pablo wrote:There were also the fun shenanigans that the Pennsy pulled to get something of value for losing their line; they ran about everything they could over the line prior to it closing to demonstrate its value, and then complained how much of a loss it would be. I believe they got free locomotives out of it, whether U25's or Geeps, I don't remember.
Dave, I wish I could find my reference after all these years, but the "railfan legend", for lack of a better term, has it that the PRR shuttled the same string of 40 to 50 empty hoppers back and forth over the line to make it appear that the line was much busier than it actually was. The money the PRR received in reparation for the loss of the line was used as payment on the PRR's first GE U25B's.
pablo wrote:I've seen some anecdotal evidence around Warren that the line between Warren and the dam (or at least closer to it than exists now) lasted a while longer. I believe it was car storage for the refinery, basically, and even today, what was the mainline is now a storage track that ends just shy of the Glade bridge in Warren. There's almost always a tank car at the bumper.
Dave Becker
The line running from what was then the Allegheny Hotel in Warren to the dam did remain intact for many years after the rest of the line was abandoned. I recall that the late Blaine Meade, a Warren County commissioner, had expressed an interest in operating a tourist line from downtown Warren to the dam. As a young (probably overly-enthusiastic) railway buff I actually met Mr. Meade on a Saturday morning to discuss the proposal with him. (I should mention that he was very gracious and shared my enthusiasm. I've always remembered Mr. Meade as a very patient and kind gentleman, not something I would say about too many politicians.) This was long enough ago that my mother had to drive me because I was too young to hold a driver's license. I'm 54 now-you can do the math.
The line has only been ripped up since I moved to southern Maryland-I recall seeing the work in progress on one of my yearly forays home in the early 1980's.
Personal aside:Way back in the fall of 1960, when the dam construction site was first dedicated in a large ceremony, Warren County schools were closed that day, so school buses could be utilized to haul the crowds from Warren to the dedication site due to the limited parking.
However, there was also a special passenger train that ran from Warren to the dam site. After all of these years, I can still recall the 2 RS or RSD type locomotives pulling the long string of tuscan passenger cars, riding the short distance from the Warren station to the dam and detraining. Then made a LONG walk to the top of a hill (where the dam is now) and looking back down towards the river at the train. The train departed (I was to learn years later that the locomotives were run around the train at Red House.) and came back later for our return ride to Warren. Recall that Warren still had passenger service at the time between Erie and Emporium.