Bath & Hammondsport Railroad Shirt
Bath & Hammondsport Railroad Shirt
- Logo on Front
- 100% Cotton
- Shirt Color - Red
- 4X & 5X Shirt Color may vary (Ashe or Black)
It was chartered in 1872 as a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge railroad running from the Erie and Delaware, Lackawanna and Western railroads' interchange in Bath, New York, to Hammondsport, New York. In Hammondsport, passengers could continue North via a ferry on Keuka Lake. The railroad was converted to 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge in 1889.[1]
Erie Railroad Control (1903-1935)[edit]
The line eventually came under control of the Erie Railroad around 1903. Passenger service ended in 1917, when steamboat service on Keuka Lake was discontinued. Business continued as usual until a flood in 1935 damaged much of the railroad. Faced with having to rebuild miles of railroad, the management of the Erie Railroad instead began abandonment proceedings. Freight service was temporarily provided by trucks. Five local businessmen joined together to purchase the B&H from the Erie and return it to local control. The railroad was repaired and reopened with ceremonies on July 25, 1936. [2]
Independence and Expansion (1936-1996)[edit]
1960 saw the merger of the Erie and the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western railroads with the formation of the Erie Lackawanna. On April 1, 1976, the Erie Lackawanna became part of Conrail. That same year, Conrail sold the DL&W line between Bath and Wayland to the Steuben County Industrial Development Agency (SCIDA). B&H became the designated operator of the branch to Wayland. Primary freight traffic for the railroad was wine and related products, lumber, and general commodities.[3] Among the wineries served was the Great Western winery, also known as Pleasant Valley Wine Company. The county operated the line with the nickname of "The Champagne Route" and passenger excursions were operated by the Champagne Railroad (CGNE). These excursions ended in 1994, and much of the track to Hammondsport was taken out of service once wine shipments from Hammondsport ceased. Service continued between Bath and Wayland on the former EL track. Freight interchange was maintained with Conrail at Bath