Misc.: Part II 1945-1963: Lehigh Valley Railroad articles 1896-1963 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Richard Palmer ************************************************ [NOTE: The passanger service was mainly from upstate NY to NYC with several stops in Pennsylvania towns.] Notes on Lehigh Valley Railroad Passenger Service Compiled by Richard Palmer Niagara Falls Gazette Saturday, July 14, 1945 Lehigh Curtails Sleeper Service In compliance with Order 53 of the Office of Defense Transportation, N. W. Pringle, passenger traffic manager of the Lehigh Valley railroad, announced today that, effective at noon tomorrow, the Lehigh Valley temporarily win discontinue operation of sleeping cars operating less than 450 miles between origin and destination. To provide additional sleeping cars to take care of soldiers arriving at the eastern seaboard from Europe, the ODT, working with the War department and Association of American Railroads, has Issued this order to be effective until the end of the present emergency. Mr. Pringle announced that sleeping car routes to be discontinued by the Lehigh Valley would be as follows: The Maple Leaf, Trains 7 and 8 - sleeping car operating between New York and Buffalo. The Star, Trains 11 and 4 - sleeping cars operated between New York and Buffalo, New York and Ithaca, Philadelphia and Buffalo and Philadelphia and Rochester. Parlor cars, cafe-diners and dining cars are not affected by this order. Sleeping cars operating on the Maple Leaf between New York and Toronto in connection with the Canadian National and from Philadelphia via Reading, Lehigh Valley and Canadian National, will not be affected. Citizen Advertiser, Auburn, N.Y. Friday, Feb. 15, 1946 Resume Sleeping Car Service The Lehigh Valley Railroad announces substantial increases in sleeping car service beginning today. Orders of the Office of Defense Transportation which restricted sleeping car operations of 450 miles or less between terminals, which went into effect July 15, 1945, materially reduced this type of service on the Lehigh Valley. Effective February 15th, this order has been amended so that now the restriction applies only on runs of 250 miles or less and the Lehigh Valley will restore the following service: The Maple Leaf, trains No. 7 and 8, sleepers between Pennsylvania Station, New York City and Buffalo; The Star, trains No. 11 and 4, sleepers between Pennsylvania Station, New York City and Buffalo; between Philadelphia, Reading Terminal and Buffalo; between Philadelphia, Reading Terminal and Rochester. Sleeping car service between New York and Ithaca will be restore March 1 on The Start when the O.D.T. order will be further amended. Citizen-Advertiser, Auburn, N.Y. Wed., Aug. 7, 1946 New Diesel Locomotive Tested Tests on a new two-unit 4,000 horsepower Alco-GE diesel electric locomotive have been completed on the Lehigh Valley Railroad, it was announced today by the American Locomotive Company. For 30 days the new locomotive was used on the Lehigh Valley's fast passenger runs between Buffalo, N.Y., and Newark, N.J. During the entire test period technicians and engineers of American Locomotive and the General Electric Company rode in the locomotive to check operations. Results of the tests were not revealed, but it was said that no "helper" was required on the runs over the Wilkes-Barre Mountain in Pennsylvania. This is contrary to the historic procedure on the Lehigh Valley. On westbound runs the new engine was used on the Lehigh's Black Diamond schedule and in the eastbound test the locomotive pulled the Maple Leaf. Niagara Falls Gazette Friday, March 19, 1948 TRAVELERS NOT AFFECTED BY TRAIN REDUCTION _____ Certain Changes, Announced In Passenger Train Service By Lehigh Valley, Central _____ No Niagara Falls train travelers have lost reservations due to the 25 percent reduction in passenger train service ordered by the government because of the coal mine shutdown but certain changes have been announced which will affect traveling. W. H. Yeager, city passenger agent for the Lehigh Valley, reported today that Niagara Palls residents with reservations on train No. 4 for Philadelphia In sleeper car No. 30 have been transferred to train No. 8. Trains Dropped They can leave this city on Lehigh Valley train No. 8 at 10:10 p. m. on a day coach and change to the sleeper at Depew. The No. 8 leaves Buffalo at 10:40 o'clock, arriving in New York City at 9:05 a. m. and Philadelphia at 9:17 a. m. The railroad has dropped No. 4 out of Buffalo, which formerly left at 8:30 p. m. Also dropped is the return service, on weekdays out of Philadelphia at 11 p. m. and New York City at 11:50 p m. on train No. 11 and on Sundays out of Philadelphia at 10:12 p. m. and New York City at 10:25 p. m. on train No. 15. Thus far, Yeager reported, this one train in the Buffalo to New York City and Philadelphia run is the only one affected by the government order. There has been no change in the Black Diamond train. Heavy Reservations Yeager indicated heavy reservations for Easter, as was the case last year. The New York Central also reported heavy reservations for Easter, which in volume amount to about the same as last year. Emil C. Korb, Jr., district passenger agent, said that there have been no cancellations in the Niagara Falls service as yet. The reduction has been made by combining trains on the main line, he commented. These are on the New York City-Chicago run. Niagara Falls Gazette Friday, May 14, 1948 Lehigh Valley Announces Passenger Route Change With the advent of the diesel-electric locomotives on all main line passenger train, the Lehigh Valley Railroad has announced that the Maple Leaf, Trains 7 and 8 will operate via Ithaca, rather than over the Seneca Lake line The powerful, two-unit 4,000 horsepower diesels will make their first trip eastward on Sunday, with Train 8 from Buffalo leaving at 9:40 p.m., from Niagara Falls at 9:10 p.m. and from Ithaca at 12:28 a.m. Monday. Train 7, scheduled to leave New York City at 6:20 p.m. Sunday, will move westward to Ithaca, leaving that city at 2:02 a.m. and arriving at Niagara Falls at 5:11 a.m. Monday. All times are Eastern Standard Time, W.H. Yeager, city passenger agent for the Lehigh Valley, said today. Niagara Falls Gazette Friday, May 14, 1948 Lehigh Valley Announces Passenger Route Change With the advent of the diesel-electric locomotives on all main line passenger train, the Lehigh Valley Railroad has announced that the Maple Leaf, Trains 7 and 8 will operate via Ithaca, rather than over the Seneca Lake line. The powerful, two-unit 4,000 horsepower diesels will make their first trip eastward on Sunday, with Train 8 from Buffalo leaving at 9:40 p.m., from Niagara Falls at 9:10 p.m. and from Ithaca at 12:28 a.m. Monday. Train 7, scheduled to leave New York City at 6:20 p.m. Sunday, will move westward to Ithaca, leaving that city at 2:02 a.m. and arriving at Niagara Falls at 5:11 a.m. Monday. All times are Eastern Standard Time, W.H. Yeager, city passenger agent for the Lehigh Valley, said today. New York Times Nov. 5, 1949 Lehigh to Drop Two Trains Albany, Nov. 4 (AP) The Lehigh Valley Railroad will discontinue two passenger trains between Geneva, N.Y., and Sayre, Pa., the Public Service Commission announced today. The effective date is to be determined by the railroad. The trains have been operated at "a heavy deficit," ranging from $46,000 in 1945 to $31,923 in 1948, the PSC said. One train leaves Geneva at 8:20 a.m. and arrives at Sayre at 10:50 a.m. The other leaves Sayre at 1:20 p.m. and reaches Geneva at 3:40 p.m. Syracuse Herald-Journal Friday, Nov. 28, 1952 Boy, 12, Hangs On Train Door For 15 miles Geneva - A 12-year-old Ithaca you, Phillip Quick, is back home today after an experience which even a grownup would not want to have. The boy grabbed hold of the door of the dining car on the Black Diamond Express on the night as it left the Ithaca station and it was not until the train was passing through Trumansburg, 15 miles away, that the boy's pounding on the door happened to be heard by a porter passing through the train. The train was stopped, the boy thoroughly chilled by the cold, taken in the train and brought to Geneva. He was returned to Ithaca at 10:30 last night on another Lehigh Valley train in charge of Conductor Roland Guerin of Buffalo. Niagara Falls Gazette June 16, 1958 Lehigh Will Add Two Pullman Cars _______ New York (AP) The Lehigh Valley railroad is adding two new Pullman cars designed to meet a growing demand for private sleeping accommodations. The new cars are composed entirely of private rooms - 12 roomettes, two single rooms and three double bedrooms. They'll go in service between Buffalo and New York. Niagara Falls Gazette Sunday, Oct. 5, 1958 Rail Passenger Service Here Almost Extinct Proposed Station Is Held Adequate By JOE DONALDSON Gazette Staff Writer Niagara Falls, a bustling tourist center and an industrial community where business executives constantly shuffle in and out, has been called a very difficult place to get to via railroad. An argument to the contrary, after perusal of railway schedules, would be weak indeed. Here is a box score of rail arrivals during the course of a day: Four Beeliners, a train from Chicago, two trains from New York City and one from Toronto. This, stacked up against the service the Cataract City got via rails 35 years or so ago when passenger trains rolled in every half hour, is a sad commentary. There are many, many trains from all parts of the country arriving at all hours of the day in Buffalo, with only a handful continuing on to this city. In the face of Niagara Falls fast diminishing role as a passenger rail center, travelers face many problems. Take the traveller bound here who arrives in Buffalo by train or by aircraft. If he arrives after 5:20 p.m., there is absolutely no rail connection to this city and he must resort to a bus. One O'clock Deadline And if he pulls into Buffalo after 1 a.m. when the last bus leaves, he must wait until morning or -take a taxi, an expensive proposition. The only rail service between Buffalo and Niagara Falls during the day is by the Beeliner, which makes four runs daily, at 5:45 a.m., 10:25 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 5:20 p.m. But as any railroader will tell you, it is not the fault of the rail lines but of the traveling public, which has ignored the iron horses en masse. "We used to get a trains coming in every half hour," said George O. Cannon, ticket agent at the New York Central office in Falls St. since 1911. And more than a century ago, when railroading was in its infancy, a total of 19 trains used to be made up here. Less Every Year But every year since World War I, fewer and fewer trains have been rolling into Niagara Falls. Today, in addition to the four Beeliner runs, Niagara Falls gets the following trains: The Michigan Central No. 358, arriving from Chicago at 8:43 a.m.: New York Central Sleeper Train No. 119, arriving from New York City at 9:11 a.m., and the Lehigh Valley Railroad Maple Leaf which arrives here from Toronto at 11:05 p.m. on the way to New York City and which returns from Gotham at 6.15 a.m. Formed here every evening at Suspension Bridge Station at 8.40 p.m. is Train No. 120, which took over where the recently abandoned Rochester to Niagara Falls run left off. Train No. 120 is brought in as "dead head," from Buffalo and leaves the Falls St. station at 9.05 p.m. Old time railroad men admit freely that Niagara Falls has suffered drastically in reduction of train service down through the years. Just what caused the demise of rail passenger service to and from Niagara Falls? Blame Automobiles They will quickly point to the automobile as the No. 1 enemy, with airplanes running a close second. Mr. Cannon recalled that, although passenger service slipped somewhat after World War I, railroads still had plenty of business. "The depression hurt a lot, and when times got good again, more people bought automobiles and the rail business really started to slip," said the veteran ticket agent.- After World War II, airlines funneled off more and more train riders with their expanded schedules and much faster transit time. Travelers could reach New York City in a couple of hours, while trains poked along at a much slowed rate. More and more cars rolled off production lines and more and more people made passenger stations the quietest places in town. Railroads found that in order to keep from going more into the red, they had to lop off unprofitable train runs. Few Excursions Americans on the go found they could make more of their holidays by going by auto, with the result that well paying excursions were cut to the bone. Mr. Cannon noted that 10 or 12 trains used to chug into Niagara Falls carrying 8,000 to 10,000 sightseers a week. Now during the summer months excursion trains bring in only several hundred on the average. Superhighways like the Thruway did a lot of damage. As one railroader said, a race between an auto and a train going to New York City would find the train a poor second. Decline in rail service, of course, is not a problem faced only by Niagara Falls. Thousands of communities throughout the country have seen passenger trains leave and never come back. This city's poor position in the way of public transportation service is further aggravated by the fact that Niagara Falls does not have any air service. American Airlines terminated such service to this city several years ago. Proposed New Station The size of the proposed railroad passenger station to be built in the north end of the city has been called "perfectly adequate" for the number of persons who use rail facilities in and out of Niagara Falls. Frank K. Mitchell, Buffalo Division superintendent of the (New York Central Railroad, also said that since the major part of construction costs would be paid by the state, taxpayers would gain by the construction by a less elaborate station. Mr. Mitchell said the NYC and Lehigh Valley Railroads also would save after acquiring the station by having reduced upkeep costs. Tourist Center The Planning Board has called the station a "whistle, stop" and said a larger station is necessary to Niagara Falls as a tourist city and hub of a metropolitan area. The Public Service Commission has given the city, the NYC and the Lehigh Valley until Nov. 1 to agree on the size of the station. If no agreement is reached, the PSC will set a date for a hearing en the matter. Mr. Mitchell said today that on the average not more than 100 persons use the Falls St. NYC station each day. Not more than a half dozen daily use the Suspension Bridge station, he said. The Falls St. station has to be vacated because of railroad relocation. According to NYC plans, the Suspension Bridge station will be. demolished. New Comfort Station Emil Korb, local NYC passenger agent, confirmed that not more than 100 persons periodically use the Falls St. station daily. He said that since the razing of the Main St. comfort station, the passenger facility had become "the new Falls St. comfort station." He also said that many persons use the station as a place in which to lounge around and to get out of the cold or rain. Mr. Mitchell said that plans for the new station were drawn on the basis of square foot usage of the present station. "We have made surveys on the usage of the Falls St. station and drew up plans for the new facility on that basis. A station larger than the one we propose is absolutely not necessary, would create additional burdens for taxpayers and would leave us holding a white elephant," said Mr. Mitchell. He noted that since the Falls St. station has to be moved because of railroad relocation, it is up to the State Department of Public Works and the city to foot the major part of the cost of building the facility. The railroads, which would pay a small portion of costs, would have to maintain the station after it is constructed. "Our plans are based strictly on economics and need," said Mr. Mitchell. He noted that the relocated freight station would be combined with the yard office. New York Times Dec. 2, 1958 Lehigh May Drop Passenger Trains ____ Railway Cites Huge Losses From Little-Used Service ____ By Robert E. Bedingfield The Lehigh Valley Railroad plans to quit the passenger traffic business and to operate solely as a freight carrier. Cedric A. Major, president, said yesterday that "with the greatest regret" the railroad would file within ten days with the Interstate Commerce Commission and other regulatory agencies for authority to drop its passenger services. He estimated the "legal gymnastics" required before the last passenger train pulled out would take at least four months. "As a railroad man for forty-two years, I hate to see this," Mr. Major told forty municipal officials and newspapermen at a luncheon at the Links Club here. "However, we are going broke unless we can get this authority." He also said that the carrier was losing $4 to $5 million a year on the operation of passenger trains. The Lehigh Valley operates 1,130 miles of railroad in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and the upstate counties of New York, adjoining Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. Its main line runs from Jersey City and Perth Amboy through Newark and Phillipsburg, N.J., Bethlehem, Allentown, Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and Geneva, N.Y. to Buffalo. Branch lines serve Rochester, Ithaca, Canastota, Cortland and Elmira, N.Y. Toe road, which reaches Pennsylvania Station in Manhattan under a trackage rights agreement with the Pennsylvania Railroad, operates three trains day in each direction between New York and Buffalo. In recent months it has had about 350 riders a day on these trains. About 200 riders a day use a commutation service afforded by the road between Flemington, N.J. and New York City. The Lehigh Valley's passenger rolling stock, consisting of 113 units, exclusive of locomotives, is generally outmoded. Mr. Major estimated about 650,000 riders would use the carrier's trains this year, compared with 781,000 in 1957 and 2,500,000 in 1946. To break even on the service, Mr. Major said the road would need to have more than three times as many people ride its trains than at present. He traced the traffic loss chiefly to competition of the automobile. Handwriting on the Wall Mr. Major indicated that he saw no way to save the road's passenger service, which dates back more than 100 years. "I saw this coming five years ago," he said. "It is not in the cards to save the passenger business." He said that all efforts made by the company in the last several years to make passenger traffic service a paying operation had failed. He explained that the road's expenses for this service were about $8 million a year, while revenues were about $4 million. He estimated that without its passenger train service the road would save immediately about $7,000 a day net. While operating revenues are about $67 million a year, passenger train revenues total $4 million. With the discontinuance of passenger trains, Lehigh Valley would furlough some 350 workers now drawing wages of $230,000 a month. It also would realize a saving of $110,000 a month that is now has to pay the Pennsylvania Railroad for handling its passenger trains into Pennsylvania Station and $40,000 a month in fuel bills. By canceling its contract with the Pullman Company for sleeping cars, the road would save an additional $20,000 a month. Freight Traffic Profitable Although it is an important anthracite carrier, the Lehigh Valley's freight traffic has fallen in recent years. However, freight still is a a profitable business. Last year from its freight traffic the road had a net railway operating income (earnings before interest and fixed charges) of $4/1 million. But the deficit from passenger traffic was about $4.7 million. Net loss after all charges was $1,188,000. This year Mr. Major estimated that the road's net railway operating income from freight traffic was running about $1 million. The passenger traffic deficit, however, was some $4,500,000 to date, he said. He predicted that over-all operations for the full year again would be in the red. "Our effort is to hold the loss to $4 million," Mr. Major said. Through October the loss was $3,474,508. Although for the month of October the road realized a net income of $169,446, Mr. Major estimated that both last month and again this month the road would sustain losses of about $300,000. The loss sustained by the road on passenger traffic, Mr. Major said, "has become so huge as to endanger the solvency of the road." He added that earlier this year before the Eastern railroads received awards for back mail pay from the Post Office Department - the Lehigh Valley obtained $583,871 in back mail pay - he had feared the carrier might not be able to pay its bills. While yesterday's conference was called "to discuss the serious condition confronting passenger service" on the Lehigh Valley, Mr. Major gave no hope to any in his forum that the service could possibly be saved. He agreed that complete tax abatement or other subsidy arrangement for the company might enable it to keep its passenger trains running, but he said that he thought further subsidization of industry by the Government was "hardly the best thing in the national interest." Geneva Times Wed., Feb. 4, 1959 Geneva Hearing Tomorrow - Lehigh Accused of Discouraging Passengers WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (AP) - S.M. Wolfe Jr., president of the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce, contends the Lehigh Valley has done "all in its power discourage passenger service." Wolfe appeared Tuesday at the second session of a three-day hearing being conducted by Examiner John L. Bradford of the Interstate Commerce Commission. The Lehigh Valley has asked the ICC for permission to drop all passenger service. The petition is opposed by various organizations and communities along the road's right-of-way in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Wolfe said the Lehigh Valley has attempted to discourage passenger traffic by "acts of omission and commission." He said the Wilkes-Barre station was antiquated, that coaches were badly lighted and poorly ventilated. These, he said, were typical methods of discouraging prospective passengers. Also testifying were C.A. Major, president of the railroad, and George Spahn, general passenger agent. Both told Bradford the road had utilized all available means and money to solicit passenger traffic. William R. Davlin, state secretary of commerce, testified that it was his "firm conviction that communities in Pennsylvania served by the Lehigh Valley, and especially those in economically depressed areas, would find their development efforts seriously impaired" if passenger service was dropped. The ICC, which has postponed the decision on the line's petition until May 4, has scheduled hearings in Geneva, N.Y. for Thursday and Newark, N.J. on Monday. Binghamton Press April 17, 1955 Mongrel Fatally Injured by Train He Met Daily Ithaca - (AP) - Brownie, a 17- year-old mongrel dog won't be meeting the Lehigh Valley railroad's Black Diamond Express. Brownie is dead - fatally injured by the train he faithfully met for more than 10 years, his owners said yesterday. The dog was struck by the train last Monday, but managed to crawl back home where he later