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Cooperstown and Charlotte Valley Railroad

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509:#4909 was deeded to the Chapter as a gift by The Henry Ford Museum of Dearborn, Michigan. This locomotive had been purchased for $ 15,000 by the Museum from its owner, Chapter President Bruce E. Hodges, a number of years ago. However, both Canadian Pacific and its successor as the only connecting railroad—Norfolk Southern—finally refused to ever move it from Cooperstown Junction to Dearborn, due to alleged "clearance issues" and its 475,000-pound weight. The Leatherstocking Museum is one of only three museums to possess more than one GG1; both the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania (Strasburg, PA) and the United Railroad Historical Society (Boonton, NJ) also have two each. Ten other U.S. museums have one each, with totals of 16 GG1's preserved and 123 scrapped (most following Conrail retirement in 1979 and total retirement by all operators in 1983). On the PRR, Penn Central and Amtrak, they ran between Washington, DC and New Haven, CT; between Philadelphia and Harrisburg, PA; and on several electrified freight branches such as the Trenton Cutoff (Morrisville-Glenloch, PA). 63: 505:. These locomotives continue the numbering scheme used by the D&H for its S series switchers (C&CV #3051 and #3052). As of late 2012, unit 3051 has been painted into a D&H scheme, with C&CV lettering. The 3052 is being painted as time permits, in service with half black paint and half blue from its previous owner. As of August, 2015, unit 3052 had been restored to its original Canadian National paint scheme with its CN number #8223. 408:. Condemnation of this short U&D sector by NYSDOT saved the far-greater cost of building a large, concrete I-88 highway bridge over one deteriorated remnant of a branch line that had already been abandoned between Bloomville and Mickle Bridge, near West Davenport, in July, 1965. Delaware Otsego resurrected the C&CV name, which was last used in 1903 when the company was purchased by the D&H. 447:
boxcars. Several of these cars were stored on Clintonville Hill in the vicinity of milepost 7, secured only with handbrakes despite the steepness of the grade. On one occasion, vandals released the brakes on several cars, which rolled southward and derailed at the foot of the grade. Metal pieces from
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Notably, the Leatherstocking Railroad Museum has a pair of former Amtrak GG1 electric locomotives (built by the Pennsylvania Railroad's own Altoona Shops as #4909 in December, 1941 and #4917 in June, 1942), both owned by the NRHS Leatherstocking Chapter itself as of January 17, 2022. On this date,
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In March, 1899, the U&D began work west of Bloomville. When it reached Davenport Center, "no connection with the C&CV tracks was made, the new line traversing Charlotte Creek on a steel bridge, then following the north bank of the creek to West Davenport where a connection was made with the
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Work on this railroad started after the blizzard of 1888. By 1889, "the track of the new C&CV progressed eastward for only 6 miles to West Davenport, though graders built culverts, fills and rock cuttings up the valley of Charlotte Creek beyond Davenport, well into Harpersfield Township, before
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In February, 1891, the West Davenport R. R. was chartered. It was authorized to build from the West Davenport depot of the C&CVRR to the lands of "the McLaury sisters a short distance east of the Kort Right Brook". On April 13, 1891, the C&CVRR and the West Davenport R.R. were consolidated.
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Volunteers performed vegetation removal and trackbed rehabilitation before the line was reopened for seasonal passenger excursion trains, between Cooperstown and Milford, in 1999, retaining the C&CV name. Following a 2021 announcement, the railroad had planned to reopen the entire 16-mile line
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Cornell died on March 30, 1890, and his nephew Edwin Young became his executor. The Young family's "influence in Cooperstown" was undoubtedly what stopped all further work on the C&CV. The track of the latter ended at West Davenport, and "there it remained for many a year."
370:, the former C&CV line became a rural feeder into the D&H mainline. The D&H constructed a turntable and small locomotive maintenance facility in Cooperstown, which were removed in the 1950s. The C&CV was merged into the D&H effective March 1, 1957. 285:
In 1888, Articles of Association were filed for the Cooperstown and Charlotte Valley R.R. Co. (C&CVRR) The C&CVRR was likewise authorized to build from the "Hemlocks", but only as far as the lands of Matthew Ward in the town of Davenport.
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In 1934, the New York State Public Service Commission permitted the discontinuance of all passenger service on the C&CV. The last scheduled passenger train left Cooperstown for Cooperstown Junction on June 24, 1934.
