Mohawk Adirondack & Northern

Company History: The MHWA was established by the Genesee Valley Transportation Group (not to be confused with the Genesee & Wyoming) in 1991 to acquire from Conrail two segments of line in upstate New York. The first runs from Newton Falls southwest to Carthage then south to Lowville. The second starts in Lyons Falls and runs south to Utica. There is also a branch from Utica northwest to Rome and a nearby industrial park. In total they operate 124 miles of line. Traffic includes steel, stone, ores, chemicals, fertilizer, plastics, paper, forest products and food.

Successor/Parent History: Genesee Valley Transportation (GVT), based in Batavia, has been slowly acquiring various secondary and industrial trackage that Conrail and other class one railroad no longer maintained an interest in. GVT has grown into a profitable company with shortline railroads throughout upstate New York and Pennsylvania. Alco fans won't take long to fall in love with GVT's shortlines - 4-axle Alco Century series and RS series engines comprise the vast majority of power used by GVT, much of it from Canada. A sprinkling of GE center-cab switchers and MLW engines can be found throughout the system.

Founded in 1983 by entrepreneur David J. Monte Verde, Genesee Valley Transportation Company Inc. initially was established to market and broker railway rolling stock. Acquiring motive power (much of it Alco) for prospective leasing arrangements, Monte Verde, along with associates Charles Reidmiller and Michael Thomas, expanded the company's leasing services from its home base in Batavia, N.Y. Start-up of a shortline railroad became the long-term goal, and on August 1, 1989, GVT began operations of the Depew, Lancaster & Western Railroad with ex-Central Vermont RS11 3600 (the first RS-11 ever built) and ex-D&H RS3 4085. (Trains, 11/97)

Brief History: The U.S. is a country of 50 states covering a vast swath of North America, with Alaska in the northwest and Hawaii extending the nation’s presence into the Pacific Ocean. Major Atlantic Coast cities are New York, a global finance and culture center, and capital Washington, DC. Midwestern metropolis Chicago is known for influential architecture and on the west coast, Los Angeles' Hollywood is famed for filmmaking.