died, Joseph Ksenak said. Brownie met the train each night to munch on bones and table scraps dining car cooks fed him. The Black Diamond, the Lehigh's crack train, was the only train that Brownie met. Brownie's eyesight had failed recently, and his legs had been slowed by infirmities of his age. Ksenak said the diner of the train struck the dog as he started to cross the tracks to go home - with a mouthful of doggy goodies. "I don't think the train crew knew what happened," Ksenak said. Geneva Times Friday, Feb. 6, 1959 Hearing Witness Claims - Lehigh Necessary For Area Welfare "It is our position that the Lehigh Valley passenger service is a vital necessity to the welfare of all our people in the area and would cause undue inconvenience to the general public, were it to be terminated." This is part of the statement read yesterday by W. Erle Rogers, president of the Finger Lakes Council of Mayors at the Interstate Commerce Commission hearing on the discontinuance of the railroad's passenger service. It was typical of the opposition voiced by many speakers who testified during the hearing. The session began at about 9:40 a.m. and except for a short recess at 11 a.m. continued until about 12:30 p.m. During the morning session speakers from Ithaca made their statement. Representatives from the Geneva area got to speak at about 11:30. Robert Quigley, Phelps, Ontario County Assemblyman, remarked that he represented the 61,000 people in the county, and said h opposed the railroad's discontinuance of passenger service. Mr. Rogers said the organization feels the railroads are being discriminated against tax-wise. "We strongly urge that some means be worked out that will give the railroads the relief that has been long overdue," he said. He mentioned that Geneva and Manchester have granted some tax relief to the railroad. J.R. DeCapriles, general counsel for the railroad, noted that such tax relief in the case of Manchester, came after 10 years of litigation by the railroad. Mr. Rogers also put into the records of the hearing a statement from Rep. John Taber, Auburn, who opposed the discontinuance of passenger traffic. Francis Boardman, mayor of Manchester, also opposed the discontinuance. Common Council President John O'Malley spoke for Geneva, listing the Geneva industries, the college and other facilities which use the railroads. Mr. DeCapriles asked Mr. O'Malley if he knew that negotiations were underway to bring Mohawk Airlines to Geneva. Mr. O'Malley said he had been called to a meeting on the subject a few nights ago. It is far from being actuality, he said. Costs are a major problem, in spite of the fact that federal money can be secured for airport facilities. William C. Stiles, director of student activities at Hobart College, told the hearing the problem of the Geneva colleges is much like that of Cornell University and Ithaca College which made statements during the morning. He announced that beginning next year the restrictions on vehicles at the colleges would be increased. He said that sophomores and upper classmen have cars now but that next year sophomores will not be allowed to drive cars on campus. He said that 20 percent of the colleges' prospective students and families come to look over the college by the Lehigh Valley Railroad. The weather in the Geneva area is so unpredictable that train service is a necessity. He said there was no adequate alternative to the Lehigh service. William Dobbin, president of the Geneva Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber is heartily against the petition of the railroad. The statement of the chamber, which was placed upon the record but not read, asserted that during the winter months the Lehigh Valley is the only source of reliable transportation. "Withdrawal of passenger service would create a hardship on our people who have faithfully used the service of the years for business and personal reasons," he said. The third session of the hearing will be held at Newark, N.J. Monday. Niagara Falls Gazette, Tues., Feb. 10, 1959 Commuters Rap Lehigh at Hearing NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - An officer of a newly formed commuters' group says the Lehigh Valley Railroad riders face poorer parking facilities, higher fares and longer traveling time if the line drops passenger service. David J. Murphy, Milford N.J., secretary of the Lehigh Valley Passengers & Shippers Association testified Monday as the Interstate Commerce Commission opened the last of three hearings on the railroad's proposal to turn itself into an all-freight line. The association planned to call more witnesses today. Cross-examination of Cedric A. Major, president of the railroad, was slated for this afternoon with all indications the hearings will continue Wednesday. The Lehigh Valley says it has lost more than $4 million a year on passengers for each of the last five years. Its figures show such losses in i958 wiped out net freight operating income five times over. But Murphy and a parade of other witnesses Monday argued in favor of keeping the passenger trains on the grounds the other means of travel in the railroad's area are not adequate. Binghamton Press Thurs., Feb. 12, 1959 Lehigh Fare Bid Held OK To Riders Newark, N. J.-(AP) - Train commuters don't often ask for higher fares. But one of them says many riders of the Lehigh Valley Railroad are willing to pay "a considerable increase" rather than lose passenger service. William J. Dixon, a New York securities broker who commutes via the Lehigh from his home near Flemington. testified yesterday he had polled 2,900 of his fellow riders. Results show most of them will pay much higher fares rather than see the service discontinued, Mr. Dixon testified. HEARING WITNESSES He was a witness at a hearing held by the Interstate Commerce Commission on the Lehigh's petition to end all passenger service in May. Another witness, Robert M. Davis, attorney for the Lehigh Valley Passengers & Shippers Association, said the railroad should consider using Penn Station in Newark rather than pay the $1 million-a-year rental for New York City's Penn Station. George C. Spahn of Cranford, general passenger agent for the Lehigh, said the line had not considered this. TOO EXPENSIVE But he said the Lehigh has looked into using its property on Meeker Avenue, here, for a terminal. It was reject as too expensive, he said. The hearing is expected to conclude today. An official for the State Public Utility Commission, Edward McCue, doubted that bus service would be a satisfactory alternative for commuters in Hunterdon County. He said the buses would have to use Route 22 which is one of the most heavily traveled highways in the metropolitan area. "Few (lines) can maintain schedules over it," he said. (An Associated Press story in the Yonkers Herald-Statesman of Wed., Sept. 30, 1959, reported that the day previous the ICC held a hearing at the Hunterdon County Courthouse in Flemington, N.Y. regarding a proposal by the Lehigh Valley to raise fares by 60 percent. William J. Dixon, of Pittstown, treasurer of the Lehigh Valley Passengers and Shippers Association, said his group would accept an $8 a month raise in monthly commutation fares. Commuters on the Lehigh Valley said they would not mind paying higher fares provided they are assured of getting to work on time, cars are kept clean and employees show more courtesy. The hearing was attended by a group of 100 commuters). Ithaca Journal Monday, May 4, 1959 Lehigh Train's Old Days Recalled By Frank Tripp Resentment, of course, is very much a phase of jealousy. In this document I am jealous of nothing and no one; just resentful that gratitude is out of fashion and public memory so short. It took a daylight ride on a once-famous train to remind me that all I ever enjoyed, all that I had, or knew about, until I could earn it myself, I owe to that very railroad. For more than 50 years my father pulled Lehigh Valley trains from the cabs of three generations of steam locomotives. The Black Diamond oozed into the Sayre station. Its diesels slid in, as a Cadillac edges to a curb. There was no noise, no hissing steam, nothing of he romantic railroad about it - the railroad that built Sayre. Only the station workers and three passengers saw it come or cared if it came. As one of the lonely three, I held a $15.78 chair car ticket to Penn Station in New York, to which the fare once was around $6, and a chair $1.50. But this was not to be resentment of prices and inflation. Except that inflation also has inflated people out of appreciation of the pioneer institutions which America owes its all. Progress knows no gratitude. Love of railroads was born in me. I was one of only two among three generations of Tripps who were not railroaders. Yet it had been some 30 years since I had seen the scenic Lehigh Valley from the Black Diamond. This time I would take a daylight ride on "my dad's railroad." The experience was something like going back to a family homestead that has fallen into strange hands; amid new neighbors who know nothing of its history or your sweet memory of it. Thee is no one to share your disappointment. The saddening nostalgia is yours alone. For six hours the proud Diamond, once welcomed at every station by admiring groups, often crowds, slipped silently, unnoticed through villages, even cities, that owe their existence to the Lehigh. As half of the nation owes a nod and a smile to the American railroads that put thriving places on the map. Not a kid looked up from his play, not a farmer from his field, or a housewife from her porch even glanced at the passing Diamond. And I remembered when my dad had more places to wave hello to people than spots to blow the whistle, though he never knew the people. Seeing the train pass by, any train, was like the arrival of a messenger from Mars might be today. The thrill of it lasted for generations. Until automobiles gave every family its own means to go anyplace a train came from or could do. It was the yen to be on the train that made people watch for it and solute it; the yen to go places. The dieseled Black Diamond was pitiful to me: I choked with emotion. Its fares that day would scarcely pay the men who manned it. It lacked the dignity of being a needed thing - a state of affairs that crushes men, as well as famous trains. Nothing, nothing at all, is so final as the realization that one is not needed. It was only a railroad and a train; but I remembered why needed them so much, and they were so very good to me. Maybe you need to take a ride on the railroad of your boyhood -or visit a childhood village or a farm. Ithaca Journal Thurs., May 7, 1959 Rail Passenger Service to End Locally Monday By Harold Jansen Unless the Lehigh Valley Railroad makes a change in the meantime, Ithaca will be without railroad passenger service after midnight, Monday, May 11. The Interstate Commerce Commission late Wednesday afternoon issued a decision to allow the railroad to abandon service on all but two of its passenger trains through this area. The two trains, Nos. 7 and 8, the Maple Leaf, do not run through Ithaca, but over the main line between Sayre, Pa., and geneva, via Burdett. John Tiley, manager of the Ithaca Chamber of Commerce, said he was "reasonably confident" that Ithaca would continue to have passenger service under the new setup. He based his opinion on a conversation with an official of the railroad. This official had told him that as long as the Lehigh must maintain service, he could see no reason why the railroad would not want the be benefit of Ithaca business. From New York, Lehigh Public Relations Director R.A. Erickson told The Journal that the railroad would be working out a program during the next few days to comply with the ICC order. But he said it was too early to forecast when any plans would be ready or what they would be. Decision a Surprise Erickson indicated that the railroad was surprised at the ICC decision. "We anticipated we were going to get real relief." He pointed out that the railroad would still have to maintain high speed tracks; and maintain working crews. He said the problem remained of what to do with excess crews. Erickson anticipated that the railroad will have to increase commutation fares; and also regular fares. Application for such a raise would have to be made through the ICC. The Lehigh official said that the firm's "cash position is the worst it has been in years. We are struggling for survival." He pointed out that the St. Lawrence Seaway would cut into former revenues; that trucks and throughways had taken away the railroad's coal and iron transportation business, and now they are trying to get into the cement industry. He said a lot of cement carrying hoppers are idle. Two Trains Run The trains between New York City and Buffalo-Suspension bridge which the Lehigh has been ordered to maintain now leave New York at 8:10 p.m. and Buffalo at 11:30 p.m .The westbound arrives in Sayre, Pa., at 2:37 a.m. and the eastbound at Geneva at 1:24 a.m. Under he decision of the ICC the railroad was authorized all but the two aforementioned trains and two others running between New York and Lehighton, Pa. The company had sought to drop all main line passenger service on grounds it was losing $4 million a year on the program. Erickson said today that the railroad is studying the possibility of appealing the ruling in an effort to eliminate the remaining trains. He said the company has 30 days in which to do so. Black Diamond Out Among the trains which will be ordered to suspend under the IC order are the Black Diamond. A total of six or seven trains are involved in the suspension orders, including two between New York and Lehighton, Pa., and vice-versa. The ICC, in its decision, said, "We believe that at least a one year's trial of such an operation should be made, but the carrier should be afforded every opportunity to adjust train schedules to achieve maximum results." The one-year continuance order for the four trains is the maximum continuance which the ICC may order under the 1958 act. Under that act, the railroad may renew the discontinuance proposal at the end of the year. ___ Malott Protests Decision ____ Cornell University said this morning that President Malott will wire the state's representatives in Washington, and the chairman of the ICC, charging "unconscionable discrimination against Ithaca" in the Lehigh's decision to serve other communities on its mainline, but not Ithaca. The university said Malott had made a personal appeal to Cedric A. Major, president of the Lehigh and a Cornell alumnus, to provide service to Ithaca. A telegram was being prepared early this afternoon to be sent to the two New York senators, congressmen, and the ICC chairman. Malott was in New York, which he left at noon for Hot Springs, Va. Ithaca Journal Friday, May 8, 1959 Lehigh Makes Proposal To Continue Passenger Connection for Ithaca The Lehigh Valley Railroad will run a sleeping car between Ithaca and Sayre, o connect with its main-line train, the Maple Leaf - if "someone" will stand the out-o-pocket cost to the railroad. Bartholomew J. Viviano, vice president of the Lehigh, said the railroad would work up the figures if interest were shown in the plan, he told The Ithaca Journal. He mentioned Cornell University and the City of Ithaca as possibilities for the role of "someone." The costs would include the rental of a pullman car, the crew's wages, and fuel for the engine. The Maple Leaf is the only through train ordered retained in service by the Interstate Commerce Commission's ruling. It runs on the railroad's Seneca Lake line, bypassing Ithaca. Connection at Depew It operates both ways between New York City and Suspension Bridge, near Niagara Falls. Through sleeping cars are carried to and from Toronto, via Canadian National Railways. The connection is made at Depew, near Buffalo. It also carries a Toronto-Philadelphia sleeper. Thursday night the Lehigh announced a change in the Maple Leaf's timetable eastbound, leaving Toronto at 8:10 p.m. instead of 8:30 and arriving in New York City at 8:55 instead of 9 a.m. Under the new schedule the train will leave Geneva at 1:05 a.m. and Sayre at 2:31 a.m. Westbound Unchanged The westbound timetable was not changed. The Maple Leaf leaves New York at 8:10 p.m., Sayre at 2:37 a.m. and Geneva at 3:53 a.m. and arrives at Suspension Bridge at 6:20 a.m. The connecting cars arrive at Toronto at 9 a.m. Viviano said that under the ICC ruling the eastbound Maple Leaf must reach the metropolitan area in time to pick up New Jersey commuters going to New York City, principally at Flemington Junction and South Plainfield. Under the new schedule the train leaves Flemington at approximately 7:45 a.m. and South Plainfield at 8:10 a.m. Running Time Affected This section of the ruling, Viviano said, is the reason the Maple Leaf cannot be routed through Ithaca. Some 10 minutes or a half-hour would be added to the train's running time if this were done.* If a sleeping car were spotted in Ithaca under the arrangement suggested by the Lehigh management, passenger could retire at an early hour. The car would then be taken to Sayre. In the years when a sleeping car was maintained at the Ithaca station, passengers were permitted to board it at 9:30 p.m. It was then attached to the Major, leaving Ithaca just before midnight. Viviano said he and President Cedric A. Major did not want to abandon service in Ithaca so long as the Lehigh is required to maintain some New York-Buffalo service. Both are Cornellians, Major was graduated in law in 1912. Viviano, and all-American fullback, received his M.E. degree in 1933 and LL.B. degree in 1936. Cornell Makes Protest Cornell University today made public the text of a protest sent by President Malott to Owen Clark, chairman of Interstate Commerce Commission, and several members of Congress. "Cornell University and whole Ithaca community greatly disturbed by ICC ruling regarding reduction of Lehigh Valley Railroad service after May 11. Our information indicates this ruling coupled with proposed action on part of Lehigh Valley cuts off all passenger services to Ithaca, New York, a community of 40,000 including 20,000 in the city proper plus a community of 20,000 including 10,000 students. Problems of transportation for students and many other Cornell people and all others visiting the university create extreme hardship. "Understand one train each way between New York and Buffalo is to be retained by Lehigh but it is planned these will bypass Ithaca by using alternate no station stop roue saving only a few miles distance between Sayre and Geneva. Using this alternate route appears rank discrimination against Ithaca and many people on a national basis coming to the community because of the university. Strongly urge action which will give Ithaca at least one train each way per day." Sent to Congressmen The telegram was sent to New York's two senators, Jacob K. Javits and Kenneth B. Keating; Rep. John Taber of Auburn, and four Cornellians in the House: Reps. Howard W. Robinson of Owego, Clarence E. Kilburn of Malone, John R. Pillion of Lackawanna, and Alexander Pernie of New Hartford. The Cornell president sent another telegram to the university's trustees, Thad L. Collum of Syracuse, president of the Cornell Alumni Council, and Guy T. Warfield, chairman of the Cornell University Council. He outlined to them his efforts to preserve passenger service, said that President Major of the Lehigh was "adamant on bypassing Ithaca," and urged them to ask the Lehigh to furnish one service per day between New York and Ithaca. The Chamber of Commerce will issue a statement when its study of the ICC ruling is completed. Major Ryan said he was studying developments, but would take no action at this time. Ithaca Journal Friday, May 8, 1959 (Editorial) The ICC Ruling and the Lehigh No one is happy with the ruling of the Interstate Commerce Commission on the Lehigh Valley Railroad's application to discontinue all passenger service. The ICC went part way. It permitted the Lehigh to take off six trains and ordered it to continue four others for at least one year. The rear guard of Lehigh users and the communities from which they come and go do not like the ruling. The Lehigh does not like it and may appeal the decision in an effort to eliminate the last four trains. Come next Monday and the Black Diamond and the Star will no longer whistle for the Ithaca stop. The Maple Leaf will continue in operation in both directions, but as presently scheduled it runs on the so-called main line along the east shore of Seneca Lake and does not go through Ithaca. Some five years ago the Maple Leaf, running from Suspension Bridge, Niagara Falls, and Buffalo to New York, did stop at Ithaca at 2:02 a.m. The Maple Leaf accounts for two of the four trains ordered retained. The other two are in service between New York City and Lehighton, Pa. The ICC said: "We believe that at least a one year's trial of such an operation should be made, but the carrier should be afforded every opportunity to adjust train schedules to achieve maximum results." We take it that this means the Lehigh can change the route and timetable of the two New York-Buffalo trains. The Lehigh says, however, that it must continue to provide service for New Jersey commuters into New York City. Shifting the Maple Leaf to Ithaca will add to its running time and throw the Jersey commuter departures out of whack, it adds. Instead, the Lehigh has proposed a special sleeping car service between Ithaca and Sayre, as reported elsewhere in The Journal today. Bu the Lehigh wants someone else to pay for this service. In its report, the ICC said: "The carrier provides passenger service to Cornell University at Ithaca, one of the largest schools in the state." This looks to us like a pretty strong hint. Geneva Times, Thurs., May 7, 1959 One Buffalo, One N.Y. Run ________ Line Permitted to Cut Passenger Service 60 Pct.; To Appeal Ruling _______ Though granted permission by the Interstate Commerce Commission to discontinue about 60 percent of its passenger service, the Lehigh Valley Railroad today told The times it intends to appeal the decision compelling the line to maintain four daily trains. In Washington yesterday the ICC granted the Lehigh Valley permission to discontinue six trains daily. Warner Baylor of the ICC phoned The Times last night and said that the carrier was being ordered to maintain one train in each direction daily between New York and Buffalo-Suspension Bridge and an additional round trip between Lehighton, Pa., and New York. Appeal to be Made Today in New York the Lehigh announced its decision to appeal the ICC decision. "We feel it doesn't give us the relief we require; we'll still have to go into Penn Station in New York, which is a very costly operation. We'll still have a terrific loss," said R.A. Erickson, the Lehigh's director of public relations. He added "We're going to ask for a rental reduction at Penn Station based on 'wheelage,'" (trains going in and out of the station). The Lehigh's best known "name train," The Black Diamond, will make its final eastbound run on Monday. It is scheduled to leave Geneva for New York at 10:26 a.m. The last westbound Diamond, will depart Geneva for Buffalo at 5:08 p.m. Monday. Deserted by Passengers Mr. Erickson told The Times today the line's officials will meet soon to consider rescheduling