Map of original full Guilford Raiil system

[guilford88panam]

Does anyone have a map of the entire Guilford Rail system when it was at its largest with the D&H still around? I model a "fantasy" or freelance Guilford rail system. I am pretending it has become a small class 1 and never got rid of the D&H and was part of the conrail split. But I havnt truly sat down to think fully and make up the "story" yet.

Pan am in my world is jointly owned by NS and GRS (pan am southern basically). I also am keeping the mountain division open and I am thinking of having a small shortline named Portland Terminal & Western Railway that operates it, and maybe Guilford has full trackage rights or vice versa.


Heres one of my SD70M-2s

GRS 70 .jpg

Thanks, if anyone can help me find a map that would be great

Tim

[cpf354]

Although not very detailed, this gives a good idea of the system at it's greatest extent. I don't recall how I came by it but I recall Guilford put it out.

GTI MAP.jpg

[CN9634]

Thank you for sharing this most interesting map. Notice the lines on the map are once again starting to come under a common control in the western portion... wonder how long this trend will continue to migrate east.

[BostonUrbEx]

Still can't believe they screwed up so bad out west. Imagine if they held it all together up to the Conrail split? They'd be in the big leagues. Granted, they're still probably the largest Class 2 in North America, but it seems the biggest opportunity to come their way was missed.

[KSmitty]

Yes, thanks a lot for posting that!

2 questions to anyone.

What is/was the branch out between Bingo and Corning?

When did CP get rights into NYC, or is Newark still as close as the D&H gets?

[newpylong]

Me oh my has she shrunk.

[johnpbarlow]

Me oh my has she shrunk.

Just think what the GRS map could have looked like had the "ProRail" deal gone through in the mid '80s: By virtue of NS acquiring Conrail in 1985 (as one plan for the US to privatize Conrail), to facilitate competition with its acquisition of Conrail, NS would have sold CR/NS track to GRS to extend its reach westward from Buffalo to Chicago via the ex-NKP line to Cleveland plus the former PRR main line and St Louis via ex-NKP Cloverleaf line (I think these were the lines offered to GRS).

NY Times article of 12/15/85: http://www.nytimes.com/1985/12/15/nyreg ... issue.html

Philly.com article of 4/11/86: http://articles.philly.com/1986-04-11/b ... thern-bmwe

[guilfordrailfan]

Yes, thanks a lot for posting that!

2 questions to anyone.

What is/was the branch out between Bingo and Corning?

When did CP get rights into NYC, or is Newark still as close as the D&H gets?

The branch between Bingo and Corning was the ex-LV Auburn branch inherited by D&H in 1976. It is now the Owego & Harford Railway. The appendage farther west near Buffalo was the D&H's interchange with G&W. Pre-CP D&H only ever had trackage rights to Oak Island yard in Newark for intermodal traffic only. Trackage rights to NYC came later during CP ownership.

[guilfordrailfan]

Me oh my has she shrunk.

Just think what the GRS map could have looked like had the "ProRail" deal gone through in the mid '80s: By virtue of NS acquiring Conrail in 1985 (as one plan for the US to privatize Conrail), to facilitate competition with its acquisition of Conrail, NS would have sold CR/NS track to GRS to extend its reach westward from Buffalo to Chicago via the ex-NKP line to Cleveland plus the former PRR main line and St Louis via ex-NKP Cloverleaf line (I think these were the lines offered to GRS).

NY Times article of 12/15/85: http://www.nytimes.com/1985/12/15/nyreg ... issue.html

Philly.com article of 4/11/86: http://articles.philly.com/1986-04-11/b ... thern-bmwe

Comparing what could have been with what we have now is a mind-blowing study in contrasts. Edit: Of course the "what could have been" could only have been possible with a much different managerial attitude toward labor (and other things) than what was present at the time.

[newpylong]

I typically don't do the "what could have been" as much as the "what was". Granted there would have been serious hemorrhaging of trackage as patterns changed in the 80s and 90s but I quite often wonder what we would have had the strikes never happened and money was continuously reinvested.

I have attached some pictures of how positive things were upon GTI scooping up the big 3 at the beginning. There are 6 other pages but they are too big to upload here.

may83-1.gif

[jwhite07]

Well, Newpy, can you enlighten us what magazine it's from? I see May 1983... guessing maybe Railfan & Railroad?

[MEC407]

I have a copy of that article around here somewhere. Can't remember if it was Trains or R&R...

[guilford88panam]

Thanks to all who have replied and helped with maps and information!!! MUCH APPRECIATED

Tim

If interested in my freelance class 1 Guilford, this is my weathering business webpage, I will post a link and or updates to the freelance Guilford here soon. Thanks again

https://www.facebook.com/timsweatherdepot" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[GE45tonner]

What's the current status of the Bangor-Calais line?

[F-line to Dudley via Park]

What's the current status of the Bangor-Calais line?

PAR owns the first couple thousand feet of it roughly to the I-295 overpass so nobody else can establish freight service on it. MEDOT owns the rest. Downeast Scenic leases the Brewer-Ellsworth section for excursion service (and will probably be allowed into downtown Bangor when their volunteers get done upgrading the rail inch by inch westward). To Calais is MEDOT-owned and railbanked, and mostly trailed. Although the state keeps throwing money at studying kooky restoration schemes.