Matt Langworthy wrote:
Keuka also had better highways along its shores, along with ports at each end of the lake. Naples is actually a few miles south of Canandaigua Lake, which has a marsh at its south end. Thus there would be a much better reason for lake traffic to last longer on Canandaigua than Keuka Lake.
I'm not really familiar with that history of Canadagua lake, and it has been educational to see the discussion in this thread. I never knew for sure that there was a rail branch to Canadagua lake in Canadagua, though I highly suspected it.
Pennsy never would have had a chance at interchanging with the B&H, which (according to Keuka Lake Memories) was one of most profitable branchlines on the Erie. Reciprocal rights in the Elmira area make sense, as there was mutual benefit for the Erie and PRR there. Similarly, the Pennsy and NYC did interchange in the city of Canandaigua... which almost certainly included lake traffic, so it seems entirely possible IMO that a mirror arrangement could have existed in Penn Yan. At the end of the day, I think it will come down to the physical evidence (assuming any is left).
I was just razzin' ya with that possibility, (which I pretty well knew was never the case) with the point that such an arrangement was more likely than finding an interchange in PY. Physically speaking, the only possibilty for such an interchange would have been a link between the Branchport and Keuka Park line on Elm St, and the Birkett Mills complex via Basin street.
I am not aware of tracks ever occupying Water Street (or Basin street for that matter). And needless to say, the curve required to enter Basin Street would be very difficult to impossible to envision. Let me know when you are in town, I'd be glad to help search for evidence if I had the time that day.