the trains it has still been ordered to operate. He said that all of the line's officials in New York hated to see the curtailment of passenger service "for sentimental reasons," but harsh economics made it necessary. "We didn't desert the passengers, they deserted us," Erickson said. Starting Tuesday, the Maple Leaf will leave Geneva daily for Buffalo at 3:53 a.m., and leave Geneva for New York City via Ithaca at 1:25 a.m. Denying the road's request for complete abandonment of all passenger service, the ICC ruling permits a passenger service cut of 60 percent. The railroad claims it is losing $4 million a year on its passenger service. The order is for a one-year continuance, the maximum the ICC may order under the Railroad Relief Act of 1958. No longer will the crack Black Diamond and the Star roll through town, and the schedule of the Maple Leaf will cause some early rising to meet it. The case involved the largest service abandonment yet proposed under the 1958 act. In disposing of the case, the ICC said: "There appears to be a substantial public use of and need for continued operation of all the trains involved in this proceedings." But, it said, it could not find that abandonment of the trains as authorized would unduly burden commerce. As for the passenger service it ordered continued, the ICC said: "We believe that at least a one year's trial of such an operation should be made, but the carrier should be afforded every opportunity to adjust train schedules to achieve maximum results." The one-year continuance ordered for four of the trains is the maximum continuance which ICC may order under the 1958 act. under that act, the railroad may renew the discontinuance proposal at the end of the year. It was foreseen as early as Dec. 9, 1958 that passenger service on the Lehigh from New York to Buffalo had received its death knell. On that date, claiming a loss of about $4 million a year on such service, Lehigh president Cedric A. Major asked the Interstate Commerce Commission for permission to discontinue passenger service on the line, effective Jan. 12, 1959. Many hearings followed, and the effective date became deferred. The New Jersey communities alone sent some 350 commuters daily into New York and the railroad's action would spell a real hardship for these people. Hordes of college people along the route could find some other way to get home for holidays. Geneva, having lost its passenger service on the Auburn Branch of the New York Central last spring, could now face the end of its final link with the big cities by train. All that was left was to contemplate the romantic history of transportation into our "western towns." A thumbnail sketch of this shows the pioneer on horseback, then by wagon and stage coach, with elegant travel by canal boat starting n 1825. There was a long period of this, and another of steamboats meeting trains at Watkins glen and bringing them down Seneca Lake to Geneva. Geneva got its first service by any part of what is now the Lehigh Valley when the Geneva & Ithaca Railroad Co. opened for business in 1873. The line extended from Geneva, where it had connected with the Auburn Road, to Ithaca, where it formed still another connection with the Ithaca and Athens Railroad, south to the Pennsylvania state line near Sayre. The next year, after consolidating with the Ithaca and Athens, the new corporation was known as the Geneva, Ithaca & Athens Railroad Co. A number of prominent Geneva men and other leaders in the area had been named directors of the original parent line, the Geneva & Ithaca Railroad Co., when it was organized in 1870. On Sept. 13, 1873 they were all on hand at Romulus for the joining of the work gangs and the ceremonial driving of the last spike. But from a financial viewpoint, all did not go well, and after complicated transactions in which the Lehigh held control, the company was reorganized and incorporated Aug. 8, 1889, as the Geneva & Sayre Railroad. To avoid the grades into Ithaca, a later line was built along Seneca Lake, and completed in 1892. This was done under the corporate name of the Geneva & Van Ettenville Railway Co. The latter with the Geneva & Sayre Railroad Co., which it acquired, and others in the Lehigh interests, merged into the Lehigh Valley Railroad co., filing papers for the corporation June 23, 1890. It isn't commonly known that for 16 years - 1878-1894 - the Geneva, Ithaca & Sayre Co. operated on a branch of the New York Central, running from Geneva to a junction, with its main line at Lyons. The Lehigh's final extension all the way to Buffalo was accomplished in 1886. And now, after 73 years, the end of this passenger service has nearly arrived. An almost overwhelming surge of passenger business came to the Lehigh when recruits and naval personnel began to arrive at Sampson naval Training Station in September, 1942. Before that, since spring, there had been desperate haste by 12,000 people building the Station and laying eight miles of spur tracks from the Sayre branch of the Lehigh. Great planning for the reception and for the leaves and final exit of many thousands of recruits had to be rushed through. Otto H. Hoffman, general manager and passenger agent for the Lehigh, arrived at Sampson in July, 1942. He added help until he had a corps of seven picked civilian ticket experts. In the first three year period, 50,000 bluejackets were carried to and from Sampson on some 4,000 Lehigh trains. At the height of the operation an estimated 50,000 "booties" were carried in and out each month. Sayre Evening Times Wed., May 9, 1959 ICC to Reopen L.V. Case to Consider Service to Ithaca _________ Belatedly Discovers All Rail Service to City Cut Off Washington (AP) - The Interstate Commerce Commission says it is going to see how railroad passenger service can be continued to Ithaca, N.Y. Under an ICC decision announced three days ago, there will be no passenger service after Monday at midnight to Ithaca, home of Cornell University. The decision would allow the Lehigh Valley Railroad, which serves Ithaca, to cut passenger service 60 percent. The line said it was losing about four million dollars a year on passenger service. The ICC said Friday that it was reopening the case only to look into the Ithaca situation. In south-Central New York, the Lehigh's main line splits into two routes between Van Etten and Geneva. Ithaca is on the northern loop, used by four daily Lehigh Valley trains. The ICC decision allowed discontinuance of all trains on the northern loop. (Train No. 8, one of the two trains which will remain in service under the ICC order, went by way of Ithaca several years ago, but was rerouted in 1957 to bypass that city, No. 7, the other of the two trains which will run after Monday, has not gone by way of Ithaca in recent years.) The agency ordered the railroad to continue, for a year, two daily trains going from New York to Suspension Bridge over the southern loop, a more direct route between VanEtten and Geneva. Ithaca Journal Sat., May 9, 1959 Cornell President Files Protest to Commission Also Sends Wire To Legislators ITHACA - Dean W. Malott, president of Cornell University, today described the decision of the Lehigh Valley Railroad to discontinue passenger service to Ithaca as rank discrimination, in a protest to the chairman of the Interstate Commerce Commission. The Cornell president made the statement in a telegram to Owen Clark, chairman of the ICC, which had ruled that the railroad is free to discontinue 60 percent of its passenger service, including all trains stopping at Ithaca. He appealed for at last one train each ay between Buffalo and New York City, with a stop each way for Ithaca. Malott also appealed to the two New York members of the United States Senate, to Congressman Taber and four other members of the Congressional representatives from New York State who are Cornell alumni, Kilburn, Robinson, Tillion and Pirnie for action that would insure continued service to Ithaca. "Cornell University and the whole Ithaca community are greatly disturbed by the ICC ruling regarding reduction of Lehigh Valley service after May 11. Our information indicates this ruling, coupled with proposed action of the Lehigh Valley cuts off all passenger service to Ithaca. Problems of transportation of students and many other Cornell people and all others visiting the university. "We understand one train each day between New York and Buffalo is planned, but that these are to bypass Ithaca by using alternate no-station stops routes saving only a few miles in distance between Sayre and Geneva. I strongly urge action should be taken which will give Ithaca at last one train a day." This followed a telephone conversation with C.A. Major, Cornell alumnus and Lehigh president, who said the railroad refused to consider rerouting the Maple Leaf through Ithaca. The Maple Leaf goes over the main line between Sayre and Geneva by way of Burdett. As things stand, after an ICC ruling, that will be the closest passenger train to Ithaca as of midnight Monday. The Ithaca office for several weeks has refused to sell passenger tickets after this date, in some cases selling tickets to New York City on Monday, but not the round trip return. A special committee of the Chamber of Commerce, on the railroad matter, plans a meeting about the problem today, chamber manager John Tiley said last night. Mayor Ryan said he plans to find what can be done, and it is assumed that the Common Council and Board of Supervisors, which made strong protests when the move was first announced, with try something. Ithaca College President Howard I. Dillingham, who protested the stoppage earlier, was out of town yesterday. Geneva Times Sat., May 9, 1959 'Black Diamond' Gone For generations the Lehigh Valley Railroad's "Black Diamond" has been the most popular train serving Geneva. Railroad buffs will feel genuine pangs of remorse when this famed train pulls out of Geneva station for the last time on Monday. The "Diamond" and the night train, "The Star," are suspending operations for a very simple reason - lack of patronage. "We didn't desert the passengers, they deserted us." With these words R.A. Erickson, of the railroad's New York office, explained why the line had sought to abandon all passenger service. There can be no rational argument for maintaining passenger service. The Interstate Commerce Commission's Warner Baylor said that during the first 17 days of this year only 1,700 passengers were carried by the Lehigh. Since this includes the line's commuters from Flemington, N.J. eastward, it is a matter of simple economics to determine that operation of passenger service imposes a heavy financial burden on the road. The Lehigh has announced it will appeal the decision that compels operation of a daily round trip between New York and Buffalo and New York and Lehighton, Pa. Knowing how little the the passenger service on the line is used it is difficult to oppose the request to abandon passenger service completely. It's rather sad to see the approach of an end to an era in public transportation. Ithaca Journal Monday, May 11, 1959 Last Train From Ithaca Westbound Tuesday _______ Early this afternoon there was no announcement from the Interstate Commerce Commission that would change the picture that schedules Ithaca to be without passenger train service after the westbound Lehigh Valley train leaves here about 8 a.m. Tuesday. Last week the ICC gave the railroad permission to abandon all service effective at midnight today between New York and Buffalo except two trains, both of which do not pass through Ithaca. The Star leaves New York at 11:50 p.m. today. On Friday, after the receipt of a sharply-worded protest from the Ithaca Chamber of Commerce and intervention by New York's two U.S. Senators, the ICC said, "The proceedings will be reopened for reconsideration with respect to passenger service which should be rendered at Ithaca." Frank Saturn, president of the chamber, has received telegrams from the senators. Sen. Jacob K. Javits said: "I have been working on this problem on an emergency basis. I have gotten after the ICC to expedite proceeding on reconsideration so that a final order may be made at the earliest possible date, and have asked the president of the Lehigh Valley to cooperate in the public interest by continuing passenger transportation at Ithaca until final decision of the Commission in order to save "the public from unnecessary hardship." Sen. Kenneth B. Keating said he had contacted the ICC "expressing my deep concern. Case to be reconsidered concerning Ithaca passenger service of the Lehigh Valley." In his telegraphed answer to Saturn's wire urging a readjustment of the route of the east and westbound schedules of the Maple Leaf so that the train could pass through Ithaca, President C.A. Major of the Lehigh Valley made no mention of the intention of the railroad to comply. Big Losses Cited Major's telegram said: "Lehigh's overall losses from passenger operations average more than $7,000 daily, and very seriously threaten continued existence even of freight service unless we are relieved from passenger deficits." A spokesman at the local office of the Lehigh Valley said early this afternoon that New York officials of the company planned to suspend operations as originally planned unless a new ruling comes from the ICC. Chamber Tells Position The Chamber said today its position was that the route between Sayre and Geneva via Ithaca is only a few miles further than the Burdett route on which the Maple Leaf runs, and that as long as the Lehigh is required to provide two passenger trains a day, that revenue-producing Ithaca should be given service. Railroad fans from Upstate New York made runs on the Lehigh trains to Sayre and Towanda Sunday and today. Among the local enthusiasts taking on what was scheduled to be the last trips of the Black Diamond Express was John E. (Jack) Perry Jr. of 952 E. State St. He took the excursion to Sayre and return. The Evening Times Sayre, Pa., Tues., May 12, 1959 The Black Diamond Dies There was only a handful - mostly old-timers and children with their mothers - at the requiem for a regal railroad train yesterday when the Lehigh Valley's Black Diamond Express played its swan song after a few days less than 63 years as one of the nation's great institutions. The first Black Diamond made its run on May 18, 1906 regal splendor hailed as "The Handsomest Train in the World." Yesterday it died in very different circumstances - practically broke. There was only a motley smattering of customers aboard - about normal for any day's run, according to Conductor E.C. Bedell, who was in charge of the last westbound Diamond, leaving Sayre shortly 4 o'clock. The conductor of the eastbound Diamond, leaving Sayre shortly after noon, told the same sad story. There were some along the way who took a last ride, but for short distance - Lehighton to Wilkes-Barre, Tunkhannock to Towanda, Sayre to Ithaca, brief jaunts for their memory books. On the eastbound Diamond there was a real railroad buff aboard, who had a briefcase bulging with Lehigh history who wanted to show it to everyone who would give him the time. There was a tear in his eye as he retold the story of the once great Diamond's glorious era, when she was the last word in plush mahogany and luxury. Yesterday she was running with two baggage coaches,* a diner and a day coach in sorry contrast to the palmy days when 12 day coaches were not unusual and her last was always an extra-fare parlor car, where millionaires and even presidents lolled in the lap of luxury during the great half century when the Iron Horse was king of the road. Awarded the dubious pleasure of presiding at the requiem of the Diamonds were several local railroaders. At the throttle of the eastbound Diamond when it left Sayre for the last time was James Davenport of Sayre. James McGrath of Towanda was was the fireman and Clarence DeLaney of Buffalo, formerly of Sayre, was conductor. Taking out the westbound Diamond was Frank (Dutch) Nigl of Sayre, with Duane Klinko of Athens as fireman. Mr. Bedell, the conductor, is also a Sayreite. The two Diamonds were among six trains that bowed out forever yesterday. The Star and the Major, both night trains, and an east and westbound commuter train from Lehighton also made their last runs. Only the Maple Leaf and the John Wilkes are left - the former the only through trains between New York and Buffalo, the latter a Lehighton - New York train east and west. The Lehigh is running so-called "passenger extras" the rest of this week between New York and Buffalo on the schedules of the Star and the Major (No.s 11 and 4), but carrying no passengers, only mail and express. It is expected that they will come off on Friday. *RPO and baggage car Livonia Gazette Thursday, May 14, 1959 Livonia Group Is Last On Black Diamond As Famous Train Makes Final Run May 11 Harry Moran of Big Tree St., Livonia, his three-year-old son, Michael, and Mr. and Mrs. Harold Gibbs of Washington St. were the last passengers to purchase tickets and the last to board the final portion of the Lehigh Valley Railroad Black Diamond's last run from New York to Buffalo last Monday evening. May 11. According to Mr. Moran, son Michael was the youngest passenger aboard, he added. The group boarded the train at Rochester Junction, the last stop before Buffalo. On their return from Buffalo via the Star, which is also being discontinued, they were the last passengers to leave the train at Rochester Junction. The Lehigh Valley has cut its passenger service to upstate New York to one eastbound and one westbound train a day, stopping in this area only at Geneva, no longer at Rochester Junction. Loss of revenue led the railroad to discontinue other service. Mr. and Mrs. Gibbs also rode the last Erie passenger train out of Livonia Sept. 30. 1947, it is stated, and were the last to board that train. having to run to make it. The original Black Diamond, according to information provided by Mr. Moran. who is a rail enthusiast, was put into service in 1896 and was advertised by the Lehigh as the "handsomest train in the world " She was originally powered by fast "camel back" locomotives and featured such luxuries as Pintsch gas lighting, Mexican mahogany inlay, beveled French plate glass mirrors and wicker chairs. The last Black Diamond consisted of pre-war coaches pulled by two Alco diesels. and while perhaps not as colorful as the earlier trains, says Mr. Moran. still passed through some of the finest scenery east of the Mississippi on its 447-mile trip from Pennsylvania Station to Buffalo. Geneva Times Sat., May 16, 1959 Editorial Recession on the Rails The aging dining car steward shook his head and said sadly: "I never thought they'd take off the Black Diamond." It was the last day for six of the Lehigh Valley Railroad's 10 passenger trains. In a year, if things go from bad to worse, the Interstate Commerce Commission may let the line abandon the rest of its passenger service, as it sought to do originally. As the nation's railroads go, the Lehigh is not a big one. Its trackage strings across New Jersey, through the northeastern corner of Pennsylvania and up through New York to Buffalo. It taps some Pennsylvania's hard coal country, which now has been hurting economically for many years. Along its route is the sprawling plant of one f the great building material manufacturers. And once it had a pretty solid passenger line. That has dwindled to painfully low levels, and the road hasn't had the freight revenue to offset the decline. But though this is a relatively small line, we can see in it a sharp warning for the future. For the Lehigh's troubles are the problems of many American railroads today, big and small. It may be he first to give up all passenger service. It is not likely to be the last. Congress has voted a program of aid to hard-pressed railroads. We cannot gauge yet how effective it may prove. Business is better this year for some roads. Yet it goes on sagging for others. Still ahead of us is the tough decision as to exactly how much we may be willing to do to keep the country's priceless rail network in healthy being. The choice may not be too far off. Morning Call, Bethlehem, Pa., May 7, 1989 The Black Diamond's Last Run Was 30 Years Ago This Week by RON DEVLIN, The Morning Call It was a muggy morning in May and The Black Diamond Express, the Lehigh Valley Railroad's flagship passenger train, sat quietly on the tracks at Bethlehem. Engineer Watson Ridenour warmed up the big red diesel, as he had so many trains during 50 years of railroading, preparing to take it down the tracks one last time. Workers at the LVRR offices, sensing history in the making, leaned out the windows and waved. "There she goes," shouted a baggage handler, giving the train its unofficial epitaph. It was 11 a.m. on May 11, 1959 and, with two toots and three bells, the last westbound run of the train they called "The Handsomest Train in the World" rode off into history. Its passing, 30 years ago Thursday, marked the beginning of the end of passenger service on the LVRR. Although the LVRR's Maple Leaf liner would continue for another two years, passenger service on the LVRR had seen its day when the Black Diamond took its last run from New York to Buffalo - via the Lehigh Valley, Lehighton and Wilkes-Barre. Lamenting its passing, an editorial writer called the Black Diamond a victim of its own success. "The people it served well have expanded their cities, built airports and constructed highways," the editorial said. "Now they have deserted the train to the new forms of transportation which the Black Diamond helped develop during its 63 years of faithful service." Actually, the Black Diamond missed its 63rd birthday by one week. But the editorial writer was correct. Times were changing. The highways were better. The tractor-trailer was beginning its assault on the train. The businessmen who once rode the Black Diamond from New York and the Lehigh Valley to Wilkes-Barre could now drive up the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike in their own cars. And the U.S. Mail, once delivered by train, could be brought in from New York in tractor-trailers. The day after the last run of the Black Diamond, the Bethlehem Post Office got its first shipment of mail by tractor-trailer. Although cars, trucks and airplanes could move people from one place to another, no form of transportation has ever matched the luxury of the passenger train. And the Black Diamond was among the most luxurious. "For the price of a Pullman ticket, anybody could travel in magnificence," said William T. Greenberg Jr., author of "The Handsomest Trains in the World." "You could really travel in very luxurious circumstances." Geneva Times Sat., May 9, 1959 'Black Diamond' Gone For generations the Lehigh Valley Railroad's "Black Diamond" has been the most popular train serving Geneva. Railroad buffs will feel genuine pangs of remorse when this famed train pulls out of Geneva station for the last time on Monday. The "Diamond" and the night train, "The Star," are suspending operations for a very simple reason - lack of patronage. "We didn't desert the passengers, they deserted us." With these words R.A. Erickson, of the railroad's New York office, explained why the line had sought to abandon all passenger service. There can be no rational argument for maintaining passenger