Stewartstown R.R. Locomotive 'Facilities'
(see page bottom for info on possible line abandonment)
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These days, many railroads are giving-up stationary fueling facilities in favor of fuel delivered directly from private suppliers' fuel trucks. Locally on the San Francisco Peninsula, both UP and Caltrain gas-up their locos from fuel trucks. But NOT the mighty seven mile Stewartstown R.R. of Pennsylvania, by golly! It serviced its locomotives the old-fashioned way! Or, at least it did in 1996 when Wx4 Staff took these photos. We hope that those folks found their lost dog.


Note the passenger cars in the background, below. At the time Stewartstown - which closed down in 2004 - ran a summer excursion service (nope, I didn't ride - wrong time of year).


Excursion train powered by ex-Cloudersport & Port Allegany GE 44-ton loco #10 on October 20, 2001; photo from John Petkep slide, Wx4 collection


While were at it, we might as well throw-in a photo of the engine house:


dateline 3-24-2013:
Abandonment?

After suffering a string of misfortunes that goes back at least until 1972, Stewartstown Railroad Company (SRC) may may soon see its end. On November 11, 2012, the Surface Transportation Board (STB) ordered that the railroad be abandoned and sold for salvage by May 15, 2013, subject to a host of stipulations, but suspended abandonment proceedings in mid- Januaryto allow further negotiations between the railroad and the estate of its creditor. Apparently there is still some hope - the railroad plans an open house and speeder rides on April 14, 2013. To download a PDF copy of the STB decision, go here.

In 1972, Hurricane Agnes inflicted considerable damage to the line's roadbed. After Penn Central went bankrupt, SRC began operating the ex-PC line, acquired by Penn DOT, to a connection with the MA & PA Railroad at York, its only outside connection. Freight service soon faultered, however, and the line terminated its Penn DOT lease and became passenger-only in 1992. Tourist operations continued until 2004, and its tracks have been idle since.

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