GOOD IDEA: “The Knox-Kane Railroad has been disbanded. The
railroad equipment has been sold off. But the rails and crossing
equipment, together with the Knox-Kane Railroad depot in Kane, are
still in place.”

“Wouldn’t it be interesting if the section of railroad between
Kane and the Kinzua Bridge could still be used? What if there were
a single piece of equipment, that would be like a trolley car, that
could function between Kane and the bridge?”

That’s today good idea passed along by the Rev. V. Theodore
Benson of Kane.

He adds, “I have thought that if there were such a single unit,
it could run that length of track in a shuttle service, and it
would be an economic advantage to the area.”

“If you had this trolley-like machine, an operator could ferry
passengers to the bridge and back. Such a machine would have to be
self-propelled and be operated from either end. It might have a
seating capacity of 40 or more. Instead of making one trip a day as
the passenger train used to do, you could make a half dozen or more
trips with a regular schedule. People could ride out to the bridge,
stay a while and catch a later ride back.

“This, of course, is probably a wild dream. Who would buy the
‘trolley’ and own and maintain it? Who would maintain the tracks
between Kane and the bridge? There are costs involved that would
require deep pockets to finance it. Then there is the question of
whether the present owner of the actual rails would allow this
section of the railroad to be used.

“But ideas to do something new have to start somewhere. I have
the ‘dream’ — maybe someone or some group could pick up this
thought and do more investigating to see whether this ‘dream’ could
become a reality before the tracks are torn up between Kane and the
bridge.”

We don’t think of this as a “wild dream.”

Groups are already at work planning for the park’s future. Good
project, perhaps, for the Pennsylvania Wilds whose role is to drive
tourism into this region.

Let us know your good idea and we’ll publish it.