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In 1865, the Articles of Association for the Cooperstown and Susquehanna Valley R.R. Company (C&SVRR) were filed. The stated purpose was to construct a railroad "from a point at or near the Village of
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between Cooperstown and Cooperstown Junction, connection with the Norfolk Southern Railway (former Delaware and Hudson mainline), in 2023, but there has been little or no progress as of late July, 2023,
415:, and the headquarters for Delaware Otsego Corporation were located in the former Cooperstown station: the stone passenger station that the D&H built shortly after the 1903 takeover of the C&CV. 546: 935: 960: 271:
On June 6, 1880, the enginehouse of the C&SVRR burned, damaging the road's two engines and destroying a baggage car. The names of the engines were "The Otsego" and "Middlefield".
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to Cooperstown. The stagecoach filled the railroad gap between these two rail termini, prior to the 1900 completion of the U&D to Davenport Center, West Davenport and Oneonta.
268:)), to be compatible with the Albany & Susquehanna. On May 28, 1876, the entire 16 miles (26 km) was "narrowed-up" (standard-gauged); "the work being completed by 4 p.m." 429:
steam locomotive until 1974 and diesel locomotives thereafter for the remainder of the decade. Excursion trains continued with diesel locomotives on weekends until the mid-1980s.
305:: not completed until 1900. The plan was to extend the existing line from Cooperstown to Cooperstown Junction eastward. The intended route was "along the Charlotte Valley through 21: 955: 455:
The last C&CV freight train operated in December, 1987, followed by infrequent equipment moves until the railroad was purchased by the Leatherstocking Chapter of the
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in 1903 and became known as the "Cooperstown Branch". The D&H built an ornate stone station in Cooperstown shortly after the takeover. Along with a branch to
950: 325:". In fact, the connection to the Ulster & Delaware was only built for the few miles between Cooperstown Junction and West Davenport (see below). 278:. It was abandoned in 1941. The second, in 1885, ran from its "southern terminus ... to or near the 'Hemlocks' on the Charlotte creek in the town of 339:
For several years, there was a "Tally-Ho" stagecoach link between Bloomville and Davenport Center for those who wished to travel by rail from
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The line was formed by "men in Cooperstown" in 1888, because Thomas Cornell, of Kingston, had "procrastinated" since 1872 in extending his
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made an appearance in the 1960s. Through the 1960s, the former C&CV line experienced declining traffic under D&H ownership.
332:"Early in February, 1890, the C&CV tracklayers reached Davenport Center, while the graders resumed work east of Harpersfield." 253: 388:
The remaining segment of the C&CV line from Cooperstown Junction to Cooperstown was sold by the D&H in 1970 to the
294: 256:". In February 1868, work was started on the line. However, the first train was not run until July 14, 1869. The road was 389: 363: 275: 432:
Freight traffic on the C&CV declined by the early 1980s to several cars per week: typically, loads of lumber to
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line (the farthest-western end of its former Catskill Mountain Branch) at Oneonta, during the construction of
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On September 10 and 11, 1949, the New York Freedom Train visited Cooperstown, drawing over 4,000 visitors.
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Two extensions of the C&SVRR were authorized by the State. The first, in 1869, ran from Cooperstown to
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Rail service south from Cooperstown Junction to the U&D connection ceased on August 10, 1905.
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Corporate History of the Delaware and Hudson Company and Subsidiary Companies, Vol. II
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Corporate History of the Delaware and Hudson Company and Subsidiary Companies, Vol. II
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the wreck can be found between the railroad right-of-way and the west bank of the
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The line carried on a quiet existence, using S-type Alco switchers, and even an
257: 134: 628: 377: 392:. The sale took place after Delaware Otsego was forced to sell a 2.6-mile ex- 36: 23: 667: 494: 467:
The Leatherstocking Railway Historical Society (Leatherstocking Chapter
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The C&CV was used during the 1980s to store large numbers of idle
471:) purchased the line from the Delaware Otsego Corporation in 1996. 437: 426: 882: 899:
Emails and telephone calls from Bruce E. Hodges to this editor.
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Template:Attached KML/Cooperstown and Charlotte Valley Railroad
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in Milford and freight for several customers in Cooperstown.
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The C&CV built new locomotive maintenance facilities at
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The Ulster and Delaware. . .Railroad Through the Catskills
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Two days later, the C&CVRR leased the C&SVRR.