service. The Interstate Commerce Commission's Warner Baylor said that during the first 17 days of this year only 1,700 passengers were carried by the Lehigh. Since this includes the line's commuters from Flemington, N.J. eastward, it is a matter of simple economics to determine that operation of passenger service imposes a heavy financial burden on the road. The Lehigh has announced it will appeal the decision that compels operation of a daily round trip between New York and Buffalo and New York and Lehighton, Pa. Knowing how little the the passenger service on the line is used it is difficult to oppose the request to abandon passenger service completely. It's rather sad to see the approach of an end to an era in public transportation. The Evening Times Sayre, Pa., Sat., May 9, 1959 ICC to Reopen L.V. Case to Consider Service to Ithaca Belatedly Discovers All Rail Service to City Cut Off Washington (AP) The Interstate Commerce Commission says it is going to see how railroad passenger service can be continued to Ithaca, N.Y. Under an ICC decision announced three days ago, there will be no passenger service after Monday at midnight to Ithaca, home of Cornell University. The decision would allow the Lehigh Valley Railroad, which serves Ithaca, to cut passenger service 60 percent. The line said it was losing about four million dollars a year on passenger service. The ICC said Friday that it was reopening the case to look into the Ithaca situation. In south-Central New York, the Lehigh Valley's main line splits into two routes between Van Etten and Geneva. Ithaca is on the northern loop, used by four daily Lehigh Valley trains. The ICC decision allowed discontinuance of all trains on the northern loop. (Train 8, one of the two trains which will remain in service under the ICC order, went by way of Ithaca several years ago, but was rerouted in 1957 to bypass that city. No. 7, the other of the two trains which will run after Monday, has not gone by way of Ithaca in recent years.) The agency ordered the railroad to continue, for a year, two daily trains going from New York to Suspension Bridge over the southern loop, a more direct route between Van Etten and Geneva. Geneva Times Sat., May 9, 1959 Cornell President Files Protest to Commission Also Sends Wire To Legislators ITHACA - Dean W. Mallott, president of Cornell University, today described the decision of the Lehigh Valley Railroad to discontinue passenger service to Ithaca as rank discrimination, in a protest to the chairman of the Interstate Commerce Commission. The Cornell president made the statement in a telegram to Owen Clark, chairman of the ICC, which had ruled that the railroad is free to discontinue 60 percent of its passenger service, including all trains stopping at Ithaca. He appealed for at last one train each ay between Buffalo and New York City, with a stop each way for Ithaca. Rochester Democrat & Chronicle Sunday, May 17, 1959 End of Geneva Era Cab Driver Reminisces By Anne J. Conboy Democrat and Chronicle Staff Correspondent GENEVA, May 16 - "Walt" Bryan has a right to be called Geneva's first cab driver. He's still at it after a start 44 years ago with a span of horses. "Walt" grew up in the passenger and baggage transfer business. His father, Tom Bryan, South Exchange Street livery stable owner, shuttled passengers and baggage in and around Geneva before his son Walter was born, the latter recalls. The livery had several spans of horses, several hacks, and its biggest competitor was the livery firm of Kellener & McGuire, located a block west. When the Lehigh Valley Railroad last Monday took off all its daytime passenger trains and the previous Friday took off the Star and the Major which had continued carrying mail and express, no one viewed it more sentimentally as the end of an era than Walter Bryan. "Really the End" "Yes sir," said Walt at the railroad station with his arms tightly crossed, "that's really the end of it," as he began reminiscing for Bill Fanning, who's only been a cabby since he came here in 1942 from Canandaigua. "Why I remember when this railroad platform was one of the busiest places in the city when trains came in. The platform would get jammed with trunks ... everybody traveled with a trunk in those days." "When did you get started, Walt?" "Why, it wasn't long after my father died in 1911, I guess. Maybe it was about 1915. I know I fist drove horses just as my father had done for so many years. I had the exclusive concession at both the Lehigh Valley and the New York Central Railroads for a score of years. "My father used to tell me about driving through Sherrill Street mud to the hubs to bring passengers to and from the Lehigh Valley Railroad Station. Many of them had reached Geneva by steamboat from Watkins or somewhere along the line as boats made stops on both east and west side communities. "The restaurant in the railroad station and the newsstand were awfully busy places. The restaurant was a big one in the west end of the station. It's been gone so many years a lot of people don't know there ever was one there." Had 16 in Cab "Things sure wee different in those days, weren't they?" "I'll say they were. I'll never forget the time I had 16 in my seven-passenger cab." "How could you?" "Well, they were the Singing Midgets who'd been playing at the Smith Opera House. I brought them from the Gibson Hotel that was at the corner of Lake and Exchange streets them. Sure, I carried a lot of theater people who came here for the week or more. There were the minstrel shows, the musical comedies, the burlesque shows, and the melodrama circuit players." "When did things drop off so at the railroads?" "Well, it seemed to begin after the wars. It wasn't too slow after World War I, but after the flurry of travel that came with World War II it really dropped out of sight, almost. There was a real boom when they built Seneca Ordinance Depot and then Sampson Naval Training Station ... first with construction workers and then with the traveling trainees and officers. I was pretty busy then taking passengers all the way to these places 15 to 18 miles distant and there was a fleet of newer cab drivers. "In the old days the Hobart students all came to Geneva by railroad, with few exceptions, and they came that way with their trunks and bags. But it's all over now." Binghamton Press Monday, May 11, 1959 Boneyard for Lehigh's Black Diamond _______________ Last week the Interstate Commerce Commission authorized the discontinuance of about 60 per cent of the Lehigh Valley Railroad's passenger service, effective at midnight tonight. The following "obituary" on the Lehigh's Black Diamond Express was written by Albert J. Derr of 9 Catherine Street, Binghamton. Mr. Derr, a senior research physicist at Ansco, is western New York representative of the National Railway Historical Society, Inc. _____ At 6:40 o'clock tonight, a sleek, black Pennsylvania electric locomotive will ease a train of Cornell red cars to a gentle stop at the high-level platforms of Penn Station in New York City. Ten minutes later and 448 miles away, a two-unit, snub-nosed Alco diesel road locomotive will bring a similar train of cars to a stop in the new Lehigh Valley railroad station in Buffalo. Thus will end a tradition that began nearly 63 years ago. On May 18, 1896, a camelback steam locomotive left Jersey City with what was billed as the "Handsomest Train in the World." It was fully equipped with Pintschgas lighting, Mexican mahogany and inlaid beveled French plate mirrors. A Pullman Palace observation car, complete with wicker chairs held down the rear end. It was to be THE train of the Lehigh Valley for the traveling public. After the First World War, the auto, bus and eventually the airplane cut into its patronage. Even a depression-born refurnishing and the use of Otto Kuhler streamlined steam locomotives did little to regain lost traffic. According to an Associated Press report Saturday, the Interstate Commerce Commission says it is going to see how railroad passenger service can be continued to Ithaca, home of Cornell University. Dieselization and World War II gave it a shot in the arm that was to last until the late 40s. The decline of the coal regions of Pennsylvania and the lack of any big city as a traffic center between Wilkes-Barre and Buffalo left meager traffic for the train. Dining car service was cut back to Wilkes-Barre and, during the recent recession, the daily through coaches to and from Philadelphia were dropped. These were handled by the Reading Co.'s section, which that railroad also called the Black Diamond. However, to the very last trip today, the Diamond carried parlor cars for those few who cared to pay first class fare and seat charge for the extra service while enjoying, what has sometimes been called, the finest scenery east of the Mississippi. Sic transit gloria mundi. Ithaca Journal Monday, May 11, 1959 Last Train From Ithaca Westbound Tuesday _______ Early this afternoon there was no announcement from the Interstate Commerce Commission that would change the picture that schedules Ithaca to be without passenger train service after the westbound Lehigh Valley train leaves here about 8 a.m. Tuesday. Last week the ICC gave the railroad permission to abandon all service effective at midnight today between New York and Buffalo except two trains, both of which do not pass through Ithaca. The Star leaves New York at 11:50 p.m. today. On Friday, after the receipt of a sharply-worded protest from the Ithaca Chamber of Commerce and intervention by New York's two U.S. Senators, the ICC said, "The proceedings will be reopened for reconsideration with respect to passenger service which should be rendered at Ithaca." Frank Saturn, president of the chamber, has received telegrams from the senators. Sen. Jacob K. Javits said: "I have been working on this problem on an emergency basis. I have gotten after the ICC to expedite proceeding on reconsideration so that a final order may be made at the earliest possible date, and have asked the president of the Lehigh Valley to cooperate in the public interest by continuing passenger transportation at Ithaca until final decision of the Commission in order to save "the public from unnecessary hardship." Sen. Kenneth B. Keating said he had contacted the ICC "expressing my deep concern. Case to be reconsidered concerning Ithaca passenger service of the Lehigh Valley." In his telegraphed answer to Saturn's wire urging a readjustment of the route of the east and westbound schedules of the Maple Leaf so that the train could pass through Ithaca, President C.A. Major of the Lehigh Valley made no mention of the intention of the railroad to comply. Big Losses Cited Major's telegram said: "Lehigh's overall losses from passenger operations average more than $7,000 daily, and very seriously threaten continued existence even of freight service unless we are relieved from passenger deficits." A spokesman at the local office of the Lehigh Valley said early this afternoon that New York officials of the company planned to suspend operations as originally planned unless a new ruling comes from the ICC. Chamber Tells Position The Chamber said today its position was that the route between Sayre and Geneva via Ithaca is only a few miles further than the Burdett route on which the Maple Leaf runs, and that as long as the Lehigh is required to provide two passenger trains a day, that revenue-producing Ithaca should be given service. Railroad fans from Upstate New York made runs on the Lehigh trains to Sayre and Towanda Sunday and today. Among the local enthusiasts taking on what was scheduled to be the last trips of the Black Diamond Express was John E. (Jack) Perry Jr. of 952 E. State St. He took the excursion to Sayre and return. Geneva Times Tuesday, May 12, 1959 Economic Facts Bump Revered Traditions -- Nostalgic Memories, Recollected Friendships mark End of Black Diamond Era By Bill de Lancey "All ABO-ard!" The word trailed off weakly, sifting through the grim lips of conductor Fred Delaney. He stood staring down the platform at Geneva for the last time on the steps of the eastbound Black Diamond. His great "name" train was no longer needed, or wanted, by the auto-traveling public. "How do I feel? Just like all the rest of 'em on their last ride," he said. "I don't like it. I've been with this road since 1907. What am I going to do next? - pull night trains, I suppose." A handful of interested well-wishers manned the platform. And a moment before the conductor spoke a mob of excited children sprung down from the lone coach, to be lined up by their teachers at a point where they could safely wave good-bye to the last historic run ending 63 years of service by the "Diamond." The two second grade classes from Clifton Springs Central School were in charge of Mrs. Dorothy Tyler and Mrs. Faith Bay. Riding 'Goodbye' Boarding the "Diamond" were Mr. and Mrs. B.P. Mack, of Newark, N.Y., headed for a visit in Newark, N.J.; also Mrs. L.L. Partidge, of Madison, N.J., returning home after a visit with her sister, Mrs. Andrew D. Hubbs, of Pulteney Apts. Robert Gersback, of the Shortsville Police force was making the ride as far as Sayre, on his day off. The train was short, and had no more passengers than usual, conductor Delaney said. Two diesel units pulled a baggage car, a mail car, a club car and the coach. On the platform in Geneva, conductor Delaney had shaken hands with Glenn A. Queer, 73, of 34 Mason St., a retired conductor on the same run. Said Mr. Queer: "That train first went on in 1896, and it was the first vestibule car ever built." Valley Road Lore Aboard the coach, I soon hit pay dirt with a rich fund of lore about "The Valley" road, as old timers C.T. Andrews, 77, and Charles F. Brinker, 70, both of Easton, consistently called it. Trainman Louis Newland, of Waverly, had given me the tip-off. "If you want to see a picture of the first Black Diamond train, follow me." He introduced the two retired "elder statesmen" of "The valley" who had taken the run from to Buffalo from Easton on Sunday, stayed over night, and were on their way home. The splendid picture of the Black Diamond was taken at Easton in May, 1896. The train was pulled by an American Type engine, "4-4-0," named "James Donnelly" after the superintendent of that day. Out of the same brief case Mr. Andrews lifted a well-preserved timetable of the Lehigh for Jan. 13, 1868 - "This table for the information and government of employees only," it read. Maybe customers had to guess. How it was in 1867 The 1868 timetable covered the whole distance of the line, from Mauch Chunk (now Jim Thorpe) to Phillipsburg, N.J., just over the line. "Did you know," Mr. Andrews inquired, "that from 1867 to the spring of 1872, there wee three through trains from New York to Chicago without one change? "You took the Central Railroad of New Jersey from New York to Easton; the Lehigh from Easton to Allentown; the Eastern Pennsylvania from Allentown to Reading; the Lebanon Valley from Reading to Harrisburg; the Pennsylvania from Harrisburg to Pittsburgh; and the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago, to Chicago." The "lug" of this form of travel in 1867 is spelled out on one of the timetables: "Through sleeping cars New York to Chicago without change, known as Silver Palace Cars on account of their magnificence and the peculiar character of their internal trimming where all metallic portions are Sliver Plated." Old railroader Andrews was a machinist, he explained. His friend Charles F. Brinker, 70, a retired storekeeper for the Lehigh, added that Mr. Andrews has once been general foreman of the 900 machinists in the Easton shops. "But now," grinned Mr. Andrews, "there are only seven in the union there." Trainman Louis Newland, of Waverly, faced the end of 36 years in his job. - "It's back into freight service for me." Where It Hurts At Geneva, as well as at Ithaca and Sayre, which was as far as this reporter travelled, camera fans were out in force, recording a noteworthy event. But in the fields and small towns, almost all glanced to watch the passing of an era. Their fathers would always have looked, wishing they were aboard, to travel far away. The real drama - the place where the meaning ran deep and could hurt severely - was in the hearts and minds of the train crews. The most intense moment of this was caught in the gaze of two veteran and handsome waiters as they stood for a quiet minutes or two on the club car platform in the station at ithaca - eastbound. William Sharpen, of New York City, with 34 years of service behind him, said to me, "I guess I don't scarcely realize that this train is coming off. - Now you take Emmet Malloy, my working mate here, he's had 30 years of it. - But if you are asking, mister, what we are going to do after tonight - well - we JUST AIN'T GOT JOBS!" It was then that the two men, tried and true old friends, took a long, hard look at each other and turned away. Did it bring up lumps? It had to. Effect on Romulus The passing of the passenger business holds particular significance for Romulus and its surrounding area, as the first passenger trains to be operated between Ithaca and Geneva met here in September 1873 for the railroad's completion ceremony. In the early 1900's, residents had the facilities of three local trains in each direction at their disposal. About 20 trains, including four freights, many fast passenger runs and fruit express trains in the fall season, passed through there. Romulus, for many years, was the meeting place for two of the Lehigh's crack trains. "No. 8," a Toronto-New York express, went in on the siding here daily to allow No. 15, a New York-Buffalo train to pass. Some of the passenger conductors on the local trains in the early 1900's were James Kelley, John Gerold, Patrick Hanrahan, James Greene, and three others whose first names were not available: Stevenson, Shipman and Whittaker. Passenger conductors who claimed Geneva as their homes by birth or adoption include James Hillick, John Woodward, George Gardner, Charles Baldwin, John Connors, John O'Loughlin, and Glenn A. Queer. Returning from Sayre on the last westbound "Diamond" at 3:32 p.m. the same day, Monday, I found conductor E.C. Bedell, whose service dates to 1914, worried but little. He expected to be switched to the run on the "Maple Leaf," which will continue. 'Beautiful Train' A brief interview with engineer Frank X. Nagel, at the Ithaca stop, proved that he has been on the Lehigh 43 years. "It's all too bad," he said. "I've seen this as a beautiful train, but now I am seeing it disappear. I hope to continue with the road as long as my physician will permit." Home again at Geneva, with more people and more photographers on the platform, Mr. and Mrs. Donald Vogt, and small son, Jimmy, would journey to Clifton Springs, along with Paul Vogt. Last aboard were Harlan Howe and his daughter Nancy - also Clifton bound, with Mrs. Howe about to set off in pursuit with the family car. Walters Remembered. In retrospect, it was the seasoned club car waiters whom I remembered. The two on the final westbound trip were grizzled, bespectacled, men, Jacob Hammond, 66, and Vincent Pitter, 57, both of New York City. Vincent's uncle Richard had been personal secretary to "Teddy" Roosevelt among the famed Rough Riders. Said Vincent: "Well, I work back to Lehighton tomorrow. After that we turn over another page - we will sing another song. Ithaca Journal Tues., May 12, 1959 Rail Service Moves Made ____ Gannett News Service Washington - Sen. Jacob K. Javits (R) of New York City has asked the Lehigh Valley Railroad to provide adequate passenger service for Ithaca at least until June 16 - the day after Cornell's commencement exercises. Javits made the request in a wire to Cedric A. Major, president of the railroad and a Cornell alumnus. Earlier, Frank Saturn, president of the Ithaca Chamber of Commerce, informed the Javits office that the railroad is attempting to thwart the intent of the Interstate Commerce Commission order. The ICC announced last Friday that it would reconsider a previous order as it pertained to railroad passenger service for Ithaca. The ICC had permitted the railroad to abandon service on all except two of its passenger trains running through the Ithaca area. The two remaining trains do not pass through Ithaca, but travel the main line between Sayre, Pa. via Burdett. Saturn informed Javits that the situation was acute because the Tompkins County Airport is closed and will not reopen until September. Major said Monday that a poll indicated no need for passenger service in Ithaca. He did not elaborate. The Evening Times Sayre, Pa., Tues., May 12, 1959 The Black Diamond Dies There was only a handful - mostly old-timers and children with their mothers - at the requiem for a regal railroad train yesterday when the Lehigh Valley's Black Diamond Express played its swan song after a few days less than 63 years as one of the nation's great institutions. The first Black Diamond made its run on May 18, 1906 regal splendor hailed as "The Handsomest Train in the World." Yesterday it died in very different circumstances - practically broke. There was only a motley smattering of customers aboard - about normal for any day's run, according to Conductor E.C. Bedell, who was in charge of the last westbound Diamond, leaving Sayre shortly 4 o'clock. The conductor of the eastbound Diamond, leaving Sayre shortly after noon, told the same sad story. There were some along the way who took a last ride, but for short distance - Lehighton to Wilkes-Barre, Tunkhannock to Towanda, Sayre to Ithaca, brief jaunts for their memory books. On the eastbound Diamond there was a real railroad buff aboard, who had a briefcase bulging with Lehigh history who wanted to show it to everyone who would give him the time. There was a tear in his eye as he retold the story of the once great Diamond's glorious era, when she was the last word in plush mahogany and luxury. Yesterday she was running with two baggage coaches,* a diner and a day coach in sorry contrast to the palmy days when 12 day coaches were not unusual and her last was always an extra-fare parlor car, where millionaires and even presidents lolled in the lap of luxury during the great half century when the Iron Horse was king of the road. Awarded the dubious pleasure of presiding at the requiem of the Diamonds were several local railroaders. At the throttle of the eastbound Diamond when it left Sayre for the last time was James Davenport of Sayre. James McGrath of Towanda was was the fireman and Clarence DeLaney of Buffalo, formerly of Sayre, was conductor. Taking out the westbound Diamond was Frank (Dutch) Nigl of Sayre, with Duane Klinko of Athens as fireman. Mr. Bedell, the conductor, is also a Sayreite. The two Diamonds were among six trains that bowed out forever yesterday. The Star and the Major, both night trains, and an east and westbound commuter train from Lehighton also made their last runs. Only the Maple Leaf and the John Wilkes are left - the former the only through trains between New York and Buffalo, the latter a Lehighton - New York train east and west. The Lehigh is running so-called "passenger extras" the rest of this week between New York and Buffalo on the schedules of the Star and the Major (No.s 11 and 4), but carrying no passengers, only mail and express. It is expected that they will come off on