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Milford, Matamoras & New York Railroad

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

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Milford, Matamoras & New York Railroad

 #205253  by mortonstationagent
 
The Milford, Matamoras, & New York Railroad, or alternately the Milford and Matamoras Railroad, was chartered to extend from Milford, Pike County, PA, through Matamoras PA, and across the Delaware to a connection with the Erie as Port Jervis. Can anyone confirm whether all or part of this line was ever built? I am particularly interested in the portion heading west out of Matamoras. The only information I found so far indicates that there was at least a spur leading to "slate gravel beds" below Matamoras. Does anyone know how far this went?

Thanks

I DON"T BELIEVE

 #205257  by henry6
 
I don't believe any track was laid or even roadbed prepared. Possible survey were made. In the back of my mind there was supposed to be a connection with the DelawareVally RR (or one of its carnations) from Stroudsburg which got only as far as Bushkill at one time.

 #205452  by choess
 
Oh no, it definitely existed. Taber's "Railroads of Pennsylvania" has a picture of the only MM&NY engine, an ex-New York elevated dinky.

Some of the grading was initially done by the Milford & Matamoras RR (Inc. Apr. 7, 1849, reorganized Apr. 1, 1870), but it was never completed. It had charter rights from Milford to Matamoras (and across the river to an Erie connection) only. The Milford, Matamoras & New York RR, according to Taber, was inc. in PA Nov. 5, 1896 to build from Milford to the state line, and in NY as the Matamoras & New York RR to build from the state line to the Erie at Port Jervis. 1.5 miles were built in 1898 to the rock crushing plant, using some of the old M&M roadbed, but then the money ran out. It was operated by the Erie until the bridge was damaged in February 1904, torn up 1917.

Many railroads were chartered to run along the middle Delaware, but other than these and the Delaware Valley RR (charter rights Saylorsburg to Port Jervis; built East Stroudsburg-Bushkill), none were ever graded or operated, to my knowledge.

Taber also lists the "Lamont Mining & Railroad Co.", inc. Feb. 25, 1870, as having rights to build up to 15 miles of railroad in Pike County. This features in an interesting story about the Milford & Matamoras and the Erie. I imagine this is the information originally referred to.

 #205497  by JBlaisdell
 
The Milford, Matamoras & New York RR, according to Taber, was inc. in PA Nov. 5, 1896 to build from Milford to the state line, and in NY as the Matamoras & New York RR to build from the state line to the Erie at Port Jervis. 1.5 miles were built in 1898 to the rock crushing plant, using some of the old M&M roadbed, but then the money ran out. It was operated by the Erie until the bridge was damaged in February 1904, torn up 1917.
Out by the old Erie turntable in Port Jervis, there is a display of old photos and an old map drawn to look like an arial view of the area. The map shows a line fron PJ into Pennsylvania. Must be this line?

 #205788  by cjvrr
 
Wasn't there a trolley line that ran from Port Jervis to Matamoras too?

Re: Milford, Matamoras & New York Railroad

 #1615627  by wgh0280
 
mortonstationagent wrote: ↑Mon Jan 16, 2006 9:18 am The Milford, Matamoras, & New York Railroad, or alternately the Milford and Matamoras Railroad, was chartered to extend from Milford, Pike County, PA, through Matamoras PA, and across the Delaware to a connection with the Erie as Port Jervis. Can anyone confirm whether all or part of this line was ever built? I am particularly interested in the portion heading west out of Matamoras. The only information I found so far indicates that there was at least a spur leading to "slate gravel beds" below Matamoras. Does anyone know how far this went?

Thanks
[/My grandfather was a founder and General Manager of the Milford Matamoras New York Railroad. His name was William Villiers Hilliard and he resided in Milford . The railroad was built and was used to transport slate and shale out of Pennsylvania. I know that he shipped a good amount of shale to NYC for the pathways in Central Park from shale pits that we owned. Hope this might help. The railroad ceased running in the 1930s when the bridge from Matamoras to Port Jervis was wiped out by ice flow on the Delaware.
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