Grasse River Railroad "Coach"

This little coach of the Grasse River R.R.was built on the chassis of a discarded 1906-vintage Thomas Flyer by Roy O. Sykes. It was called “Rolliam” for Roy and William Sykes of the family who owned the railroad which was part of the Emporium Forestry Co. For many years it was on display at Rail City.

Grasse River Railroad No. 43

One of the most interesting shortlines in upstate New York was the Grasse River Railroad that ran from Childwold on the New York Central's Adirondack Division, from about 1914 until the early 1950s. It had a fascinating array of motive power and rolling stock purchased second had from Class 1 railroads and other shortlines. Some it wound up at the Rail City Museum at Sandy Pond, N.Y.

"Perry's Pride" at Conifer

Caboose No. 71 of the Grasse River Railroad (owned by the Emporium Forestry Company as it    appeared at Conifer, N.Y., deep in the Adirondacks, in 1953. Eventually this odd-looking two-truck home-made "bobber" caboose made its way to Rail City Museum at Sandy Pond, N.Y.  where it was put on display until the museum closed in the 1970s.  The late Norman Kistner is shown in the cupola. It has been modeled in HO. Photo courtesy of Robert Groman.

Another view of the same caboose.

Freeville in the Good Old Days

It's hard to visual the out-of-the-way village of Freeville, near Ithaca, once being a major railroad junction. Nevertheless it was such for many years. At this point, the north-south and east-west branches of the Lehigh Valley crossed at a diamond and several times daily the place was a hub-bub of activity as travelers changed trains. There was even a restaurant in the station. But it was all gone by the late 1930s and the station was demolished in 1941.