ALLEGHENY RAILROAD
Hammerhill Paper Co. created the Allegheny RR in 1985 to purchase the old PRR line from Erie, PA east to Emporium where connection was made with Conrail's Buffalo line. The line was in rough shape, part was still operated by Conrail, part by a shortline operator and parts were out of service, with washed out bridges and roadbed. Hammerhill saw an opportunity to tie it's two plants at Lock Haven and Erie together and tap it's forestlands along the remote northern PA route. Conrail was contracted to run the nightly pulp and log train between the two plants, but all local service was performed by Allegheny crews with their own locomotives. In 1992, Genesee & Wyoming Industries bought the line, renamed it the Allegheny and Eastern and began operating it as part of it's Buffalo & Pittsburgh RR which connects with it at Johnsonburg, PA.
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A cross section of every type of diesel owned by the Allegheny is lined up near the shop in Warren, PA on May 16, 1993. CF7 #304, GP35 #305 and GP40 #301have already been renumbered by the B&P by adding 200 to their original numbers. |
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GP35 #305 is tied up with a local on the B&P at Bradford, PA on August 28, 1999. When the B&P took over the two CF7's were sent to sister G&W road Louisiana & Delta, but the other four units continue to roam the combined B&P, A&E, P&S system. |
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GP40 #101 is on a work train laying rail during the first full season of rehabing the line after Hammerhill acquired it in September 1985. As can be seen from this shot on June 19, 1986 near Ludlow, PA, the overgrown right of way was in desperate need of work |
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GP40's #101 & 102 power an NRHS fantrip eastbound past the depot at Ridgway, PA on October 1, 1988. These two ex Conrail (ex PC) units were the initial power for the line and were painted in a lighter blue than subsequent diesels purchased. |
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The reason for the G&W renumbering the Allegheny units from their original 100 series numbers can be seen here, as the #301 (ex #101) is coupled to Rochester & Southern GP40 #102. The R&S GP40's already held down the low 100 series. August 18, 1996 at the Buffalo & Pittsburgh's Buffalo Creek Yard in Buffalo, NY. |