Friday. *RPO and baggage car Ithaca Journal Wed., May 13, 1959 Pleas for 'Maple Leaf' Train Service Still Unanswered ____ Ithaca today was without passenger train service for the second day. There was no indication as to when the Interstate Commerce Commission would rule on the application of the Ithaca Chamber of Commerce to have the Maple Leaf passenger train come through Ithaca on its round trip from Buffalo and Suspension Bridge to New York. The Chamber maintains that the Ithaca route is only three or four miles further than the Burdett route between Geneva and Sayre. Sen. Jacob K. Javits of New York announced in Washington the receipt of a wire from the president of the Lehigh Valley that he would confer with Cornell authorities about passenger service on the day of graduation exercises, Monday, June 15. C.A. Major, the Lehigh president, is a graduate of Cornell, Class of 1912. Cornell officials said this morning that they had not heard from Major about the Commencement Day service. Major, in his telegram to Javits, said the railroad's "cash situation is so bad" that in order to meet payrolls the road had held up paying bills. The Lehigh no longer has "the resources" to continue certain passenger service, Major emphasized. Th Lehigh is maintaining mail and express service into Ithaca until Friday, local officials of the railroad reported. The Star from New York that is due here around 8 a.m., and the night train from Buffalo to New York around 11:30 p.m. are in operation until Friday. They do not carry passenger cars. The incoming mail train from New York was reported to be an hour and half late this morning. So far local employees of the Lehigh have had no news as to the status of their positions. They are continuing to work as usual. The uptown office of the Lehigh will be closed later in the month, an official said. Ithaca Journal Thursday, May 14, 1959 After Lehigh Leaves Rail Express Unhurt; 6 Men to Lose Jobs ____ There were two developments today in the situation caused by the suspension of passenger service through Ithaca. The Railway Express Agency announced that beginning on Monday, it would operate a motor truck to and from Binghamton daily for rail and air express. In the meantime, through Saturday morning the express will be transported over the Lehigh Valley Railroad which is maintaining until then express service through Ithaca, the agency said. At the Lehigh Valley's passenger, baggage, and freight departments it was indicated that six of the approximately 15 men would lose their jobs as a result of the railroad's economy program. The two employees at the City Ticket Office had not been informed up to today of their status. Louis Carnevale, Railway Express Agency agent, said that the express service would be provided daily, Monday through Saturday to and from Binghamton. A truck will arrive daily from Binghamton in the afternoon with express and return the same day. The express will be moved out of Binghamton on the Lackawanna and Erie Railroads. Air express will be handled through the Broome County Airport, said David Weiner of Buffalo, district sales manager of the agency. He said that air express would be moved out via Mohawk Airlines, Trans-World Airlines and the Flying Tiger (air freight and express) Line. Air express also will be brought into Ithaca from the Broome County Airport. Vernon W. Alling, freight agent at the Lehigh, said that the railroad will maintain a man in the station's ticket office at the passenger station on a new schedule from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. with an hour out for lunch, beginning May 26. The baggage room is now officially closed. It is expected that three of the four employees in the station ticket office, and three of four in the baggage department, will lose their positions. Freight service is being maintained by the railroad, so the approximately seven employees are expected to hold their jobs. But the personnel could be changed here through the seniority of men in the local division of the Lehigh which extends east and west of here for a considerable distance. Livonia Gazette Thursday, May 14, 1959 Livonia Group Is Last On Black Diamond As Famous Train Makes Final Run May II Harry Moran of Big Tree St., Livonia, his three-year-old son, Michael, and Mr. and Mrs. Harold Gibbs of Washington St. were the last passengers to purchase tickets and the last to board the final portion of the Lehigh Valley Railroad Black Diamond's last run from New York to Buffalo last Monday evening. May 11. According to Mr. Moran, son Michael was the youngest passenger aboard, he added. The group boarded the train at Rochester Junction, the last stop before Buffalo. On their return from Buffalo via the Star, which is also being discontinued, they were the last passengers to leave the train at Rochester Junction. The Lehigh Valley has cut its passenger service to upstate New York to one eastbound and one westbound train a day, stopping in this area only at Geneva, no longer at Rochester Junction. Loss of revenue led the railroad to discontinue other service. Mr. and Mrs. Gibbs also rode the last Erie passenger train out of Livonia Sept. 30. 1947, it is stated, and were the last to board that train. having to run to make it. The original Black Diamond, according to information provided by Mr. Moran. who is a rail enthusiast, was put into service in 1896 and was advertised by the Lehigh as the "handsomest train in the world " She was originally powered by fast "camel back" locomotives and featured such luxuries as Pintsch gas lighting, Mexican mahogany inlay, beveled French plate glass mirrors and wicker chairs. The last Black Diamond consisted of pre-war coaches pulled by two Alco diesels. and while perhaps not as colorful as the earlier trains, says Mr. Moran. still passed through some of the finest scenery east of the Mississippi on its 447-mile trip from Pennsylvania Station to Buffalo. Geneva Times Sat., May 16, 1959 Editorial Recession on the Rails The aging dining car steward shook his head and said sadly: "I never thought they'd take off the Black Diamond." It was the last day for six of the Lehigh Valley Railroad's 10 passenger trains. In a year, if things go from bad to worse, the Interstate Commerce Commission may let the line abandon the rest of its passenger service, as it sought to do originally. As the nation's railroads go, the Lehigh is not a big one. Its trackage strings across New Jersey, through the northeastern corner of Pennsylvania and up through New York to Buffalo. It taps some Pennsylvania's hard coal country, which now has been hurting economically for many years. Along its route is the sprawling plant of one f the great building material manufacturers. And once it had a pretty solid passenger line. That has dwindled to painfully low levels, and the road hasn't had the freight revenue to offset the decline. But though this is a relatively small line, we can see in it a sharp warning for the future. For the Lehigh's troubles are the problems of many American railroads today, big and small. It may be he first to give up all passenger service. It is not likely to be the last. Congress has voted a program of aid to hard-pressed railroads. We cannot gauge yet how effective it may prove. Business is better this year for some roads. Yet it goes on sagging for others. Still ahead of us is the tough decision as to exactly how much we may be willing to do to keep the country's priceless rail network in healthy being. The choice may not be too far off. Sayre Evening Times Wed., May 19, 1959 ICC to Reopen L.V. Case to Consider Service to Ithaca _________ Belatedly Discovers All Rail Service to City Cut Off Washington (AP) - The Interstate Commerce Commission says it is going to see how railroad passenger service can be continued to Ithaca, N.Y. Under an ICC decision announced three days ago, there will be no passenger service after Monday at midnight to Ithaca, home of Cornell University. The decision would allow the Lehigh Valley Railroad, which serves Ithaca, to cut passenger service 60 percent. The line said it was losing about four million dollars a year on passenger service. The ICC said Friday that it was reopening the case only to look into the Ithaca situation. In south-Central New York, the Lehigh's main line splits into two routes between Van Etten and Geneva. Ithaca is on the northern loop, used by four daily Lehigh Valley trains. The ICC decision allowed discontinuance of all trains on the northern loop. (Train No. 8, one of the two trains which will remain in service under the ICC order, went by way of Ithaca several years ago, but was rerouted in 1957 to bypass that city, No. 7, the other of the two trains which will run after Monday, has not gone by way of Ithaca in recent years.) The agency ordered the railroad to continue, for a year, two daily trains going from New York to Suspension Bridge over the southern loop, a more direct route between VanEtten and Geneva. Sayre Evening Times May 19, 1959 Lehigh Asks Emergency Permission To Drop Three Hazleton Trains ____ The Lehigh Valley Railroad today called for emergency permission to cancel three passenger trains on its Hazleton branch - which it said took in only $6.46 aggregate revenues in five days - pending Pennsylvania PUC action on its petition to eliminate passenger operation on the branch. The plea was made in a telegram from President C.A. Major to the chairman of the PUC. he said that because of the discontinuance of the mainline trains the three branch trains serve no useful purpose. The text of his telegram follows: "Because under ICC order mainline connections have been canceled, trains 209, 210 and 212 between Hazleton and Lehighton no longer serve any useful purpose. Total aggregate revenues for these trains for five days from Tuesday through Saturday were only $6.46. Our financial situation is so bad we cannot afford losses from this wasteful operation. I will greatly appreciate your telegraphing me collect whether under these circumstances you require us to continue this operation. Meanwhile, we will continue to operate trains 2228, 229, 208 and 239 between Hazleton and Lehighton pending your decision, which we hope will be expedited, on our application filed Dec. 16, 1958, to discontinue Hazleton branch operations because of lack of use and heavy losses." Sayre Evening Times May 19, 1959 Lehigh Asks Emergency Permission To Drop Three Hazleton Trains ____ The Lehigh Valley Railroad today called for emergency permission to cancel three passenger trains on its Hazleton branch - which it said took in only $6.46 aggregate revenues in five days - pending Pennsylvania PUC action on its petition to eliminate passenger operation on the branch. The plea was made in a telegram from President C.A. Major to the chairman of the PUC. he said that because of the discontinuance of the mainline trains the three branch trains serve no useful purpose. The text of his telegram follows: "Because under ICC order mainline connections have been canceled, trains 209, 210 and 212 between Hazleton and Lehighton no longer serve any useful purpose. Total aggregate revenues for these trains for five days from Tuesday through Saturday were only $6.46. Our financial situation is so bad we cannot afford losses from this wasteful operation. I will greatly appreciate your telegraphing me collect whether under these circumstances you require us to continue this operation. Meanwhile, we will continue to operate trains 2228, 229, 208 and 239 between Hazleton and Lehighton pending your decision, which we hope will be expedited, on our application filed Dec. 16, 1958, to discontinue Hazleton branch operations because of lack of use and heavy losses." Ithaca Journal Thursday, May 21, 1959 Two Passenger Trains to Make Stop in Ithaca ______ Rail passenger service will return to Ithaca on Tuesday, May 26, and continue until next spring. After an absence of two weeks, the Lehigh Valley's passenger service will begin again when the line's two New York - Buffalo - Toronto sleepers stop in the early morning hours. The eastbound Maple Leaf will arrive at 1:49 a.m. EDT. and leave at 1:54. The westbound Maple Leaf will arrive at 3:16 a.m. and leave at 3:22. Passengers will have to board the train at these times. No sleeper car will be set out at Ithaca. The Lehigh was ordered to swing its two mainline trains onto the Ithaca branch by the Interstate Commerce Commission Wednesday afternoon. The manager of the Ithaca Chamber of Commerce said this morning that he would hold a meting next week with chamber members to see if there is interest in negotiating with the Lehigh Valley to have sleeper cars set off at Ithaca. This would allow eastbound passengers to board their car during the evening, rather than in the early morning when the train comes through Ithaca. Their car would be coupled onto the Maple Leaf while they are asleep. Similarly, westbound sleeper passengers would be allowed to stay in their car on the Ithaca siding after it had arrived in Ithaca. "In any case it would have to be subsidized locally," the manger, John L. Tiley, said. The ICC decision will not affect the manpower assignment to the local station, a railroad official said this morning in New York. One ticket agent and one combination yard clerk baggageman have been retained at the passenger station on W. Buffalo St. They will work during the night rather than in the daytime, he said, the ticket agent from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. and the baggageman for eight hours starting at 10:15 p.m. The Lehigh has yet to announce its decision on whether to close the Ithaca ticket office. The eastbound Maple Leaf will leave Buffalo at 11:10 p.m. and arrive at New York at 8:55 a.m. The westbound train will leave New York at 8:10 p.m. and arrive at Buffalo at 5:55 a.m. The ICC on May 6, acting on a Lehigh Valley proposal to drop all of its passenger trains authorized the discontinuance of about 60 percent of service including the Ithaca run. It later announced it would reconsider the Ithaca situation. Among the trains the company was permitted to drop were four daily trains operating between New York City and Buffalo-Suspension Bridge, N.Y., via Ithaca, located on the north leg of Lehigh Valley's split main line in central New York State. The railroad was ordered to continue two other daily New York - Buffalo trains which operate on the south leg of the split line between Geneva and Van Etten. The ICC said Wednesday the passenger trains make no stops between these points and that these trains should use the north leg of the main line and so serve Ithaca. The railroad said it had been losing $4 million a year on its passenger trains. The latest ICC decision came after protest by several Ithacans that if a mainline train was continued by the Lehigh it should serve Ithaca. There had been little apparent effect on the community in the two weeks during which Ithaca has been without passenger service. Mohawk Airlines stopped flying into Tompkins County Airport May 4 when a four-month runway construction program was begun. A student airplane service and an airline limousine service to nearby Mohawk points have taken some passengers. Greyhound bus company reports a few more passengers in and out of Ithaca than usual. Lehigh officials say the peak use of the Ithaca station by students and others has been Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving vacations at Cornell University and Ithaca College. During the past year, an estimated 1,000 more persons than normal used the Lehigh at Christmastime; and 500 at Thanksgiving and Easter. The beginning and end of the school year, and commencement and alumni reunion times, have not produced many extra passengers. Railroad officials assume students, parents and alumni use their own cars. An estimated 5,000 students at Cornell and 100 at Ithaca College have cars in Ithaca. The schools have 10,000 and 1,300 students, respectively. Sayre Evening Times Thurs., May 21, 1959 Lehigh Is Ordered By ICC to Restore Service to Ithaca _______ Remaining Passenger Trains Must Operate Over Northern Branch _______ Washington (AP) Daily passenger train service will again be available to Ithaca, N.Y. The resumption of service by the Lehigh Valley Railroad was ordered Wednesday by the Interstate Commerce Commission. Ithaca - site of Cornell University - was left without service midnight, May 11. The ICC on May 6, acting on a Lehigh proposal to drop all of its passenger trains, authorized the discontinuance of about 60 percent of service, including the Ithaca run. It later announced it would reconsider the Ithaca situation. Among the trains the company is permitted to drop were four daily trains operating between New York City and Buffalo-Suspension Bridge, N.Y. via Ithaca, located on the north leg of the Lehigh Valley's split main line in central New York State. The railroad was ordered to continue two other daily New York-Buffalo trains which operated on the south leg of the split line between geneva and Van Etten, N.Y. The ICC said Wednesday the passenger trains make no stops between these points and that these trains should use the north leg of the main line and so serve Ithaca. The trains to be rerouted leave New York at 8:10 p.m., arriving at Suspension Bridge at 6:20 a.m.; and leave Suspension Bridge at 11 p.m., arriving in New York at 9 a.m. The railroad said it had been losing $4 million a year on its passenger trains. (Note: The service through Ithaca was restored on May 26, 1959). Sayre Evening Times Thurs., May 21, 1959 Lehigh Is Ordered By ICC to Restore Service to Ithaca _______ Remaining Passenger Trains Must Operate Over Northern Branch _______ Washington (AP) Daily passenger train service will again be available to Ithaca, N.Y. The resumption of service by the Lehigh Valley Railroad was ordered Wednesday by the Interstate Commerce Commission. Ithaca - site of Cornell University - was left without service midnight, May 11. The ICC on May 6, acting on a Lehigh proposal to drop all of its passenger trains, authorized the discontinuance of about 60 percent of service, including the Ithaca run. It later announced it would reconsider the Ithaca situation. Among the trains the company is permitted to drop were four daily trains operating between New York City and Buffalo-Suspension Bridge, N.Y. via Ithaca, located on the north leg of the Lehigh Valley's split main line in central New York State. The railroad was ordered to continue two other daily New York-Buffalo trains which operated on the south leg of the split line between geneva and Van Etten, N.Y. The ICC said Wednesday the passenger trains make no stops between these points and that these trains should use the north leg of the main line and so serve Ithaca. The trains to be rerouted leave New York at 8:10 p.m., arriving at Suspension Bridge at 6:20 a.m.; and leave Suspension Bridge at 11 p.m., arriving in New York at 9 a.m. The railroad said it had been losing $4 million a year on its passenger trains. The railroad said it had been losing $4 million a year on its passenger trains. (Note: The service through Ithaca was restored on May 26, 1959). Niagara Falls Gazette Tues., Aug. 30, 1960 Lehigh Passenger Service to Falls May End October 1 The Lehigh Valley Railroad asked the Interstate Commerce Commission today for permission to end passenger service on the line. The railroad set Oct. 1 as the date for suspension, according to C. W. Baker, vice president and general manager. The line expects the ICC to schedule hearings within 30 days. Mr. Baker attributed the action to mounting losses from passenger service in excess of $2,000 daily. Lehigh has been operating two trains daily in Niagara Falls. Train No. 7, the Maple Leaf, arrives at Suspension Bridge Station at 6:40 a.m. from New York City and continues on to Toronto. Train No. 8 arrives at 10:20 p.m. from Toronto and continues on to New York City. An Interstate Commerce Commission ruling in 1959 authorized the company to end stops at the Second and Falls Sts. depot. At that time, the company obtained permission to discontinue six trains. It agreed to operate four passenger trains for another year. Now all four will be discontinued. The company operates in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York. Geneva Times Thurs., Nov. 1, 1960 Railroad vs. Public Hearings Start Fast The first round of the Lehigh Valley Railroad vs. train riding public has begun. Lehigh Valley Railroad President Cedric A. Major says declining freight revenues and high taxes force the line to abandon its deficit passenger service. In Newark, N.J., yesterday, Major spoke before the opening hearing of the Interstate Commerce Commission, which will decide the fate of Geneva's only railroad passenger service. The next hearing will be held here Monday. The Geneva hearing is the only protest meeting to be held in New York State. The decision of these hearings will determine the future of passenger service to Geneva and other points on the line between New York and Buffalo. Yesterday's hearing gave the railroad the opportunity to state its case. A hearing Thursday in Wilkes Bare, Pa. will give citizens their fist chance to protest. At the final hearing here Monday, many groups - especially from Ithaca and Geneva - are expected to oppose vigorously the railroad's requests here. The Finger Lakes Council of Mayors has already sent written protests to the ICC and is expected to show up in force at Monday's hearing. The arguments citizens will have to counter were set forth by the railroad yesterday. Mr. Major claims dropping steel and cement shipments and the deteriorating coal industry has dropped the road's freight revenues. Before freight fell off the line was better able to handle the passenger deficit. He says the deficit is now about $4 million a year. Major also said "oppressive taxation in the state of New Jersey" has made it necessary for the line to gain government loans to pay state taxes. In January the road dropped 60 percent of its passenger service but the ICC ordered it to continue the remaining 40 percent after a similar series of hearings. The battle has dragged on since 1958 and area residents have vigorously opposed the the road's plan to abandon service. The railroad has maintained the loss per passenger train mile increased from 84 cents in 1950 to $2.44 last year. The ICC's decision is expected before January but the commission says it will consider appeals 30 days after the decision has been made. Among the considerations involved in the decision is the extent to which the trains are used and needed by the public and the alternative means of transportation available to the public. Geneva Times Tuesday, Nov. 1, 1960 Another Try At Derailment Investigated INTERLAKEN - Investigation of another attempted derailment of a Lehigh Valley train in the south end of Seneca County near Interlaken was being investigated today by Sheriff Kenneth Wayne and members of his staff. Lehigh train No. 8, eastbound early this morning, struck a steel rail which had been placed across the tracks. The train did not jump the tracks, but the front part of the diesel locomotive was damaged. Sheriff wayne believes the rail was placed on the tracks some time last evening. There have been several previous incidents of obstacles being placed on Lehigh tracks in this vicinity, but investigation has not