Coudersport & Port Allegany

Company History: The C&PA opened in 1882 as a 3’ gauge line linking Coudersport and Port Allegany along the Allegheny River (note the spelling variation) in Pennsylvania. Power for the 17 mile line was provided by two Brooks built 4-4-0’s. The C&PA connected with the standard gauge Western New York & Pennsylvania at Port Allegany. Cargo had to be transferred from narrow gauge cars to standard gauge cars until 1889 when the C&PA was standard gauged. In the 1890s the line was extended to Sweden Valley, Newfield Junction and Ulysses. Lumber traffic remained strong through the turn of the century, then began to fall off as timber lands were cut over. The line to Ulysses was abandoned in 1924. 1942 saw disaster befall the C&PA. Flood waters destroyed nine miles of line at the Port Allegany end, severing their connection with the Pennsylvania Railroad. A connection with the New York Central remained at the other end of the line. In 1964, the C&PA was purchased by the Wellsville Addison & Galeton Railroad. Traffic continued to decline and the C&PA was abandoned in 1970.

Successor/Parent History: The WA&G originated in 1954 by Murray Salzburg, who had made a career scrapping abandoned railroads but ultimately went on to save some he thought worthy of a second chance. Salzburg inquired with Baltimore & Ohio about buying some former Buffalo & Susquehanna lines along the Pennsylvania-New York border. In 1956, Salzburg and his new WA&G took over a V-shaped route from Galeton, Pennsylvania northwest to Wellsville, New York and from Galeton northeast to Addison, New York. A short branch from the Addison line went to Ansonia. Total length was 91 miles. The locomotive fleet was noteworthy. Operations began with seven GE 125-ton switchers that had been built in 1937 and custom styled for Ford Motor Company’s River Rouge plant in Michigan. They received the orange and cream colors that were used on Salzburg’s other shortlines.

The WA&G was located in the “leather belt” and tanneries provided much of the business. WA&G bought a modest fleet of old wood sided boxcars from Boston & Maine. These cars received WA&G name and “The Sole Leather Line” motto on their sides. Since hauling raw animal hides makes the boxcars unfit for any other service, that’s likely why Salzburg bought such old cars.

In 1959, the Addison line was cut back to Elkland after a bridge was condemned. In 1968, it became clear that the GE switchers were on their last legs so Salzburg supplemented them with a fleet of former Southern Pacific F7’s. In 1972, flooding washed out the Wellsville line. WA&G had already applied to abandon that line so no harm, no foul. WA&G was now down to 40 of the original 91 miles. The last train ran in March of 1979 and the Wellsville Addison & Galeton was abandoned.

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.