Railroad Forums 

  • 1982 Adirondack Railway auction results

  • Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in New York State.
Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in New York State.

Moderator: Otto Vondrak

 #1397369  by BR&P
 
This sheet is from an unknown publication - possibly an NRHS chapter's newsletter, possibly The Short Line, maybe something else. I'd love to give proper credit if I only knew. I'm posting this more as a reference for folks who might someday care, rather than anything that's current news.

Back in the 1980's the Adirondack Railway operated the line but eventually went belly-up. The auction was held in Webster NY, on the Ontario Midland RR, in March 1982. Here's a list of the rolling stock, the buyer, and the selling price. Hard to believe it's almost 35 years ago!
img279 - Copy.jpg
img279 - Copy.jpg (715.27 KiB) Viewed 5366 times
 #1397447  by lvrr325
 
So the gondola went from MMID to the Lebanon, Mason & Monroe railroad, who still uses it as an open air car on excursions on their line north of Cincinnati. However their website notes it to be ex-L&NE.

Didn't the RT&HS get a hold of that hopper after it sat for years in Victor?
 #1397553  by BR&P
 
I'm not sure what the ancestry of the gon was - and it's possible it went from DL&W to L&NE to ADIR, perhaps with an additional owner or two in between. It would be interesting to know. And I'm glad to hear it's still in use.

The RDG hopper was assigned to Ontario Eastern RR. When ONER shut down it went to Ontario Central. Since it retained its original coal doors it was not ideal for ballast work, requiring the use of chains, ratchets and a tie sliding along the wheels to regulate the stone. ONCT worked out a deal with the Reading HS wherein the society bought a ballast car from Amtrak (which was a converted Airslide covered hopper). The ballast car went to ONCT and the hopper was trucked out from Victor to the Reading group. That ballast car is not owned by FGLK and the last I knew was still in use.
 #1397636  by Kuyahoora Valley
 
I have a 3 page copy of a magazine article...that is the third page. The article is by Kermit Geary Jr. and called Requiem for a Railroad

I assume, based on the font and layout, that it appeared in the Jersey Central Lines, the monthly publication of the Jersey Central Chapter NRHS. This publication evolved into Railpace.

I don't have the whole issue, but have two previous issues with articles about the Adirondack Railway, July 1980 and November 1980.

Auction was held on Saturday, March 27, 1982
 #1399049  by Otto Vondrak
 
BR&P wrote:This sheet is from an unknown publication...
Looks like an old copy of The Block Line, the newsletter for Tri-State Chapter NRHS (which evolved into Railpace).

-otto-
 #1524814  by ClevelandOhioRailfan
 
BR&P wrote: Wed Aug 17, 2016 11:09 am This sheet is from an unknown publication - possibly an NRHS chapter's newsletter, possibly The Short Line, maybe something else. I'd love to give proper credit if I only knew. I'm posting this more as a reference for folks who might someday care, rather than anything that's current news.

Back in the 1980's the Adirondack Railway operated the line but eventually went belly-up. The auction was held in Webster NY, on the Ontario Midland RR, in March 1982. Here's a list of the rolling stock, the buyer, and the selling price. Hard to believe it's almost 35 years ago!

img279 - Copy.jpg
It appears the attachment doesn't work anymore. Does anyone have a copy of this they could send me? I believe the Midwest Railway Historical Foundation purchased a few of their P70 coaches from this auction, trying to confirm.

Matt
 #1524819  by ClevelandOhioRailfan
 
BR&P wrote: Sun Nov 10, 2019 8:28 pm Directly, no. But maybe they were resold.
Thank you. The buyer listed as Mr. Lord was S. Clark Lord, one of MRHF's officers. The four cars numbered 1684, 1699, 1726, and 1731 are cars the MRHF had. However I see the buyer is listed as Jim Philippone. I don't recognize his name, so Clark Lord either purchased these cars from him later on, or from another buyer if Mr. Philippone sold them.

Matt
 #1524825  by BR&P
 
I recall meeting Mr. Clark Lord, either at the auction or as the car(s) were preparing to be shipped out. All I remember about him was he was a very decent guy.

Jim Phillipone was a local attorney with a railroad itch who bought cars at that auction for subsequent resale, and later bought some surplus Amtrak cars. He also bought a CN business car at some silly low price IIRC, the thing was a diamond in the rough. Can't recall who bought that from him.
 #1525468  by BR&P
 
oibu wrote: Mon Nov 18, 2019 9:46 am When or why was 29 ever in Sodus? Just curious as I think this is the first I've ever heard of it being there.
A company called Rail Management Services was comprised of many of the people who founded Ontario Midland RR and Ontario Central RR (among others), altho not everyone in RMS was so involved. RMS engaged in consulting studies and related work at various places all over the US.

When Adirondack Railroad went belly-up, RMS was engaged by the bank to handle disposition of the assets. Since Old Forge was rather remote, and weather could be extreme up there. RMS decided to move all the equipment that was fit to move down to Webster NY, on the OMID for auction. This was within reasonable distance from the Rochester airport, there were hotels and motels within reach, and it was likely to draw a larger turnout for the auction. Most of the equipment was moved out in one big train in late November to Conrail, and eventually to OMID where the auction was held the following March.
 #1525670  by oibu
 
Thanks for the information! I had always just assumed the equipment was all in Utica or on ADK property at the time of the auction, so while based on the other equipment in the photo I had no reason to doubt that it was taken in Sodus, I had never heard anything about the equipment being moved there prior to the auction, so I was curious how it came about. Thanks.
 #1525819  by BR&P
 
oibu wrote: Wed Nov 20, 2019 9:12 pm I had always just assumed the equipment was all in Utica or on ADK property at the time of the auction,
You're welcome! (Technicality on the quote - as far as I recall Adirondack did not own any property in Utica. )

I can tell you one thing - that Saturday night 38 years ago tonight it was damn COLD at the rear of that train! The last car - whatever one it was - was missing the windows and at 20 mph the snow and cold air came right through. After 3 unsuccessful tries to get south, and then shoving north back to Thendara at about 20 mph, it lost the fun aspect in a hurry! :(