course many of the Erie Portageville bridge. Enjoy!

For those of you interested in the Pennsy AND pancakes, the Maple Tree Inn is now open for the season (and it's a short one, so don't wait...).

www.cartwrightsmapletreeinn.com

There are a number of photos on the restaurant walls of the Pennsy (a tripleheader in steam, among others) and of the EL, all local shots.

The gift shop often has books of local authors - I picked up a PS&N book there a few years ago.

...that the present day road through the park is along the PRR ROW?

Henry,
The Genesee Greenway trail is the PRR ROW.
on the East side of the park.
its a dirt hiking/biking trail.

you can see the actual Genesee canal along portions of the greenway.
just north and south from Jefferson road in Rochester is one area.
and along the greenway in Letchworth north of the "slide area"..
between the slide area and Nunda.
the actual ditch is right there, plain as day.
amazing.

Park at the canal locks in Nunda..there is an amazing string of 6 or 7 locks in a row.
bike south on the greenway towards letchworth, and suddenly the gorge will loom on your Right..
you have to walk your bike through the "slide area"..(the location of a major landslide that totally wiped out the PRR ROW)
then you can bike right up under the NS Portage bridge.
only about 10-12 miles ride round trip.

(and you start MUCH closer than Nunda if you want!
I just suggest Nunda because its a nice ride.
you can park your car along the LEtchworth park roads on the east side of the park and access the Greenway trail that way too..)

Scot

Here is a story of biking the entire PRR Rochester branch from Cuba all the way north to downtown Rochester.
this was in 1998, trail conditions are MUCH improved now!
I would love to bike the whole thing someday! have been considering it for years..
I have biked the PRR (greenway) starting from the War Memorial in downtown Rochester, all the way to Letchworth..(not all at once!

(ok..technically the PRR does not start at the War Memorial..but the trail does. the actual PRR ROW starts at about Genesee Valley park, with the PRR bridge over the canal.)

http://www.fogvg.org/trail_user/maps/t_ ... nd2end.php

Scot

There are several photos of a June 1949 excursion run on the Rochester Branch in the book "Western NY and Pennsylvania" by Pietrak, Streamer and VanBrocklin. It includes a nice shot from the Letchworth High Bridge of the train passing below.

Regarding the Greenway trail I mountain biked it from Ballantyne thru to Portageville on it last September. Only interruptions to the trail are a short stretch at the Genesee River crossing in Mt Morris and the area around the prison at Sonyea and south along Keshequa Creek to near Tuscarora. And of course the slide near Glen Iris. All however are easily bypassed.

Total distance is 58 miles. A nice ride, but a suspended bike highly recommended! ...FB

Thanks for sharing those links. Letchworth is an amazing place. I camped there in 1999 or 2000, and I loved it. My kids hated it because it was "boring". I hope to go back some day and just wander around on my Bike.

I did'nt get to see a train on the bridge when I was there, but was impressed anyway.

...SCOTT. My wife and I found the Nunda locks several years ago (she has taken up the history of canals to counter my railroads) and went on the the south end of the park, under the bridge. It is certainly a beautiful place and I want to get back and see more.

Henry,
your wife probably already has this information,
but just in case she doesn't:



http://www.history.rochester.edu/canal/ ... hap19.html

http://www.history.rochester.edu/canal/ ... tents.html

....SCOTTY. Just downloadead the stuff, and no, we don't have it in our library although have referred to it through other histories. Plus it will help answer some questions we've had and, best of all, it will give me "motivation with navigation" to get out there and see some of this stuff before full foliage!