Dormant Erie Lackawaana line

[matt]

While doing a little research recently i noticed the final train ran on the old E-L on dec. 31 1979,and the line sat for a little over a year before starting to be removed by L.B. Foster in April of 1981.My question is when a line sits dormant like this do intersecting railroads remove the diamonds and are grade crossings paved over or ripped out?Or,is this not allowed to happen until someone like L.B. Foster officially buys the line to rip out.Thanks for any info.

[rrnut282]

There is no simple or one-size fits all answer to that question.

Typically, nothing happens in a period as short as a year. Railroads move at glacial speeds, government, not much faster.

[CIOR]

I believe that Conrail pulled up their diamond with the Marion Branch when the C&I was done. I've seen pictures of this.
I believe the C&O did the same thing at North Judson (from what I was told). It would be the responsibility of the removing party to return it to service if they did.

With only a years time, like Mike said, it doesn't usually happen fast.

[D.L.]

Matt, NS had the diamond out so fast @ Kingsland on the LE&FtW upgrade to Muncie it would make your head spin. No moe trains means no moe diamond.
Reference Defiance and the MAW e.g. by CSX!
(Remember Kingsland well, hated to see my belover EL go bye-bye.) Those lovely 2 tracks that once carried the Weary Eries were broke in two parts.
Soon after that, the whole thing disappeared.

[CIOR]

I sorta figured that was the case. I didn't know about Kingsland, never heard many guys talk about it.
It always made me look every time I would ride across it on a train.
Much the same with Redkey, even before the diamond was gone, looking east down the PRR.

[matt]

i also had a question about the facilities in huntington.i know the depot burned in jan. of '85 but what about the fuel tank and the small buildings by the fuel tank.anybody know when these came out?i know the interchange track was also kept to access a couple of businesses in the area.i've heard this track lasted anywhere from the mid 80'- to the early 90's.i just wanted some clarification on this to see when it was finally torn up.thanks for any info.

[Big Ed]

Some old heads were telling me recently about how it took forever for NW trains to get across the EL diamonds at Kingsland. Apparently their dispatchers were not well accomodating and NW guys would outlaw from time to time there. The card games in the caboose went on for hours they said lol.

I remember a couple times as a pup riding with my Dad to Baer Field and getting stopped on old SR 303 by EL trains. I vaguely recall on one trip when our car was engulfed in diesel exhaust while waiting!

[rrnut282]

My school bus got stopped at 303, also.