New York

Pennsylvania [Conrail]
Elmira, New York (HO Tower)
April 1, 1977




Here just north of HO Tower, north of Elmira, New York, the Pennsylvania Railroad's Elmira branch has left the Erie on its way to Sodus Point on Lake Ontario. Note the searchlight signals for trains entering the Erie trackage and the position light signal for northbound trains entering the Pennsylvania.

The opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959 was a severe blow to the Elmira Branch, as much larger boats could now reach the Ohio docks on Lake Erie's south shore. Sodus Point was closed by the Pennsylvania in 1969; what remained of the branch was effectively destroyed in 1972 by Tropical Storm Agnes.




This page posted 2/1/2018; revised 3/1/2019. Text and photo ©2018 Lamont Downs.