September 30, 1979
Preparations continued for the October 1 startup of Ontario Midland RR. Actually, Alco 361 had been running the line for a couple weeks, under contract to the track contractor who was rebuilding the line on a state funded project. That basllast-dropping project had several starts and stops as Conrail waffled on whether or not it could be done, the union guys attempted to throw a roadblock or two, and the FRA crippled the pieces of rolling junk the contractor called hopper cars.
On this date the 361 was renumbered 36, and "Ontario Midland" was lettered crudely on the sides.
Now it had already been determined that the first move the next morning was a trip to Newark to get cars from the interchange. It was noted that Plassche Lumber at East Williamson had finished unloading a flat car. Since car hire costs accrue hourly, OMID would start paying at 12:01AM, and the sooner the car could be taken off line the better. But it was desired to get the first train on its way south promptly.
Conrail had run their last train. (passing Sodus the engineer - not one of their finest - had given the OMID power a salute which MIGHT have meant "ONE last train" altho he used a strange finger to do it with
). OMID's insurance was already in effect. So Sunday night several OMID officials fired up one of the locos, ran lite the 3 or 4 miles to East Williamson, and brought that flat car to Sodus where it could catch that first train to Newark.
It's a fact of history that OMID didn't start operations until October 1st.
Or did they?