yet revealed who is responsible. Sheriff Wayne was called into the matter this morning by Lehigh detective Schools, working out of Sayre, Pa. Ithaca Journal Wed., Nov. 2, 1960 4 Boys Set Rail on Tracks; Train Damaged ____ By William McCarthy INTERLAKEN - Four 13-year-old boys admitted today to setting a steel rail across the tracks near the freight depot Tuesday night which almost caused a disaster early today when a Lehigh Valley passenger train traveling at 68 miles per hour rammed into it. The train with approximately 50 passengers aboard shoved the big steel rail 2,200 feet before being able to stop at 1:12 a.m. Tuesday. No one was injured. Seneca County Sheriff G. Kenneth Wayne of Waterloo said the eight-foot rail became entangled with the braking mechanism of the train which was en route from Buffalo to New York. Crew men removed the rail and the train continued to ithaca at 30 miles per hour. The brakes were repaired temporarily in Ithaca and the engine was replaced at Sayre, Pa. Wayne said today that some of the youth scribbled their names with soap on the windows of the depot and other stores in Interlaken. One clue that aided the investigation was the soaped inscription, "Chuck loves Judy." Wayne said the incident appeared to be part of Halloween pranks. The boys admitted their guilt today to Wayne and Deputy Sheriff Gerald Brewer. Others who assisted in the investigation were Francis Shoals and D.R. Whitton of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. Jerry O'Hanlon of the Geneva FBI office was a consultant in the case. Wayne said that if the twin-engined, diesel-hauled train with eight sleeping cars and a baggage car had gone off the track injuries and possibly fatalities could have resulted. The boys will appear before a Children's Court judge when Wayne concludes his report of the case. Geneva Times Thursday, Nov. 3, 1960 At ICC Hearing - Lehigh Aide Says Merger is Railroads' Salvation Newark, N.J. (AP) A Lehigh Valley Railroad official says mergers are the only salvation for Eastern railroads. Ray E. Gaugh, Lehigh's comptroller, told an Interstate Commerce Commission hearing Wednesday that the Lehigh and the Jersey Central Railroad have been discussing consolidation of facilities to cut operating expenses. No concrete plans have been made so far, he said. He testified at the final session of three days of hearings on the Lehigh's bid to discontinue all passenger service. The ICC will hold further hearings in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., on the petition. The railroad presently operates only two passenger trains daily. One makes a round trip between New York and Lehighton, Pa., the other a round-tripper between New York and Buffalo. Also testifying at Wednesday's hearing were Albert E. Blomquist, a transportation engineer representing the Lehigh Valley passengers and shipper association and two commuters from Flemington, Henry Kuehn and Robin Page. Blomquist recommended the railroad maintain its passenger service between Allentown, Pa., and New York but abandon service from Allentown to Buffalo. Both Kuehn and Page opposed the railroad's petition to discontinue passenger service. ______________ Niagara Falls Gazette, Wed., Nov. 2, 1960 Lehigh Passenger Halt Is Fought NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - The mayor of Allentown, Pa., says half a million persons and 900 manufacturing concerns in this area will be inconvenienced if the Lehigh Valley Railroad discontinues passenger service. Allentown Mayor John T. Gross was one of three opposition witnesses Tuesday the hearing the Interstate Commerce Commission is holding in connection with the railroad's request to end service. (A similar hearing is expected to be held in Niagara Falls on the railroad's request to drop its two passenger trains daily to that city. The railroad had requested permission to drop the service by Oct. 1 but in late September the ICC ordered that it continue service at least four more months, and announced that public hearings would be held.) Lehigh presently operates only two passenger trains daily in Allentown. One makes a round trip between New York and Lehighton, Pa. and the other a round trip between New York and Buffalo. The opposition witnesses testified after the railroad's comptroller, Roy E. Gaugh, had outlined in detail the road's financial structure. Gaugh backed testimony given by Lehigh President given by Lehigh President Cedric A. Major Monday that drastically declining -freight revenues prevented the Lehigh from sustaining a passenger deficit. The other opposition witnesses Tuesday were Cyrus S. Fleck, president of the Mack Printing Co., Easton, Pa., and Robert C. Maddox, a councilman from Plainfield. Fleck said students at Lafayette, College in Easton would be seriously handicapped by any further cutback. He said many cultural trips to New York are already hampered by earlier reductions in the Lehigh's passenger service. Maddox said the discontinuance would be detrimental in his area because it would hurt real estate values and leave Plainfield without any train service to uptown New York. Comptroller Gaugh said only 138 commuters use the Lehigh's passenger trains in New Jersey. He said, they are all from Plainfield and Flemington. He said freight revenues had-declined mainly because of deterioration of the anthracite coal industry. Gaugh said last December the Lehigh negotiated a new contract with the Pennsylvania Railroad for use of Penn Station in New York at $31,000 a month. He said this was a saving of $79,000 from the old contract, but even this reduction did not help. Geneva Times Thursday, Nov. 3, 1960 ICC Sets Lehigh 'Whistle Stop' Hearing Here. Genevans will have their chance to throw the switch on the Lehigh Valley Railroad's plans to sent its passenger service to the roundhouse at 10 a.m. Monday in city hall. Interstate Commerce Commission will be at city hall for more than a whistle stop appearance on Monday. Geneva is the last stop on the commission's run of protest of hearings. The railroad explained its case Monday in Newark, N.J., and the citizens served by the line are getting their first chance to protest today in Wilkes Barre, Pa. Geneva Times Thurs., Nov. 3, 1960 Near Interlaken - Teen-Agers Admit Barring Train Path INTERLAKEN - If the hadn't soaped the windows at the Lehigh Valley freight depot here and left their handwriting as evidence, three husky 13-year-old Interlaken schoolboys probably wouldn't have to go to into Children's Court for a "macabre" Halloween stunt, Sheriff G. Kenneth Wayne said last night. What the three youngsters called a a Halloween stunt, Sheriff Wayne said, was the placing of a 300-pound steel rail across the Lehigh tracks before a passenger train passed through here at 68 miles an hour and rammed into the heavy rail at 1:10 a.m. Tuesday. Wayne reiterated his previous statement that "it was a miracle" the train wasn't derailed and that passengers and crew members were not injured or killed. With 50 sleeping passengers aboard, the diesel-hauled train - en route from Buffalo and Toronto to New York - finally ground to a stop. The sheriff, who started an investigation along with Lehigh police, yesterday was joined by FBI agent Jerry O' Hanlon of Canandaigua. The railroad's freight depot windows were found soaped with handwriting in which certain first names were used. Suspecting a link to deliberate placing of the heavy rail on the tracks, officers pressed their investigation, with the result, Wayne said, one of the boys confessed he and the other two were responsible. The trio, all pupils at Interlaken Central School, will appear before Children's Court Judge J. Seward Bodine in Waterloo. Ithaca Journal Thurs., Nov. 3, 1960 City, Others To Oppose Lehigh Cut ____ The Interstate Commerce Commission examiner in Geneva Monday will hear that the Ithaca community opposes discontinuance of Lehigh Valley passenger service and instead goes on record as hoping for an improvement and increase of all kinds of public transportation for this growing area. That position will be conveyed by representatives of the City of Ithaca, the Chamber of Commerce and Cornell University. Attendance of City Attorney Kenneth C. Johnson Jr. at the hearing was authorized unanimously Wednesday night by the Common Council. While aldermen agreed that the two night passenger train now serving Ithaca are not much patronized, they said they felt it was important as a matter of principle to continue opposition to the discontinuance of any public transportation. As City Attorney Johnson said, the ICC is a ward of the United States whose duty it is to protect interstate commerce and promote travel. Alderman J. Gormly Miller noted that the tendency to decrease public transportation is growing over the United States, and this is the time for cities to rally strong opposition. The railroad contends it can no longer afford to operate these passenger runs at a loss. One train arrives from Buffalo at 1:34 a.m., the other from New York City and Philadelphia at 3:06 a.m. Geneva Times, Friday, Nov. 4, 1960 Mayor Opposes Lehigh Cut If there's one passenger car which will still ride the Lehigh Valley Railroad tracks in the event passenger service is discontinued, it will be arriving here Monday. It is the Lehigh Valley Railroad's business car which is a whole train rolled into one. It will be carrying top Lehigh officials in fine style. The car has its own cook, sleeping quarters, office desks, conference section and telephone. Local rail officials for the line don't know just who will be arriving here on the train, but they will probably arrive at 4:02 a.m. from New York. They will have a warm reception. Last night at the common council meeting, Mayor Harold M. Simpson was appointed the city's representative at the protest hearing in city hall at 10 a.m. Monday. At the council meeting, the mayor indicated he would tell the Interstate Commerce Commission that passenger service is not only a convenience but a necessity for the city's drive for new industry. Mayor Simpson recognized deficit passenger service kept the railroad in bad financial plight but said, "We need the train service as much as any city - and we have the right to oppose its discontinuance." Geneva's search for new industry depends on rail travel, the mayor indicated. "We are trying to locate new industry here and salesmen and executives need rail transportation," he said. He also cited rail service was important because it enabled people to travel when roads were bad and weather prevented air travel. Councilmen said the train service should be continued but suggested a better hour for running the trains to and from Geneva. Geneva Times Sat., Nov. 5, 1960 Hearing Monday - Ithaca to Lead Fight to Retain LVRR Service Area communities are marshaling their forces for Monday's last-ditch effort to keep railroad passenger service, despite the feeling by some that the final elimination is inevitable. Ithaca and Ontario County villages apparently take the lead in opposing discontinuance of Lehigh Valley passenger service at an Interstate Commerce Commission hearing at 10 a.m. Monday in City Hall. Geneva reportedly more resigned to its anticipated loss, probably will be represented only by Mayor Harold M.Simpson, who said he will voice vigorous opposition despite the odds. While other cities are sending council representatives, mayors, chamber of commerce officials, college personnel and city attorneys, such apparently will not be the case here. Mayor Simpson said he had contacted business executives and college officials and found little concern over the loss of train service. There is a strong feeling locally that such an occurrence is inevitable unless the government gives preferential treatment to railroads as it has to other transportation services. As of today, the only Genevan definitely planning to attend the hearing is former Mayor W. Erle Rogers, president of the Finger Lakes Council of Mayors. "I'm protesting this for the area in the name of the council," Mr. Rogers said. He indicated he expects some mayors to attend, but any delegation of officials is "up to the mayor of each community." At Thursday's common council meeting here, aldermen appointed the mayor as the city's representative in the fight to keep rail service. They, in turn, were urged to attend the hearing. Ithaca, which apparently feels it will suffer a greater loss if Lehigh service is discontinued, has taken several steps to insure presenting the city's case at the hearing. The common council voted unanimously last night to oppose the elimination move "as a matter of principle" and directed that the city be personally represented in Geneva. City officials will be joined by representatives of Cornell University, who are fighting the Lehigh vigorously, and the Chamber of Commerce is expected to be represented. City attorney Kenneth C. Johnson is expected to represent the city of Ithaca. There is concern in Ithaca that should the Lehigh succeed in discontinuing passenger service, its next effort would be the elimination of all service between Ithaca and Geneva. Also announcing intention of attending Monday's hearing are village and town officials from Manchester, Victor, Clifton Springs and Phelps. Chamber officials from these communities also expect to attend. Major stress, at least by northern Finger Lakes area spokesmen, will be placed on the effect which disruption of passenger travel would have on industrial and municipal advancement. Monday's meeting will be the final of three hearings on the railroad's application for removal of all passenger trains on the main line between Buffalo and New York City. Two hearings were held this week in Newark, N.J., and Wilkes-Barre, Pa., but the Geneva hearing is the only protest meeting to be held in New York State. The ICC permitted a 60 percent cutback in passenger service following a similar trio of hearings last year. The railroad since had been running only one train daily in each direction - both of them in the middle of the night - on its Buffalo division. Railroad president Cedric A. Major testified at this week's hearings that the Lehigh had an annual deficit of $4 million in 1958 and 1959 and that tax payments had to be made through government loans. Mayor Simpson said today it would be "a sad thing for a city of 18,000 to lose train service" and cited adverse effects on attracting new industry. Ithaca Journal Tues., Nov. 8, 1960 Little Effect Seen by Cut In Rail Service _________ Gannett News Service ALBANY - Lehigh Valley Railroad's plan to abandon its passenger service between New York and Buffalo "will have little affect on the traveling public," a spokesman for the Public Service Commission said Monday. That is why the commission was not represented Monday at an Interstate Commerce Commission hearing in Geneva, the spokesman said. The railroad's service between the two New York State points was only part of the hearing agenda, it was pointed out. The hearing also concerned the railroad's service between New York and Lehighton, Pa., clearly an intra-state matter outside the Public Service Commission's jurisdiction, the spokesman said. He said the commission made a preliminary investigation of the proposed plan to abandon railroad service between New York and Buffalo, and determined that it involves "very little intra-state travel between points in New York State. The two rains involved run on time schedules "that are so inconvenient as to be almost worthless," the spokesman said. If the Interstate Commerce Commission grants the railroad's petition both Geneva and Ithaca will be left with only freight service. Geneva Times Tuesday, Nov. 8, 1960 Hearing Concludes - Fate of Lehigh Rests With ICC With all hearings in the case concluded, it's now up to the Interstate Commerce Commission to decide whether the Lehigh Valley Railroad should be allowed to discontinue passenger service in this area. The third and last hearing on the proposal of the railroad to discontinue passenger traffic was adjourned about 1 p.m. Monday in the city hall. Instead of taking a short recess at 12:30 and then continuing during the afternoon, the hearing continued till 1 p.m. and adjourned. Speakers during the morning were from Ithaca and geneva. Others who spoke in the afternoon were Mayor Harold M. Simpson, W. Erle Rogers, former mayor of Geneva, and president of the Finger Lakes Council of Mayor; Francis G. Boardman, former mayor of Manchester and chairman of the New York State Legislative board of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen; and Arnold Johnson, president of the Ontario, Yates and Wayne Counties Federation of Labor. Mayor Simpson testified that in his opinion the loss of passenger service in the city would adversely affect the city's search for new industry. There a number of plants and branches of national industries here which would be affected by the discontinuance, he said. He noted that rail transportation is the last to be affected by extremely bad winter weather and passenger service is vital in such emergencies he pointed out. He noted an expansion in the increase enrollment in the new food science building at the Experiment Station both of which will bring many visitors to Geneva and the area. Under the new tax relief law passed by by the State for the benefit of the railroads, he said, the railroad's assessment was reduced by 10 percent. A number of Geneva businessmen and city officials also attended the hearing. Some of these were: Vern Alexander, president, National Bank of Geneva; Robert Johnson, administrator, Geneva General Hospital; Harry Touhey, Harry Touhey and Associates; Alderman Merrill Roenke, City Treasurer Gerry Peel, Donald S. Pierrepont, manager, Geneva Trust Office, Lincoln Rochester Trust Co.; Philip Tanguay, secretary, Geneva Chamber of Commerce; Acting City Judge Joseph G. Caito; Harold Allen, manager of the New York State Electric and Gas Corp.; Robert Klenafant, manager of the New York Telephone Co., and Beverly Chew, retired Geneva industrialist. New York Times Dec. 6, 1960 Commuters Give Plan To Operate a Railroad Washington, Dec. 15 (UPI) - A group of commuters asked the Interstate Commerce Commission today to let them operate their own railroad in eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The proposal was offered as an alternative if the I.C.C. permits the Lehigh Valley to eliminate its remaining passenger service. The plan was filed by the Lehigh Valley Passengers and Shippers Association in opposition to the road's request to drop four trains between Lehighton, Pa., and New York City and Buffalo. It said that if the I.C. approved the cut in service, the association was prepared to set up a cooperative to operate "fast, convenient, comfortable" service between Allentown, Pa., and Pennsylvania Station in Newark. ____ Special to The New York Times Trenton, Dec. 15. - The Lehigh Valley transport about 150 New Jersey residents, 130 of them commuters, daily between New York City and South Plainfield and Flemington in two passenger trains. Niagara Falls Gazette Friday, January 20, 1961 Strike Halts Central's Passenger Service Here New York Central passenger service in and out of Niagara Falls was halted today although freight operations remained normal as members of the Railroad Brotherhoods in Buffalo refused to cross pickets set up by the Seafarers International Union. NYC's railroad operations were closed down completely today in Buffalo, halting all freight and passenger service to and from the Queen City. Buffalo's Frontier Yards were termed by a spokesman "the heart of the Eastern Division's freight operations." They were unmanned Thursday night after the third shift failed to report for work. The 10-day walkout, which has severed commuter rail service to 100,000 persons and disrupted food shipments to New York City, spread to Buffalo Thursday night when pickets appeared at the Central's main terminal and Frontier Yard. The railroad ceased its entire freight operation east of Buffalo. Pickets on Job Rail service was cancelled at midnight, about seven hours after picket lines were set up by the Railroad Marine Division of the SIU. The shutdown was a result of the strike of 600 tugboat workers in the nation's largest city. A Central spokesman here said freight operations are being carried out locally with no interruptions so far. He said cars are being route to Rochester, Syracuse, Albany and other eastern cities via the Central's "Falls Road" which bypasses Buffalo and travels through Lockport and Medina. Freight also is being sent to such cities to the west as Detroit, Chicago and Cleveland via the Michigan Central bridge to Canada. Buffalo Shut Down The spokesman said all freight service to and from Buffalo, however, has been halted. Whether union members now picketing Central facilities in Buffalo will spread to Niagara Falls was not certain today. The spokesman said what the "next move will be remains up to them." Three passenger trains which leave Niagara Falls for Buffalo were halted. These include No. 358, an eastbound Chicago to New York train which leaves here at 7:33 a.m. daily. This train, normally made up in Chicago, was cancelled. Two other trains affected leave here at 11:40 a.m. and 8:20 p.m. Maple Leaf Delayed Ironically, the only passenger train into Niagara Falls still unaffected by the strike was delayed more than 12 hours. This is the Lehigh Valley Railroad's Maple Leaf which was stalled about 11 hours in deep snow at Lehighton, Pa. It is normally due to here at 6:40 a.m. The Maple Leaf, one of the few passenger trains between New York City and Buffalo, is now scheduled to arrive here about 7 p.m. tonight. It is due to depart here for New York again at 10:20 p.m. Two other cancelled Central trains into this city from Buffalo are usually due at 9:10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Emil Korb, Central's passenger division supervisor in Buffalo, said no decision yet been made whether the local terminal will be forced to close until the strike is over. Generally peaceful picketing was reported today at the Buffalo Central Terminal and freight yards. With Buffalo silences, however, Central's most eastern point still operating will be Cleveland. Mail Shipments Delayed by Strike The tugboat strike in New York City which has affected rail service has resulted in a noticeable decrease in the amount of mail being received here, Anthony J. Keller, Niagara Falls' postmaster, said today. One side effect of the mail slowdown was a prediction by Francis Cleary of the Niagara Falls Veterans Administration Office that checks for veterans in this area, coming out of New York City, will be delayed. Those affected include veterans in training under Public Law No. 55 and war orphans going to school under Public Law 634. About 4,000 Western New York veterans are affected, Mr. Cleary said. Mr. Keller said that there was a discernible decrease in mail received here on Thursday, particularly parcel post. To Fly Mail New York Central trains, which carry much of the mail between here and New York City, are not operating. The postmaster said that he had received word that postal authorities in New York had completed arrangements to fly and truck mail out of and into New York City for the duration of the strike, he said. He said he presumed letters would be flown and packages transported by