Erie-Cattaraugus trail-BR&P

I stopped into Berts Bike today for a new tube. Seems the push for the trail is on again. They will donate a certain amount of money for every purchase made to help open the trail from Orchard Park to Springville.

While trying to find some info on this I came across this site.... https://bikeitorhikeit.org/erie_cattara ... _trail.htm There is a small section completed around the depot in Springville. But not very far north. I'll have to stop and take a look one of these days.

I warned them about the NIMBYS along the ROW. Hope they get past them this time. It is such a waste to see such a scenic ROW not used. Last year, I rode a couple of converted trails in Pennsylvania. Two of them following RT66. One starting near Clarion and then other in Marienville. Beautiful wide open country. Riding along the ridge on the BR&P will be just as nice. Lets hope it doesn't go to waste.

I wonder if these NIMBYS have a problem with the snowmobiles riding on the ROW through the property?

EDIT: Added this site for better info..... https://www.ecattrail.org/

Interesting: Looking at the Rail Trail site got me following the ROW via satellite view from OP down to Ashford - of course sidetracked to the West Valley Nuclear Demonstration site. I didn't realize a spur was built to this project that veered off the 'mainline' at Fox Valley Road near the Ashford Town Garage? I always assumed the line just passed by the project on its way up to Springville. Correct me if I'm mistaken- I also tried to follow via ACME mapper.

Then as I followed the line I thought geez pretty much reclaimed by nature after only 10 years - till I realized 2009. was 20 years!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xAlXteRiXQ

Caught this promotional film by Nuclear Fuel Services promoting the spent fuel reprocessing at the facility in West Valley NY in the early 1960s that highlighted the benefits of providing energy to NYS. Shows guys in nice clean white coveralls unloading the spent fuel from a funky looking rail car, then a clip of dumping 55 gal drums into a pit.

Mentioned accepting spent fuel from a nuclear plant outside NYC so I suppose this type of rail car was used long distance?

Of course the after burying 2.4 million gallons of spent fuel the whole project came to a halt in late 70's and site taken over by the Feds and NYS to create West Valley cleanup project.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Vall ... on_Project

Fireman43 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 17, 2020 11:16 pm Then as I followed the line I thought geez pretty much reclaimed by nature after only 10 years - till I realized 2009. was 20 years!

No, you were right the first time. 10 years, not 20.
1999 was 20 years ago.
2009 was 10 years ago. (technically 11 years)

Scot

Ah yeah 11, guess late at night things get fuzzy.
So my observation of Mother Nature reclining wasn’t off base.
Even all the road crossing have been paved over obliterating any sign of rails. Surprised the towns and county did that much paving .
Trying to find that thread on here that had all the pictures of the line while rails still in place highlighting all the conditions.

Probably 5 years ago or so, I drove down Rt240 from Springville to Ashford Jct. It was so scenic it was incredible. You go from a northerly flat lands into a steep valley as you get closer to Ashford Jct. If I ever won a big chunk of the lotto, I would make every effort to start a scenic railway from Springville depot to Salamanca.

An interesting add-on to the B&P trail...…Hinsdale [Olean]

Is there abandoned track or ROW running between Salamanca and Olean?

https://www.wivb.com/news/local-news/bu ... the-works/

I was just riding my bike down in PA again this past weekend. I rode the Clarion and Little Toby Creek path from a different starting point this time. About 5 miles north of Brockway. The end of the 7th St Extension. I mention this path again because the BR&P from Orchard Park to Springville and then from West Valley to Ashford JCT would very closely match in scenic quality to the Little Toby path whether you start in Ridgway or Brockway.

It continues to annoy me that this ROW is being blocked. Perhaps they can start the path from Ashford JCT and head north to West Valley instead. Skip Orchard Park and Colden.

Here is the map of the Little Toby path. It parallels the B&P the whole way. All the leaves are off the trees and I could see the current B&P tracks most of the 18 miles. Ya gotta ride it!

https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ALe ... CAk&uact=5#

SST, is that line in PA the old PRR?

I will say yes based on info taken from my thread in Pa section.

See here near the bottom: viewtopic.php?f=130&t=169424

scottychaos wrote: ↑Wed Mar 18, 2020 9:39 am

Fireman43 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 17, 2020 11:16 pm Then as I followed the line I thought geez pretty much reclaimed by nature after only 10 years - till I realized 2009. was 20 years!

No, you were right the first time. 10 years, not 20.
1999 was 20 years ago.
2009 was 10 years ago. (technically 11 years)

Scot

I was looking at some "Google Earth" street views in Springville and it's truly amazing how much of the railroad has disappeared in 11 short years. When I looked at some of the former crossings, there is little if any sign in the pavement that there was ever even a railroad there.

Looking up the right away, that's still obvious there as there is some stone on the former roadbed.

Regards,
Fred M. Cain

thought I'd piggyback onto this thread with this update: Pretty ambitious, considering an earlier article pointed out the Orchard Park town board passed a resolution. NOT IN MY BACKYARD.... reminds me of that angry guy yelling Get OFF MY LAWN.

https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/local ... 916f46db7d

Very interesting and hopeful. I have no doubt that this would be the most scenic trail around this area and compete with some of the NW"ern trails in Pa.

Funny thing, while on the way to xc ski the other day and as I'm driving along Rt240, I see a colorful sign on the ROW. I didn't stop to look at it but I will on my next trip down Rt240.

I don't want to disclose the location of the sign until I see who its for.

Hopefully doesn’t say NIMBY!!!

like that sign at the end of the 4 lane 219
Doesn’t that say something like BRIDGE TO NOWHERE ?

Here's a picture of what's on the row. The location, looking north from KB, is where the row crosses rt240. I think a church is only 100 feet away.

These little signs have been popping up at nearly every little opening along the ROW. Have seen them at Jewett Holmwood, Ellicott, and Behm Roads, even at Buffalo Ski Center where the line cut right across the parking lot.