199: 583:. The Delaware and Hudson Company. 1906. p. 159. 194: 189: 181: 166: 133: 128: 120: 112: 97: 87: 77: 72: 501:designs), which were acquired from Atlas Steel in 871:. Cooperstown, NY. September 16, 1949. p. 1. 231:, operated by the Leatherstocking Chapter of the 214:Cooperstown and Charlotte Valley Railroad Company 613:. Cooperstown, NY. December 11, 1931. p. 4. 482:locomotive, as well as two locomotives from the 347:C&CV, the two roads using a joint station". 936:Predecessors of the Delaware and Hudson Railway 961:Tourist attractions in Otsego County, New York 598:. Cooperstown, NY. August 20, 1938. p. 5. 594:"Final Payment on Cooperstown Railroad Made". 486:. It currently owns and operates a pair of ex- 362:The C&CV came under the ownership of the 8: 835:. Cooperstown, NY. June 15, 1934. p. 2. 742:. Poughkeepsie, NY. June 9, 1880. p. 1. 51: 556:Cooperstown & Charlotte Valley Railroad 52:Cooperstown & Charlotte Valley Railroad 867:"Freedom Train Is Visited by 4,000 Here". 956:Transportation in Otsego County, New York 813: 811: 809: 807: 805: 550: 946:Railway companies disestablished in 1957 926:6 ft gauge railways in the United States 821:. The Delaware and Hudson Company. 1906. 478:Initially, the C&CV leased a former 572: 463:Leatherstocking chapter, NRHS ownership 282:. It was abandoned in the early 1900s. 931:Heritage railroads in New York (state) 849: 838: 791: 780: 756: 745: 719: 708: 684: 673: 645: 634: 124:Cooperstown and Susquehanna R. R., Co. 50: 941:Railway companies established in 1888 705:. Utica, NY. May 31, 1876. p. 2. 480:New York, Ontario and Western Railway 7: 457:National Railway Historical Society 233:National Railway Historical Society 16:Heritage railroad in New York, U.S. 951:Defunct New York (state) railroads 609:"Railroads Come High When Built". 512:CACV also owns or has constructed 14: 254:Albany and Susquehanna Rail Road 61: 329:the winter of 1889-90 set in." 562:Delaware Otsego System Tribute 422:during the 1970s, using an ex- 295:Ulster & Delaware Railroad 1: 354:Delaware and Hudson ownership 67:Former station in Cooperstown 424:Virginia Blue Ridge Railroad 252:forming a junction with the 777:. Utica, NY. July 16, 1880. 390:Delaware Otsego Corporation 364:Delaware and Hudson Company 977: 909:, San Marino, California: 488:Canadian National Railway 394:New York Central Railroad 384:Delaware Otsego ownership 321:to a connection with the 60: 56: 739:Poughkeepsie Daily Eagle 418:The C&CV operated a 905:Gerald M. Best (1972), 484:Green Mountain Railroad 37:42.700928°N 74.926048°W 625:Albany Evening Journal 248:to a point at or near 445:St. Lawrence Railroad 185:16 miles (26 km) 82:Cooperstown, New York 42:42.700928; -74.926048 551:KML is from Wikidata 670:. October 25, 1875. 323:West Shore Railroad 235:(NRHS) since 1996. 53: 33: /  887:american-rails.com 664:The Daily Observer 514:Maintenance of Way 113:Dates of operation 911:Golden West Books 869:The Otsego Farmer 848:Missing or empty 833:The Otsego Farmer 790:Missing or empty 755:Missing or empty 718:Missing or empty 683:Missing or empty 644:Missing or empty 611:The Otsego Farmer 596:The Otsego Farmer 450:Susquehanna River 436:; animal feed to 420:heritage railroad 276:Richfield Springs 225:heritage railroad 210: 209: 968: 900: 897: 891: 890: 879: 873: 872: 864: 858: 857: 851: 846: 844: 836: 829: 823: 822: 815: 800: 799: 793: 788: 786: 778: 771: 765: 764: 758: 753: 751: 743: 734: 728: 727: 721: 716: 714: 706: 699: 693: 692: 686: 681: 679: 671: 660: 654: 653: 647: 642: 640: 632: 631:. 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Index

42°42′03″N 74°55′34″W / 42.700928°N 74.926048°W / 42.700928; -74.926048

Cooperstown, New York
Reporting mark
Otsego County
Upstate New York
Track gauge
4 ft 8+12 in
www.lrhs.com
reporting mark
heritage railroad
New York
National Railway Historical Society
Cooperstown
Colliersville
Albany and Susquehanna Rail Road
broad-gauge
Richfield Springs
Davenport
Ulster & Delaware Railroad
Stamford
Oneonta
Davenport Center
Harpersfield
Cooksburg
Catskill Creek
West Shore Railroad
Kingston
Delaware and Hudson Company
Cherry Valley

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