Coal traffic idea which never happened

As mentioned I'm trying to sort stuff and hopefully downsize by a couple boxes or two. As I come across random things I'm going to scan and post them. Most will probably be ancient history, and many might be of little interest to some of us. But a few might spur discussion, or jog memories. And with new members occasionally joining us, they might enjoy reading some.

So here's an article which I believe is from the Albany NRHS publication THE CALL BOARD. (Mohawk & Hudson NRHS maybe?) Looks like the date was somewhere about 1985. It's an interesting look at an idea which never made it to reality. Oh well, it would have been interesting!

Pretty cool article. Too bad it never happened. I see the routing was pretty much a water level route to most of the way. I’m sure they wanted to avoid using helpers whenever possible.

Interesting piece! According to that map, it seems like the coal was to be shipped up the Corning
Secondary out of Jersey Shore the entire way to Lyons and then eastward. I wonder if Conrail held on
to the Pennsylvania section of the line longer then they wanted while waiting to see if this plan was
going to come to fruition?

Of course, the last wheels turned through the "grand canyon of the northeast" in 1988.

Charlie

While on the subject of "what ifs", add the "what if" continued operation of the Morton Himrod mine into the 1980's. Several hundred carloads coming and going daily. Add that to the coal traffic coming from PA and the line north of Himrod would have really been busy. But only "what ifs," unfortunately.

Poppyl

Yes it would have almost been like it was back in the very early 1960's when I was a youngster that used to stay at a friends cottage on the west side of Seneca lake "Harmony Beach" when 8 to 10 coal drags used to rumble above the cottage every day. Those where the days!