truck, but stressed that he had as yet not been officially notified of the emergency measures. A big snow storm reported in the New York City area "would have little effect on deliveries, other than air mail," the postmaster said. Trucks Being Used "The first big tractor-trailer loaded with mail from New York City was received in Buffalo this morning and others are on the way," he said. Other mail is being brought in by those railroads still operating out of New York City, the Lehigh Valley and Lackawanna. The former comes in to Niagara Falls and the latter into Buffalo. "A Lehigh Valley train held up by the snow and loaded with mail, arrived here late this morning," the postmaster said. A spokesman for the Lehigh Valley said that both passenger and freight trains are operating in and out of New York's biggest city and that the company had no plans to discontinue service because of the strike. Greyhound Bus Co. reported no appreciable increase in travel but American Airlines reported that reservations to New York were up about 15 per cent. A company spokesman said, however, that airports in the New York City area have been closed since Thursday because of heavy snow. Sayre Evening Times Wed., Feb. 1, 1961 Lehigh to End Passenger Service; Pennsy Men Inspect Road ____ PUC Gives Approval For Abandonment of Final Four Trains ____ Believe Pa. Brass Tied with Stock Swap Move ____ President and Other Officials Spend Night Night In Sayre, Leave Today ____ The president of the Pennsylvania Railroad and two other top officials made an overnight inspection tour of the Lehigh Valley facilities at Sayre and left this morning for Buffalo where they will complete a tour of the entire railroad. The Pennsylvania recently asked permission to swap Lehigh Valley and Pennsylvania common stock, and it is believed that the tour is in connection with this move. A.J. Greenough of Philadelphia, head of the Pennsylvania, when asked if there was any significance in the tour, said only that "we're just looking around." Accompanying him were J.P. Newell of Philadelphia, vice president of the Pennsylvania, and another high official whose name was not learned. Lehigh officials with them were C.W. Baker of New York, vice president and general manager, and A.F. Doody of New York, superintendent of transportation. C.A. Major, Lehigh president, was not with the group. As far as is known, it was the first official tour of the Lehigh by top Pennsylvania officials in history. They arrived shortly before 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon on a special train which consisted of the Lehigh's private car and one from the Pennsylvania, and one day coach. The special left Sayre station at 8 o'clock this morning en route to Buffalo. The Pennsylvania and Lehigh have been negotiating the stock exchange for several months, and the move has been approved by the Lehigh board of directors. The exchange would be on the basis of one share of Pennsylvania for 2 3-8 shares of Lehigh. The swap would involve all Lehigh stock except 405,000 shares which the Pennsylvania now owns. There are 1,520,663 shares of Lehigh stock outstanding. Sayre Evening Times Wed., Feb. 1, 1961 Only Hazleton Branch Train Will Run, It May Be Dropped Soon ____ New York (AP) The Lehigh Valley Railroad makes its last interstate passenger run Friday, laving Ithaca and other communities without train service. _______________________ Last Trains in Sayre Saturday The last Lehigh Valley passenger trains are scheduled to pass through Sayre early Saturday morning. Train No. 7 westbound, is scheduled to arrive in Sayre at 2:19 a.m. and No. 8, eastbound, at 2:25. _______________________ In addition to Ithaca, discontinuance of the trains will also leave Geneva, N.Y., and Wilkes-Barre, Pa., without passenger service. A railroad spokesman announced the decision Tuesday night after the Interstate Commerce Commission in Washington authorized discontinuance of the road's remaining interstate passenger trains. These are two daily rains between New York City and Buffalo-Suspension Bridge and two others between New York City and Lehighton, Pa. The Lehigh spokesman said no passenger trains would start after midnight Friday. When it cuts out its interstate passenger service, Lehigh will be left only one passenger train, between Lehighton and Hazleton, Pa. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission has refused to allow the train to be dropped. An ICC examiner, however, has recommended approval of a federal order overriding the PUC. The company claimed that its passenger operation suffered major losses. The ICC had permitted the road to drop 60 percent of its passenger business in May 1959. Tuesday's ICC order noted the Lehigh had relatively substantial passenger patronage, but added that the service "has resulted in substantial out-of-pocket operating losses to the carrier." Railway labor and communities served by the road protested vigorously to the Lehigh's plans while the case was pending before the ICC. Among the opponents was Ithaca, site of Cornell University and Ithaca College. Many of the institutions' students patronized the road. The railroad two years ago asked permission to end all its passenger service, as passenger revenue losses were consistently eating into freight revenue gains. The Lehigh subsequently was granted a 30 percent fare increase, but it reported it still was suffering passenger service losses it could not afford. Sayre Evening Times Thurs., Feb. 2, 1961 Lehigh Given Permission To Drop Hazleton Trains Washington (AP) The Interstate Commerce Commission has authorized the Lehigh Valley Railroad to drop the last of its passenger service. The ICC Wednesday gave the Lehigh permission to drop its last two branch lines, which run between Hazleton and Lehighton, Pa., on March 8. The trains also serve two intermediate points, Weatherly and Jim Thorpe, Pa. The ICC on Tuesday authorized the Lehigh to end its interstate service Friday. The service involved trains between New York City and Buffalo, N.Y., and New York City and Lehighton. In its action Wednesday, the ICC overrode the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, which had refused to allow the Lehigh to drop its branch line. The ICC said that since the mainline trains to be dropped offered the only connections for the Hazleton-Lehighton run, "the latter trains will no longer be of feeder value." The Lehigh had argued that its losses from passenger service were a constant drain on its freight revenues. In Philadelphia, meanwhile, the Reading Railroad said it would abandon sleeping car service between Philadelphia and Toronto, Canada, on Friday. These are the Reading's last sleeping cars. A reading spokesman said the discontinuance resulted from the Lehigh Valley Railroad's decision to end passenger service. "The daily round trip between Philadelphia and Toronto is operated between Reading terminal, Philadelphia, and Bethlehem, Pa., over the Reading, and to Suspension Bridge, over the Lehigh Valley, and on to Toronto over the Canadian National Railways," the Reading spokesman said. The Reading said removal of the sleeping cars would not affect any other train service between Philadelphia and Bethlehem. St.Catharines Standard, St. Catharines, Ont., Canada February 2, 1961 Direct Link To N.Y. CN Link To Be Cut Direct rail connection for passengers from here to New York City will cease after tomorrow night's train. Curtailing of the run by the Canadian National Railway was forced by a decision of the U.S. Interstate Commerce Commission to allow the Lehigh Valley Railroad to withdraw from all its passenger operations. The Lehigh Valley route carried the CNR passenger cars from Niagara Falls to New York City. Service will continue along the CNR route through here from Toronto to Niagara Falls, according to a CNR announcement. Officials in the St.Catharines ticket office said passengers for New York can still find trains at Welland or Hamilton. Those with heavy baggage wanting to catch a ship at the Port Of New York can board a train in St.Catharines and check their baggage through CNR via Toronto; Canadian Pacific Railroad to Hamilton; Toronto, Hamilton And Buffalo Railroad to Welland; and New York Central Railroad to New York City. The commission's decision stated that negotiations are under way between CNR and the Erie Lackawanna Railway for institution of join service between Toronto and New York City over their lines through the Niagara Frontier. It did not specify whether the proposed service would connect through Niagara Falls. Passenger operations on the Lehigh Valley route had been continued on a trail basis in 1959 and 1960. About 700 passengers a day used the four trains and ICC stated the loads were inadequate. Loss suffered by the railway in 1958 was estimated at $3,570,933 and in 1959 $1,583,999. Niagara Falls Gazette Thurs., Feb. 2, 1961 Canadian National Adds Trains As Lehigh Drops Runs Canadian National officials today were planning to add new Niagara Falls, Ont. - Toronto connections to compensate for passenger service to be abandoned by the Lehigh Valley Railroad. A spokesman for CNR said two connections will be made scheduled after Feb. 19. The Interstate Commerce Commission late Tuesday granted the Lehigh permission to abandon its remaining passenger service including the "Maple Leaf" which ran between Toronto, Ont., and New York City. This train was made up in Toronto and used CNR facilities in this city. In Depew the CNR cars wee picked up by the Lehigh for the run to New York. End Service Friday The "Maple Leaf" left Niagara Falls daily at 10:20 p.m. for New York and stopped here at 7:05 a.m. each morning before continuing to Toronto. As a result of the ICC decision, the Lehigh will drop all remaining passenger runs Friday evening. CNR will provide a connection to Toronto which will leave Niagara Falls, Ont., "about 7 a.m.", the spokesman said. Exact time will be decided later, he said. This unit will connect in Hamilton with CNR's Train No. 14, which is made up in Chicago and travels to the Canadian northeast including Toronto, Montreal and other points. Passengers leaving the Niagara Falls Canadian terminus should arrive in Toronto about 8:55 a.m. This run supplants the "Maple Leaf" morning run to Toronto. Replace Service The "Maple Leaf's" nightly service from Toronto to Niagara Falls will be replaced by a connection to Niagara Falls, Ont. made in Hamilton at 6:45 p.m. Passengers will be carried from Toronto to Hamilton on Train No. 5 which operates between Montreal and Chicago. The ICC decision forced the CNR to provide its own arrangements for service between here and and Toronto. It is understood, however, that negotiations are being carried on between the Erie-Lackawanna Railroad and CNR to provide a run to New York City. In another related move, the Reading Railroad announced in Philadelphia it was ending its sleeping car service between Toronto and Philadelphia because part of its daily round trip operated over Lehigh tracks. The Reading said removal of the sleepers would not affect other service between Philadelphia and Bethlehem, Pa., where it has its own tracks. Geneva Times, Friday, Feb. 3, 1961 Last of the Railroad - Era Passes Tonight as Lehigh Ends Service Alllll aboard - last train for Buffalo forevermore. The 4:03 a.m. will round the bend tomorrow and become a part of history. The era of Lehigh Valley Railroad passenger service in Geneva and New York State is over when the early-morning train completes its run to Buffalo. Next to last will be the eastbound passenger train scheduled to leave here for New York City at 12:45 a.m. The latest of the "name" trains to fall into oblivion will be the Lehigh Valley Railroad's Maple Leaf and the John Wilkes. Their last runs mark the end of 115 years of Lehigh Valley passenger service in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The John Wilkes was scheduled to leave Pennsylvania Station at 5:33 p.m., completing a round trip from Lehighton, Pa. The Maple leaf was to depart at 7:55 p.m. for Buffalo, N.Y. Another Maple leaf was to leave Buffalo for New York at 10:50 p.m. Primarily, a heavy freight railroad - anthracite and steel - the line has found passenger traffic an unprofitable burden for years. And on Wednesday it announced that Interstate Commerce Commission approval had been granted for the line to end all passenger service, effective after today. The Maple Leaf was so named because it was the railroad's connection with Canada, which uses the Maple Leaf as a national symbol. The John Wilkes was named after the English defender of the American colonies. Wilkes-Barre, Pa., which the road serves, got its name from him and Col. Isaac Barre, another supporter of the colonies. Another name train of the Lehigh Valley was dropped a year and a half ago. It was the Black Diamond, so named because it ran through Pennsylvania's anthracite coal regions. Other name trains that have disappeared over the years from the New York terminals include the Baltimore & Ohio's Royal Blue, Capital Limited and National Limited; the New Haven Railroad's State of Maine, the Pennsylvania Railroad's Red Arrow, American and Trailblazer. The New York Central has combined the 20th Century and the Commodore Vanderbilt, and the latter name is fast fading from use. J.R. de Capriles, vice president and general counsel of the Lehigh Valley, attributed the decrease in the Lehigh Valley's passenger traffic to increased motor and air travel - and competition from the New York Central and the Erie-Lackawanna Railroads. These railroads also connect New York and Buffalo, and their routes are shorter, requiring one and a half to two hours less than the Lehigh Valley, he said. Not more than 100 persons will lose their jobs as a result of the service suspension, de Capriles said, adding that the number may be even lower. St.Catharines Standard, St. Catharines, Ont., Canada February 2, 1961 Direct Link To N.Y. CN Link To Be Cut Direct rail connection for passengers from here to New York City will cease after tomorrow night's train. Curtailing of the run by the Canadian National Railway was forced by a decision of the U.S. Interstate Commerce Commission to allow the Lehigh Valley Railroad to withdraw from all its passenger operations. The Lehigh Valley route carried the CNR passenger cars from Niagara Falls to New York City. Service will continue along the CNR route through here from Toronto to Niagara Falls, according to a CNR announcement. Officials in the St.Catharines ticket office said passengers for New York can still find trains at Welland or Hamilton. Those with heavy baggage wanting to catch a ship at the Port Of New York can board a train in St.Catharines and check their baggage through CNR via Toronto; Canadian Pacific Railroad to Hamilton; Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo Railroad to Welland; and New York Central Railroad to New York City. The commission's decision stated that negotiations are under way between CNR and the Erie Lackawanna Railway for institution of join service between Toronto and New York City over their lines through the Niagara Frontier. It did not specify whether the proposed service would connect through Niagara Falls. Passenger operations on the Lehigh Valley route had been continued on a trail basis in 1959 and 1960. About 700 passengers a day used the four trains and ICC stated the loads were inadequate. Loss suffered by the railway in 1958 was estimated at $3,570,933 and in 1959 $1,583,999. Sayre Evening Times Friday, Feb. 3, 1961 New York City Tonight Loses 2 More Of Its Blue Ribbon Name Trains New York (AP) New York loses to more blue ribbon trains tonight. The latest of the "name" trains to fall into oblivion will be the Lehigh Valley Railroad's Maple Leaf and the John Wilkes. Their last runs mark the end of 115 years of Lehigh Valley passenger service in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The John Wilkes was scheduled to leave Pennsylvania Station at 5:33 p.m., completing a round trip from Lehighton, Pa. The Maple Leaf was to depart at 7:55 p.m. for New York at 10:50 p.m. Primarily, a heavy freight railroad - anthracite and steel - the line has found passenger traffic an unprofitable burden for years. And on Wednesday it announced that the Interstate Commerce Commission approval had been granted for the line to end all passenger service, effective after today. The Maple Leaf was son named because it was the railroad's connection with Canada, which uses the Maple Leaf as a national symbol. The John Wilkes was named after the English defender of the American colonies. Wilkes-Barre, Pa., which the road serves, got its name from him and Col. Isaac Barre, another supporter of the colonies. Another name train of the Lehigh Valley was dropped last year. It was the Black Diamond, so named because it ran through Pennsylvania's anthracite regions. Other name trains that have disappeared over the years from the New York terminals include the Baltimore & Ohio's Royal Blue, Capitol Limited, the New Haven Railroad's State of Maine, the Pennsylvania Railroad's Red Arrow, American and Trailblazer. The New York Central has combined the 20th Century and the Commodore Vanderbilt and the latter name is fast fading from use. J.R. DeCapriles, vice president and general counsel of the Lehigh Valley, attributed the decrease in the Lehigh Valley's passenger traffic to increased motor and air travel - and competition from the New York Central and the Erie-Lackawanna Railroads. These railroads also connect New York and Buffalo and their routes are shorter, requiring one and a half to two hours less than the Lehigh Valley, he said. Not more than 100 persons will lose their jobs as a result of the service suspension, DeCapriles said, adding that the number may be even lower. Ithaca Journal Friday, Feb. 3, 1961 (Editorial) The Last Lehigh Passenger Trains Some 35 years ago we boarded a Pullman train at 8 p.m. on a Saturday night and stepped off in Chicago the next morning. Those were the days when you had a choice of railroad service - Lehigh Valley or Lackawanna. You could even reach the mid-Hudson Valley on a five-train combination, boarding at East Ithaca and changing at Freeville, Auburn, Syracuse and Albany. The last three stops involved the New York Central. Those days are gone. The Lackawanna discontinued the Ithaca branch several years ago. And now Lehigh passenger trains will stop in Ithaca early Saturday morning for the last time. From Saturday on the nearest rail service will be some 30 miles away - on the Erie-Lackawanna at Owego. This brings to mind that the first railroad built here connected the two villages. The Ithaca & Owego Railroad was chartered in 1828 and was opened for business six years later. It was one of the first railroads in the United States. The loss of passenger service is not unique here. Other communities throughout the East have lost it, too. There are a number of reasons - the greater use of the private automobile, the development of fast bus service, the extension of the airlines into smaller communities. There are other general reasons - the burden of taxation, the lack of subsidies such as those granted to other means of transportation, the constantly rising costs of labor and materials. But the railroads cannot be excused entirely. They let equipment deteriorate, they skimped on simple housekeeping in the years in which the public rode, they made little effort to "sell" travel by rail. And so an era ends. Everyone regrets the loss of passenger service, but under the circumstance little could be done to retain it. Sayre Evening Times Friday, Feb. 3, 1961 Pennsylvania Has Lehigh Valley Control ____ Cites Possible Savings By Merger of Some Operations, Facilities Washington (AP) The Pennsylvania Railroad Co. today asked the Interstate Commerce Commission for authority to control the Lehigh Valley Railroad directly through stock acquisitions. The Pennsylvania, through affiliates, now owns about 44 percent of the Lehigh Valley capital stock, but this holding has been in the hands of an independent voting trustee under an ICC directive for more than 26 years. The Pennsylvania said it proposes to acquire this interest from the affiliates for slightly more than $3 million, and it would then offer one share of Pennsylvania's capital stock in exchange for each 2 3-8 shares of Lehigh Valley stock outstanding in the hands of the public. The Lehigh Valley this week got ICC permission to abandon all its passenger service because of continuing operating deficits. It operates about 2,672 miles of track in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York. The Pennsylvania petition said the proposed direct control would be an important step in reversing the Lehigh Valley's continuing deficits. Pennsylvania officials said last month the association of the lines would involve some merger of operations and facilities expected to result in substantial saving. Sayre Evening Times Friday, Feb. 3, 1961 Lehigh Drops Interstate Less Than Carload Freight Handling in Sayre ____ Cutback in Service Also Ordered at Other Area Stations The Lehigh Valley railroad, which closes down its passenger operations of four train tonight, also is sharply cutting back freight service at Sayre and numerous other stations, it was disclosed today. The company is abandoning the handling of interstate less than carload shipments at the Sayre station, and at others including Towanda, Dushore, Wysox, Wyalusing, Laceyville, Meshoppen and Tunkhannock effective on Monday. The same type of service was dropped at some New York state stations, including Spencer, a month ago. Handling of carload shipments will be continued as in the past. Also ceasing operation will be the Alto Truck line which has been handling less than carload shipments from the Sayre station to nearby points. The truck has been making trips three days each week to Montrose - and twice weekly to Dushore, distributing to intervening stations the smaller shipments that had been unloaded from the railroad at Sayre. Geneva Times, Friday, Feb. 3, 1961 Last of the Railroad - Era Passes Tonight as Lehigh Ends Service Alllll aboard - last train for Buffalo forevermore. The 4:03 a.m. will round the bend tomorrow and become a part of history. The era of Lehigh Valley Railroad passenger service in Geneva and New York State is over when the early-morning train completes its run to Buffalo. Next to last will be the eastbound passenger train scheduled to leave here for New York City at 12:45 a.m. The latest of the "name" trains to fall into oblivion will be the Lehigh Valley Railroad's Maple Leaf and the John Wilkes. Their last runs mark the end of 115 years of Lehigh Valley passenger service in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The John Wilkes was scheduled to leave Pennsylvania Station at 5:33 p.m., completing a round trip from Lehighton, Pa. The Maple leaf was to depart at 7:55 p.m. for Buffalo, N.Y. Another Maple leaf was to leave Buffalo for New York at 10:50 p.m. Primarily, a heavy freight railroad - anthracite and steel - the line has found passenger traffic an unprofitable burden for years. And on Wednesday it announced that Interstate Commerce Commission approval had been granted for the line to end all passenger service, effective after today. The Maple Leaf was so named because it was the railroad's connection with