Steam & Excursion > A Different C&T Image

An online search for the Catskill & Tannersville Railway brings up the first image, a gem to be sure, but among the collection of the Detroit Photographic Company over at the Library of Congress is this second view of Haines Corners, New York in 1902. The depot in the background is the Ulster & Delaware, and based on the 1910 Official Railway Guide, the C&T was a three foot gauge, six mile long, six month a year railroad. The connection to the Otis Incline Railway is noted in the depot signage too.

Be of good cheer,
—Mac
www.lowellamrine.com

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I'll confuse you as the Otis Elevating Railway was "narrow gauge" 6'4" wide with 3 rails and had a 4-rail passing section in the center of the dual cable incline.  After the rebuild of the Otis Ry, It owned four 3' narrow gauge cars that could run over the Catskill Mt RR to the river wharf at Catskill and to Tannersville over the Catskill & Tannersville Ry.  Those cars had vacuum brakes for the C&T and also Westinghouse brakes for the CMRR, in addition to  hooks on the side of the car where a cable was hooked to the car on the end of the passenger cars when it was above the safety track near the top.  Then the passenger car continued to the summit station and the cable from the power house at the top would pull the freight car up and into the Catskill & Tannerville's track and couple to their engine with vacuum brakes.  The locomotive in the photo was later sold through a broker to Iowa and a Milwaukee RR branch. There is a lot more to the story which is written up in several very fine books by John Ham of Hunter, NY. 

Should have mentioned that both these images appear on pages 122 and 123 of G. M. Best's book on the Ulster & Delaware.
—Mac