Another RR bites the dust?

[Anonymous]

STEWARTSTOWN RAILROAD: The Stewartstown Railroad has issued a letter stating that the railroad has closed "for an indefinite amount of time" and will not reopen for Easter. The SRR has been operating as the same company almost continuously since 1885. " This might spell the end of the line for this venerable shortline, located in Stewartstown, Pa.

[Anonymous]

How big was this short line & what kinds of locomotives did it use ? What kind of business did it service ? I've never heard of this shortline before , Sounds like another rails to trails project is in the future unless someone else fills their shoes. As this is a beautiful area. Thanks for the post , You've got my curiosity going now.

[Anonymous]

Stewartstown RR is (was) a small tourist operation. Don't know if they had any freight customers are but I believe their power was a couple of switchers. I think one GE 44 tonner and a smaller critter. Check out this link I found from a Google search:

http://www.nrhs.com/nrhsconv/2003conv/stewartstown/stewartstown.htm

LC

[Anonymous]

That's too bad. Hopefully, at least, the rolling will be preserved.

[Anonymous]

I hope the Rolling Stock will be kept around for many generations

DOGGY

[Anonymous]

LC, Thanks for the web site info. It looks like it would have been a nice little get away . "Happy Rails"

[Anonymous]

The Stewartstown ran from Stewartstown, Pa to New Freedom, Pa.[7.2 miles] They once ran 9 miles further to Fawn Grove. Stewartstown RR over the years ran 4-4-0's, 2-6-0's, and a Brill railbus. They retired steam in favor of 20 and 25 ton Plymouth gas-mechanical engines. In recent years, they owned a GE 44 ton loco bought from Coudersport & Port Allegheny. A fine history of the Stewartstown is available from the NRHS Baltimore Chapter. Model Railroader also featured the Stewartstown in a "Railroad You Can Model" story in March 1966. (I think the date's right; check the Index on this site.)

[Anonymous]

Oh, and freight traffic mostly was farm supplies, with some light manufacturing thrown in. Their freight business was taking off with several new shippers, when Hurricane Agnes wiped out the STWR's connection, the ex-PRR/NCR York-Baltimore line. At great taxpayer expense, the York-NewFreedom sement was reopened in the early 80's; however, all the former rr customers had made long-term arrangements with truckers, as the rr hadn't run in over 12 years. As a result, freight traffic was almost nonexistent. Most of STWR's operations in recent decades was of the daisey-picker persuasion. [In case you couldn't tell, I'm a bit of a Stewartstown Railroad fan! :^) ]

[Anonymous]

It sure is nice to find out the history of places like this from you folks, Ever since limitedclear posted this thread I've been doing nothing but wondering about this line. Thanks For the extra history lesson Skeets , It was very helpful. PS; I stumbled onto what apears to be an old unfinished railbed about 2mi. southeast of Whitewater Wi. just off of county hwy P in the Kettle Moraine State Forest area. It was a long time ago because large trees have overgrown the bed. I try'd to find out about this finding, but most people have no idea of this. A few people have told me that I was correct about this but they didn't quite have the full details. It seems like the history of this is lost for good. "HAPPY RAILS"