Canada, which uses the Maple Leaf as a national symbol. The John Wilkes was named after the English defender of the American colonies. Wilkes-Barre, Pa., which the road serves, got its name from him and Col. Isaac Barre, another supporter of the colonies. Another name train of the Lehigh Valley was dropped a year and a half ago. It was the Black Diamond, so named because it ran through Pennsylvania's anthracite coal regions. Other name trains that have disappeared over the years from the New York terminals include the Baltimore & Ohio's Royal blue, Capital Limited and National Limited; the New Haven Railroad's State of Maine, the Pennsylvania Railroad's Red Arrow, American and Trailblazer. The New York Central has combined the 20th Century and the Commodore Vanderbilt, and the latter name is fast fading from use. J.R. de Capriles, vice president and general counsel of the Lehigh Valley, attributed the decrease in the Lehigh Valley's passenger traffic to increased motor and air travel - and competition from the New York Central and the Erie-Lackawanna Railroads. These railroads also connect New York and Buffalo, and their routes are shorter, requiring one and a half to two hours less than the Lehigh Valley, he said. Not more than 100 persons will lose their jobs as a result of the service suspension, de Capriles said, adding that the number may be even lower. Sayre Evening Times Sat., Feb. 4, 1961 Lehigh Passenger Services Comes to Tardy Halt as Last Train Runs Late Buffalo, N.Y. (AP) Over a century of service came to a tardy halt today when the Lehigh Valley Railroad's last passenger train arrived here, three hours, 35 minutes behind schedule. Three cars - a coach and two sleepers - were shunted off for connection to the Canadian National Railway for final service to Toronto. The diesel engine that towed No. 7's eight cars of their final, snowy run from New York City was side-tracked for future duty as a freight train hauler. The train, the Maple Leaf, was due to arrive here at 5:55 a.m., but ran into heavy snow storms on its last trip. Personnel at the station said they did not know how many passengers made the final run, but one worker summed it up, "that's all, brother." The railroad, which as late as 1950, carried a million travelers annually, saw its passenger load drop to about 250,000 last year. The company anticipates an annual savings of a million dollars a year by abandoning passenger service. The Lehigh has been in the passenger field for 115 years, 75 serving Buffalo. (From Pages 14-17, National Railway Historical Society Bulletin, Vol. 26 No. 4, Fourth Quarter, 1961) End of Valley Varnish By Robert E. Wilson, Jr. (Editor's Note: The following article is from the Airpump, official publication of the Buffalo Chapter, and is reprinted with that chapter's kind permission). Another chapter in the history of the Buffalo and the Niagara Frontier came to an end when at 10:50 p.m. on Friday evening, February 3, Lehigh Valley Train 8, the Maple Leaf, departed from the modern terminal at Dingen and South Ogden Streets for New York and Philadelphia. A last minute ICC ruling was not reversed and as a result the railroad took advantage of the previously granted permission to remove all passenger service over its entire system. Still running at the time were trains 7 and 8, the New York-Philadelphia-Toronto overnight speedsters and two lower end runs, the John Wilkes from Lehighton to New York. Also running was the Depew-Suspension Bridge tun for the Maple Leaf, which for years was an evening call to retirement for many Amherst residents. Now all this is gone and the sprawling Lehigh Valley can advertise in the Official Guide: "Freight Service Only." It has the distinction of being the largest Class 1 railroad in the country to possess this dubious honor. The exact causes of death were too numerous to pinpoint. Sheer neglect of its passenger service is a good started for the argument. In recent years the LV took advantage of all fare increases granted by various regulatory bodies while its neighbor held fares in line and offered reduced midweek and weekend rates. Passenger equipment was archaic, to say the least. The last really new equipment was purchased from Pullman-Standard in 1939 to re-equip the crack Black Diamond for the anticipated rise in business to the World's Fair. Until 1959, when it equipped several of its newer coaches with second-hand reclining seats purchased from another eastern road, it could boast of being the only major railroad purporting to be in the passenger business with not one reclining seat coach to call its own. In the days when other railroads' service to Buffalo consisted of roomettes and bedrooms, in streamlined postwar sleepers, the LV still offered the weary traveller a lower berth, complete with the wonderful dark green curtains and a wall light with parchment shades. You could still trip over the polished wooden ladder leading to the upper berths as you gingerly made your way to the large washrooms complete with floor cuspidors and those wonderful seats that ran nearly lengthwise across the lounge. Yes, a real harkback to the days of Warren G. Harding, the 1920's when railroads were supreme in the passenger field. You could, until early in 1959, still ride a standard Pullman and even get a drawing room or compartment at the last minute. Where but on the Lehigh?* Did you ever sit up all night on No. 8 in the old 900-class coach, the smoker of 1913 vintage, and get the feeling that you had surely derailed on that last reverse curve that was taken at full speed? Those banging, alarming draft gear and the vestibule diaphragms told a story of death and disaster at the next curve, a calamity which never materialized despite all your premonitions. The author can recall one cold winter night on No. 5 en route east in one of those Woodrow Wilson era specials (900 class smoker) when the window sashes gave so badly that the snow started to pile up on his elbow while his feet roasted next to the exposed steam pipes on the floor. Tight lock couplers on the Lehigh? Don't be silly! Yet it was just these shortcomings that made the Lehigh fun. We LV fans used to say there was just enough wrong with the LV to make it interesting. Its good points were probably hidden though, and several of these are worth mentioning. Scenery. The author is probably biased in this but feels that the LV surpassed its neighbor DL&W for the scenery en route. The downhill ride into Ithaca eastbound and into Wilkes-Barre westbound did the trick. The long miles through the valley of the Lehigh River between Lehighton and on, including the Mountain Cutoff around Wilkes-Barre. This was about 152 miles without a stop, almost a record in eastern passenger mileage. Branch lines. All of the branchlines of the LV upstate were interesting. The author can recall a wonderful ride on the Canastota to East Ithaca mixed train on a snowy Saturday in November 1949. Several other members were on board that day and they will heartily agree that it was a ride well worthy remembering. The Auburn branch from Sayre to Auburn was also a little gem in its own right. Yes, even the short branch from Rochester Junction to Rochester was in a class by itself. Who can forget those classic LV doodlebugs? Freights now continue to run eastward from the twin Niagara Frontier interchange points of Tifft Yard and Suspension Bridge but the vanish is no more. No more getting the soup tossed in your lap as you sat in the swaying dining car on the westbound Black Diamond as she roared up the hill out of Ithaca, perhaps a little late due to heavy mail work. No more sipping a beverage in that wonderful unreconstructed cafe-lounge car on No. 4 in the evening as you took the overnight trip to Philadelphia. No more standing on the station platform at Depew on a soft summer's evening while No. 8 was being made up for its run to New York and Philadelphia. You could even ride back into downtown Buffalo on the connection from the Bridge, which was then a combine and a single road switcher. Despite its shortcomings and its obvious intent to end all service by hook or crook, we have lost an old friend and a pretty dependable one at that. The modern New York Central and Erie-Lackawanna are the only direct routes to New York (the Pennsylvania being considerably longer). Both were always better than the LV even in their heydays. They were and are good, but the LV was FUN. Rest in pieces: the future seems to be one of freight only, single-tracked CTC branch of big brother PRR. A cruel fate to some, but sheer practicality to others. It is still better than 400 miles of rotting ties. All then is not lost. The author did not get to see the last run of the Lehigh leave town. My thanks to Harold Ahlstrom for the following on-the-scene report: No. 8, the Maple Leaf, departed with three head-end cars, one coach, and the New York sleeper. We had planned on riding out to Depew and back, but word of the Toronto train being an hour late put the damper on these plans. After two long toots on the melodic air horn to acknowledge the two from the conductor, the steps of the coaches slowly moved away from the knot of well-wishers gathered on the wind-swept platform and all that was left was the slowly receding marker lights as she curved east out of the yards. (It was really not the last train, for No. 7 had to arrive the next morning, and late. But for all practical purposes, that was it.) Geneva Times Sat., Feb. 4, 1961 Reporter, Genevan on Lehigh's Final NYC-to-Buffalo Train By Peter Kohler BUFFALO - No. 7 headed down the Lehigh's last mile at Buffalo today, ending 79 years of passenger service. When Harold Merry got off, he wasn't too sure how he'd get back to snow-blocked Geneva. Railroad buff Merry of 148 William St., and I, rode with 63 passengers on the Lehigh's last run. We bought our tickets - one way - to Buffalo and waited more than three and a half hours for the snow-delayed train. Merry was joined by other rail fans on the trip, members of the National Railway Historical Society. Steam engine fanciers, they take excursions and chronicle railroad lore, said Merry. Steam locomotive fans still defy progress, he asserted. "On excursion trips, the members all boo the diesels," Merry Smiles. Albert Derr, a Binghamton physicist and NRHS official, rode along too. He snapped pictures of the train and crew. Most of the passengers had been snowed out of airplane flights by the storm, but few shed tears about the Lehigh's demise. For the trainmen, the ride was a trip to uncertainty. Edward C. Bedell of Sayre, Pa., the conductor, said he would put his uniform in mothballs. "Maybe something will happen. It's paid for anyway," he said. The trainman, George Burgess of Buffalo, joked: "It will be good to get out of this monkey suit." But then the 19-year Lehigh employee countered, "I'd like to stay on. It's been good working with the public." Burgess reminisced about meeting former President Harry Truman and ex-Governor Herbert Lehman on Lehigh coaches. He remembered other trains and the men who ran them. "All the railroaders are gone. W don't have the same kind of men we did with the coal burners," he said. Lehigh employees at the lonely Geneva station felt a mixture of nostalgia and uncertainty. James Long of Waterloo-Geneva Road, assistant ticket agent, said: "I've got five kids to feed. I'm surprised the government didn't make them keep the service. They won't realize what it means until it's gone." Long added that the country would need the passenger trains in the event of war. "Remember Sampson," another employee said. "This station really used to be packed then." As the four or five employees waited through the early morning hours for No. 7, they chatted about excursions to Niagara Falls, and the days when people took trains to go see movies. An inspector reported that last night's eastbound train was fully loaded. In Buffalo, ticket men shook hands, wished each other good luck, and began closing up the six year old, million-dollar station. No. 7 reached Buffalo at 9:30 a.m., three and a half hours late. Merry got off the train after a quiet and reflective ride and debated methods for returning to Geneva. Geneva Times Monday, Feb. 6, 1961 An Old Friend Is Gone Last Lehigh Passenger Train Leaves Trail of Nostalgic Memories Here By Joe Trainor ROMULUS - The discontinuance of the passenger service on the Lehigh Valley Railroad system and the passing of the last train, No. 7 westbound for Buffalo, at about 7 a.m. Friday, nearly three hours behind schedule, left behind a trail of nostalgic memories. Residents, grown accustomed to the familiar two-long-one short-two long blasts of the locomotive whistles for the many highway crossings in this vicinity, feel that the withdrawal of the trains makes for a stillness somewhat comparable to the passing of an old and valued friend. For many years, the eastbound Black Diamond reached here on its journey to New York City at 11:59 a.m., with almost unerring punctuality. Farmers, working in their fields, unhitched their teams or shut off their tractors, to return to their home for the lunch when this train made its appearance. Quite a contract from present-day equipment when the first "passenger" trains which met here on Sept. 27, 1873, on the occasion of the completion of the Geneva, Ithaca and Sayre Railroad, the predecessor of the Ithaca branch of the Lehigh Valley. These first arrivals consisted for the most part of flat cars with observation plank seats from which the passengers alighted to the ground by means of stepladders. The first cars in regular use were of wood construction and rather small. The outer vestibules, open to the elements, posed quite a problem in combatting the winds and snows. With the advent of the famed Black Diamond and other through fast trains came larger cars of the enclosed vestibule type. In 1911, steel cars made their appearance on the Lehigh. While they added an improvement in the element of safety, wooden cars embodied far more comfort in riding qualities even though they did creak a bit. Even with the coming of powerful Diesel locomotives, mothers still taught their youngsters to regard trains as "choo-choos" although the whirring sound of the engines was a far cry from the puff exhausts of the steam variety. At one time, residents of this locality were afforded the convenience of six local passenger trains with the following approximate times of arrivals: westbound, 8:30 a.m., 2:40 p.m. and 9:25 p.m., the later being changed to 6:45 p.m. eastbound, 9:40 a.m., 12:45 p.m. and 7:10 p.m. In addition, from five to seven through trains traveled the "Branch." Most of these stopped here on signal for Buffalo; New York City, Philadelphia, Newark, N.J. passengers. The balance of traffic consisted of four freight trains daily with a fruit express run in the fall season. The afternoon run at 2:40 p.m. afforded housewives an opportunity to go to Geneva and return on the evening train. In the early part of the century, a theater train was operated between Geneva and Willard for area folks who wished to attend a special attraction in the Smith Opera House in Geneva. The standard make-up for most of the local trains consisted of the day coach, smoking car, express car, and baggage car. Occasionally, a Pullman car was hauled between Geneva and Sayre, Pa. On the even of a holiday, two or three extra coaches were added and were generally well filled. Nearly a half century ago, the monthly sales at the local station averaged from $600 to $700. The volume of sales was for the most part in fares for distances less than 100 miles. The Ithaca Branch, extending from Geneva Junction to Van Etten, a distance of 50 miles, is said to have had a perfect record in that there were no serious passenger wrecks with resultant loss of life. The withdrawal of trains has been rather a gradual process on the Lehigh Valley over a period of many years. During World War I, the afternoon local westbound train No. 11 was incorporated with an express run and trains No. 127 and 128, the so-called "Toonerville" milk trains ceased their runs in 1949. The morning local No. 129 and its evening counterpart, No. 130, were discontinued in 1930. This correspondent was the last passenger on a local train and the late Millard F. Gambee was one of the group which came here in 1873. The last group of passenger to board a train here was the Romulus Central School senior class which started on its journey to Washington, D.C. on Train 4 in June 1957. With the abandonment of passenger service, some surmise that the Ithaca Branch son will be discontinued and the tracks torn up. Others hope that the rumored proposed merger of the Lehigh with the Pennsylvania system, the Wabash and the Nickel Plate may materialize in the consequent promotion of business between Chicago and New York City and the eventual restoration of passenger trains in this area. Geneva Times Monday, Sept. 23, 1963 Railroad Ceremony at Romulus 90 Years Ago Today, Golden Spike Driven By Joe Trainor ROMULUS - On Sept. 23, 1873, the Ithaca Branch of the Lehigh Valley railroad was officially born when the spike driving ceremony, completing the roadbed, took place at Romulus. Today, 90 years later, the once thriving stretch of track is slowly dying, a victim of transportation progress along other lines. That September day was important for everyone between Geneva and Ithaca but most especially to local inhabitants. The program took place on a platform erected a short distance of the Romulus railroad station near the present site of the Seneca County Highway Department buildings. One of Romulus' first citizens, Robert Steele, president of the railroad, attired in his Sunday best was on hand with other officials of the road and county and town dignitaries. The highlight of the day was the driving of the gold spike. The seriousness of the occasion turned to humor when the president said, "I now hold in my hand this golden spike," and at that he faltered before continuing, speaking to his son, "Richard, where is that spike?" The spike was ultimately located and the ceremony continued as planned. Cheers arose from the crowd as they sighted the smoke of the two trains, first from the north and then one from the south, or west and east in the language of present railroaders. The trains consisted of several flat cars on which planks had been assembled in bleacher fashion. Fortunately the weather was kind and provided sunny skies. A slight injury, the first to occur on the road, resulted when a passenger on the observation train, sprained an ankle in alighting. he was taken to the home of Henry Burton, near the highway crossing, and after receiving first aid, hobbled on to witness the rest of the program. At noon, dinner was served to the guests on the lawn of the Presbyterian Church. Millard Fillmore Gambee, grandfather of Mrs. Mary Somerville of Geneva RD 3, Mrs. Fannie Miller of Ithaca, Mrs. William McAvinney of Cayuga, Norman Gambee of Chicago, Wellington, Eddy and Millard Gambee of Romulus, were passengers on the first train. The road from Geneva to Ithaca was later extended to Sayre, Pa., ultimately becoming the Ithaca branch of the Lehigh Valley. For years it thrived serving as the main artery for inbound shipments of farm machinery, furniture, lumber, fuel, food, and in fact, about every commodity of life, outbound shipments of grain, hay, grapes, and as an outlet for travel. About the year 1913, or midway in its life, the road reached its peak. It was in that year, under government operation, that the first passenger train, No. 11, a Sayre and Buffalo local, was withdrawn. Its business was incorporated with that of No. 19, an express train, but the latter due here in early afternoon often arrived anywhere from 5 to 7 p.m. The express business was so great that its schedule could not be maintained with any regularity. From that time, the decline in business has been gradual. The last of the through trains, No. and No. 8, were discontinued in February, 1961. In September of that year, a pickup freight was the last to travel the whole route from Geneva Jct. to Sayre. Following a hearing in Ithaca in November 1961, the Interstate Commerce Commission granted the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company the right to discontinue its line from Trumansburg to a point north or east of the Ithaca yards. After another meeting the ICC on Oct. 11, 1962, the company was refused permission to abandon the rest of the track from Jct. to Trumansburg. At present, a crew out of Geneva operates a yard engine and caboose with a few freight cars on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays to Trumansburg, and return. Automatic train signals and some local sidings have been removed and now men are at work taking down telephone and telegraph wires and poles. The once proud line, an important link in the Lehigh Valley system between New York City and Buffalo, has been relegated to the classification of an industrial switch.* *Geneva Junction to Trumansburg, 27.4 miles, approved for abandonment . Nov, 22, 1967; Trumansburg to Ithaca, 10.8 miles, approved for abandonment, Nov. 22, 1962. (Excepts from a column by Dr. Robert Doran headlined "All Aboard the Black Diamond" in Finger Lakes Times, Aug. 13, 1981) When I lived in Willard as a boy, we sometimes walked up to watch the Black Diamond go by. It was the crack passenger train of the Lehigh Valley, and, at that time, went through on the main line from Van Etten to Geneva. In later years, it ran on the Ithaca line. We would sit on the side of the railroad cut and watch for the train to appear. Father knew to the minute when it would come in sight on the curve south of Gilbert Station. There was a semaphore signal near there and another a mile north. Suddenly, the train would appear. We stood u p to watch it, and father timed it between the block signals. She was going a mile a minute, which we considered pretty fast. In later years, I would take Robin, our son, to the station in Geneva to watch the Diamond come in and see the locomotive close by. It was Pacific type, or 4-6-2, four small wheels in front, six large drive wheels, and two small wheels behind, under the cab. The train would stop, and the engineer would climb down with an oil can with a very long spout which he applied to several oil cups. The cover over the main drive bearing would be opened, and a stick of grease inserted. He would climb back into the cab and wait for the conductor to signal the start. Often, it took longer to load and unload mail and express than it did passengers. There were as many as eight or nine cars, counting the baggage car. The locomotive would be west of the station, while the last car would be over Genesee Street. In the last years of passenger trains, the engines were given a streamlined shield over the front and boiler. It made them look modern, but I felt, not as interesting to see. In June, 1940, we took the two children to the New York World's Fair. This time, we went on the Black Diamond so they could ride in a parlor car and have a meal in the diner. The ride along the Susquehanna from Sayre to Wilkes-Barre was beautiful, and then there was the climb out of the valley to the headwaters of the Lehigh River. The fair was out in Queens. The day was bright and warm; little trains took us from place to place. There was too much to see in a day.