LAST TRAIN: “”Someone of that day said of this road through the
northern wilds: ‘To build a railroad through a dense forest of
worthless hemlock, ferocious beasts, gnats and wintergreen berries
requires a large purse and great courage.'””[neWLine]

And that was the beginning of rail service to this
region.[neWLine]

We’ve been telling readers about the demise of passenger train
service to Bradford in 1955, quoting from an article in The Era
which told the story of the trains from beginning to
end.[neWLine]

Here’s more: “”… In 1859, a train was run from Erie to Warren.
In May 1864, a train was run from Sunbury to St. Marys. Western Elk
and McKean – located midway between the terminal points of the line
– were the last places to be served by the new railroad, later to
be known as the Pennsylvania.””[neWLine]

“”It is quite likely that the Civil War delayed building of the
last few miles of this project. In any event, on May 23, 1864, the
Sheffield-to-Kane portion of the line was completed, and on Oct. 19
of that year, the entire railroad was opened.””[neWLine]

The writer continues with the history: “”It is related that
raftsmen of the Eldred-Port Allegany areas, after running their
rafts to Pittsburgh in the spring, would come back to Kane by rail
and then walk to their homes in the eastern sections of the
county.””[neWLine]

“”Other railroads which catered to passengers as well as freight
followed in rapid succession. In January 1866, the Buffalo &
Pittsburgh and the Buffalo & Bradford railroads were started.
On Nov. 19, 1883, the Rochester & Pittsburgh Railroad afforded
still another route from Bradford to Buffalo.[neWLine]

“”After the building of the main line roads, numerous feeder
lines served Bradford and the surrounding oil country. At one time
in the 1890s, 54 trains of all types entered and departed from
Bradford daily, transporting thousands of lumbermen and oil field
workers in their jobs.[neWLine]

“”… As late as 1946, more than 2,000 passengers were carried
between Buffalo and Pittsburgh through Bradford monthly. The number
has become increasingly smaller during recent years with the
railroad claiming to be operating at a steadily increasing
loss.[neWLine]

“”After today, the only passenger trains in operation in McKean
County will be in the extreme eastern portion – on the
Buffalo-Washington Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad, through
Eldred and Port Allegany.””[neWLine]

A follow-up Monday.