Richfield Branch questions

Hi, just a few (of the many) questions about this line that I've always wondered about: Did Delaware Otsego buy this line from E-L or Conrail? In the later years of DL&W and E-L on the branch, did they run the local right out of Utica, or did they keep power at Richfield Jct. or another location along the line? What kind of servicing facilities were located at Richfield Jct. in the days of Steam?
I've always had an interest in the Richfield Branch; I remember when it was still in place all the way into Richfield, although I only got to see it in operation up to W. Winfield, when 3 Guys Lumber recieved inbound lumber loads. I was really sad to see it go (I think it was the summer of 1995), quite an interesting piece of history was lost there!
Thanks in advance!

Richfield Springs was always a line operated from Utica as far as the DL&W was concerned. The Jct. itself was only that, a junction with a wye. CNY got it when CR didn't want it. I am not sure where the power was kept but the crew was called by CNY out of Cooperestown and was whoever was availabe from the C&CV roster. Good histories on this line in Tabers's books, plus highly reccommended CLEAR THE TRACKS, 1943, Bromely. The branch has been part of other histories of the NYSW and EL and DL&W as well. And I know you'll be hearing more, and more accurate, information here, soon, too.

The Branch was operated mostly out of Utica, sometimes as a separate job and other times as part of the duties of the Sherburne Local or the through train to Binghamton, called The Bull. When the Milk Train was running out of RSPG, they had a Utica Terminal crew based there as an oputlying terminal. There was a two stall enginehouse in RSPG. This train operated until CA 1940. Then everthing once again came out of Utica. When the Bull went over the branch he would at times have three units (GP-7's...pretty cool !)

DO bought it and ran their first train in early December 1973. They had an enginehouse to the rear of the old DL&W freighthouse that was still there last time I was over there... well but then too so was the rails... They had crew go on duty there and just prior to the takeover of the Utica main the crew would also cover as needed the FJ&G operation out of Fonda. The late Durwood Carman was a regular in the job (re: U&MV RSC-2 #25 at Utica named in his honor...an engine which he ran on the Adirondack but hated !)

RSPG had a good propane business, and the mills at West Winfield were busy.

After NYSW took the Utica main crews once again mainly...mostly came out of Utica and worked over the branch as needed. At the very end they seemed to fill the roster with others in the transportation department but not necessarily the regular crews. Not sure how to explain that. They had an NYSW RS-1 based there at the last - #252 I think and an RS-3...probably the 103 as I think the regular CNY engine for years the 101 was in Honesdale at that time. CNY also ran in 1974 one of the FJG switchers when the 101 suffered mechanical failure.

DL&W used 300 and 700 consols, 500 moguls and camel bacl 900's. Diesel power was initially 900 series RS-3's and later 900 series GP-7's. EL followed through with the same GP-7's now numbered 1200's. Last EL double header was reported on a plow train 17MAR 1970. The DL&W RSPG freighthouse was still standiong...barely when DO took over but it was quickly torn down.

All the times I was around the operation I only got one meet photo between CR and CNY. Have not seen any of EL / CNY toghether. Years ago in the very early days of the railroad there was a small enginehouse in RJCT but it did not last long.

Thanks, that's some great info!
Makes me wish I was there to see it happen.
I recall about a year (maybe less) before the line was scrapped, there was an article about saving the branch in the Utica OD. I think it was about a group who proposed a tourist operation... but that was a long time ago! Would have made for a neat ride.

It was a pretty neat operation, and very busy for a long time.

In the early 1980's the U&MV Chapter ran some excursions over to the West Winfield Fireman's field days. They were some real fun trips ! Then they sometimes had a side trip from West Winfield all the way over to the Springs. In 1982 there was a trip direct out of Utica to Richfield Springs, the first revenue passenger train to make that run in Years. It was sponsored by the RRE? out of Boston or thereabouts with a guy named Crawford if I recall. Dick Horstman's private ex Lehigh Valley business car was on the tail end (Car 353). A really cool trip. We had C420 2002 for power and I fired for Durwood Carman on the way over and Tim Wakeman fired on the way back to Utica. A pretty ride on a nice summer day - Aug 29, 1982.

EL and CR retained the wye at Richfield Jct, and once in a while would drag a car around it to turn it for unloading on account of a stubborn door, and at least once CR dragged a piggyback car down and turned it. Unusual to see CR power at the top of the wye and I missed the pic everytime for various reasons !

Gatesdale Dairy Bar in Bridgewater was a popular stop for DL&W, UV, EL and DO crews for a long time. I believe it is now closed. There used to be an old auto museum across the street and I think that is gone too. I should be in NY in Aug and will have to get over that way and check out what is left. Probably be disappointed.

Did I hear some or most all of the Branch is now a trail ?

Older DL&W engineers llike Jim Dundon used to talk about going over the Branch with the Bull at 40mph... I just cannot imagine that, but they did it. The grandson of the Richfield Jct operator in the 1930's was a kid named Ted Jackson who later retired off the NYC / CR at DeWitt / Woodard. He says that he had been from the Jct to West Winfield to deliver the Milk Car at 60mph !! There is some good long tangent running there but it gets hill and dale out of West Winfield over Richfield Hill, Millers Mills and Youngs. The last EL train I ever saw on the Branch was in the Summer of '72. A work train with a bob-tail switcher and a few gons and caboose between West Winfield and Bridgewater.. The next day I saw it on the main headed south to Binghamton. I may have heard the horn on the CNY RS-3 when that ran up light to Richfield Jct from Binghamton in December 1973. I recall a horn and a light train or light engine coming up the grade at Earlville but was preoccupied with a hunting expedition and didn't go out of my way to check it out. Wish I had now ! I understand the light CNY engine met the Norwich local at Sherburne that day. An EL crew move the unit light from Bing-RJCT with Walter Rich on board. Now that would have been a great pic; a CNY / EL meet at Sherburne !!

Wow, that's some really great stuff! 40 mph on the branch. I never imagined they ran that fast, all my memories (and I was pretty young at the time) are of an out-of-service, rusty and weed covered line... little did I know!
One more question - when was the Richfield branch built in relation to the Utica branch?
Believe it or not, the Gatesdale still exists as a restaraunt. Now an Italian restaraunt, they've painted the huge milk bottle out front to resemble a wine bottle! I haven't eaten there since it's become an Italian restaraunt ("Dominick's") but I recall getting ice cream at the Gatesdale years ago. I think the old depot next door was an antique shop at the time.
The old ROW is used quite extensively as a trail (ATV, snowmobile) but I don't think that it's formally become a rail-trail. It may be marked as a trail by local snowmobile clubs, though.

The Richfield Branch was built at time the line was built towards Sherburne and was thought at one time to run it to Kingston, NY area. An idea that died pretty quick. The original depot area was actually about half a mile or more to the (railroad) north of the terminus down by Lake Street. This was account of the alignment to continue onward to the east. The depot was relocated about a year later to its final location. CA 1870-71 era.

Bridgewater's origional depot was to the (railroad) north of the current depot until shortly after the UV RR arrived. The original site was by the mill buildings and I hear that the original structure is incorporated now into those buildings... if they are still there. The present depot was built at the new site and the old depot sold off.