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All about the Arcade & Attica Railroad

Moderator: Benjamin Maggi

 #6487  by arnstg
 
I took a trip back in 2002 on the A&A which was great despite the poor state of their rails. Saw the passenger car which, as I recall, was used by Grover Cleveland on his honeymoon.

I inquired about its state and was told that it was going to be trucked out for refurbishing since it had friction bearings. Has this happened?


Regards, Jerry

 #6604  by n2qhvRMLI
 
Jerry,

To best of my knowledge, the Grover Cleveland car was sold to a collector who is going to restore it. It is no longer in Arcade.

de Don N2QHV
 #468005  by tomjohn
 
I notice in the OCTOBER 2007 issue of Railpace pg.45 there is a picture of N.Y.O.&W. RR's WARWICK on a flatbed tractor trailer,didn't the ARCADE AND ATTICA have this car at one time? Take a look at the picture please let me know if I am mistaken ....
 
Tom
Formerly of HAMBURG,NY

 #468368  by jgallaway81
 
Tom, This is infact the car mentioned above.

The car was trucked out for several reasons instead of a rail-based trip.

The car was sent to Utica for restoration. Beyond that I can't comment as to its current state or the intentions of the current owners.
 #468371  by thebigham
 
tomjohn wrote:I notice in the OCTOBER 2007 issue of Railpace pg.45 there is a picture of N.Y.O.&W. RR's WARWICK on a flatbed tractor trailer,didn't the ARCADE AND ATTICA have this car at one time? Take a look at the picture please let me know if I am mistaken ....
 
Tom
Formerly of HAMBURG,NY
That's it.

The car is going to a railroad museum near Utica.

 #469556  by Benjamin Maggi
 
Any more information where this museum is? I am quite familiar with the city, with my family originally from there, and cannot imagine where they would put it. Except maybe behind the childrens musteum next to the steam switcher.

 #469699  by Otto Vondrak
 
The estate of the late Walter Rich is establishing a railroad museum in Franklin, NY, near where he grew up. The museum is currently under construction, haven't heard any more about it.

-otto-

 #469734  by jgallaway81
 
Thanks Otto.

A&A fans should do their part to patronize the museum. Walter Rich helped the A&A out several times over the last several years. It was a shame to hear of his untimely passing.

He was a great proponent of the New York State Rail industry, and a good friend to the A&A. He will be greatly missed.
 #470755  by tomjohn
 
As for the WARWICK,I am in the process of kit bashing a model of the WARWICK in N-SCALE from the pictures of the car that I have which I took in the early 1970's! I also happen to have two copies of RMC December 1985 issue, one copy is still sealed ....

Tom

 #470793  by Benjamin Maggi
 
I have tried to collect all articles on the A&A, but am unaware of what article is in the RMC from 1985. Can you enlighten us?

 #470917  by tomjohn
 
So sorry about the year on the RMC,it's the DECEMBER 1984 issue of RMC PAGES 78-84 !

Tom
 #520218  by khojnacki
 
Two items on the Warwick. The car is now in Franklin, NY, the site of Walt Rich's museum. The car is being thoroughly restored and should be a beauty when done. Walter was an avid O&W fan.

Now for the Honeymoon Car. I have done extensive research on this car and the legend and you can read my findings at kodtrak.railfan.net/warwick.htm

Dave Copeland, who was superintendent in the 80s allowed me to do the photo survey of the car you will find in the article. As you will see, it was physically impossible for the Warwick to have been Cleveland's private car as the actual built date was in 1889 and Cleveland was married in 1886. The railroad for some reason perpetuated the built date error based on First Car 30's built date of 1886 by Pullman. This car was traded in to Jackson & Sharp for the Warwick in 1889. Even railroad officials confirm or disclaim the legend. No one knows for sure how it started--it may have come from a trip he made to Clinton, NY on the O&W's Utica Branch in 1889 as noted in my article.

 #520292  by jgallaway81
 
Hey Ken, thanks for chiming in.

As I was working for the A&A at the time the move occured, I was made aware of the truth, and personally stopped refering to the car as the "Cleveland Honeymoon Car".

To add fuel to the fire, the urban lagend is quite entrenched... A article in the British magazine "Railroad" (I'm out on the road right now and can't confirm the mag's title) written in 1963 talks about this legend, so I have to guess that the A&A was probably an innocent dupe in the legend as opposed to the original purportrator.
 #917652  by thebigham
 
From the 3/24/11 Arcade Herald's Remember When column...

March 23, 1961

The private rail car reportedly used by President and Mrs. Grover Cleveland during their 1986 honeymoon was brought to Arcade to be stored. It was owned by the Buffalo and erie County Historical Society.