WAG dvd

[thebigham]

#1600 is switching its train on the Elkland Branch circa 1966. Cars are from the tanneries and feed mills the WAG served between Westfield and Elkland.

34:04 Freight station in Galeton yard
34:21 #1600 switching near Westfield
35:48 Steel boxcar. WAG was known for their large fleet of wooden boxcars
36:11 C2640 wooden caboose - originally Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh RR
37:04 Train approaching Rt 349 crossing at Sabinsville. The buildings behind the train is the Dominion Gas company which is still in operation in 2023
37:48 Train begins the descent downhill through the Long Run valley
39:19 Tracks next to Rt. 349 near Gaines
40:00 Back in the Galeton yard - Flanger #x115 which still exists in 2023. Awaiting restoration behind a motel near Galeton.
40:19 Snowplow #3710 - now at the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum in Industry, NY.
40:30 Snowplow X33 next to the carshop - former Buffalo & Susquehanna - now #66 on the Strasburg RR and still in use!

[thebigham]

Partially painted F7A #2200 is returning to Galeton after a run to Wellsville on the WAG's Wellsville Branch in the summer of 1970. #2200 was bought from GE after it was traded in by the Southern Pacific RR. The F7As were a big improvement over the GE centercabs. A trip up Cutler Summit would take only 20 minutes compared to 90 minutes for the GE centercabs.

48:01 Crossing Rt 6 near West Pike.
48:53 New steel caboose for the WAG which was exErie
49:01 The E.F Dean Gravel Company is in the background
49:22 Entering Galeton and around one of the sharpest curves on the old Buffalo & Susquehanna RR.
50:02 #2200 backing into the Galeton enginehouse.
50:19 Notice the large carshop behind the enginehouse. It burned down in January 1971.
51:05 Door closes on the enginehouse which was knocked over due to insurance reasons in 2015. The rubble is still in the Galeton yard in 2023.

[thebigham]

Part 2 - July 3, 1970

40:40 #1700 crosses Bridge St in Galeton with a short two car train. Notice the wooden caboose has been replaced with an Erie RR steel caboose that is painted in the WAG colors of orange and cream.

41:07 At Gaines Junction, #1700 took the switch for the Elkland line. #1700 passes the orange and cream Gaines station. The film maker gets a wave from a friendly crew member who is sitting on the steps of C104.

41:40 #1700 crosses a wooden trestle over the stream Long Run.

41:51 I have no idea where this is. It might be out of sequence.

42:10 #1700 is crossing Rt. 49 near the Westfield station. The tracks here are on a sharp curve as they enter the Cowanesque Valley.

42:56 #1700 has stopped in Knoxville to switch the "Check R Board" feed mill. Notice the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad's "Phoebe Snow" boxcar.

43:22 The grade is flat in the Cowanesque Valley so the WAG is moving right along. (This is out of sequence.)

43:44 It might be a repeat of 43:22?

43:57 #1700 crosses under today's Renkin Street in Osceola. This wooden bridge has been removed and replaced with a fill. The brush is very close to the tracks with weeds between the rails. The crew member from before is now standing outside the caboose probably trying to cool off.

44:20 Train is crossing a wooden trestle in Elkland as they switch near the Elkland tannery.

44:31 Train is leaving Elkland for the return trip to Galeton.

44:49 #1700 is crossing Rt. 49 in Knoxville as the tracks comes very close to the front porch of a house built next to the tracks.

45:12 #1700 passes the Westfield station painted orange and cream. The semaphore is still on the building. Another friendly wave from a WAG crew member.

45:51 #1700 crosses Rt. 349 outside of Sabinville.

46:30 #1700 descending the grade through the Long Run Valley. The train has picked up a WAG wooden boxcar.

47:10 Train along Rt. 439 near Gaines.

47:40 #1700 entering the bridge at Watrous. The bridge survived until a few years ago.

#1700 is now on display at the Lake Shore Railway Historical Society and Museum in North East, PA:

lakeshorerailway.com/

[thebigham]

WAG DVD Part 4

Reel A11

51:26 #2200 and #2300 along Pine Creek outside of Galeton along Rt. 6

51:37 #2200 and #2300 cross the Watrous bridge.

52:06 I don't know where this is.

52:27 #2200 and #2300 with a 5 car train.

52:42 The former orange and cream caboose C104 has been repainted red. Notice the WAG's herald above the number C104.

52:50 Along Rt 349 as it approaches East Summit.

53:01 East Summit passing siding. B&S and B&O trains would often double the hill up the East Summit grade. The F7As have more than enough power for this 5 car train.

53:22 Train now in the Cowanesque Valley.

53:28 The tracks parallel Rt 49 outside of Westfield as the WAG heads to Knoxville.

53:38 The F units approach the bridge over Holden Creek in Osceola. Notice the photographer to the right of the bridge.

54:18 Cowanesque Valley

54:28 Cowanesque Valley

54:54 Elkland. Train has a Wabash hopper and a WAG wooden boxcar

55:17 The WAG crosses Rt 49 and passes the house built close to the tracks in Knoxville. Two crew members are standing outside the caboose. The house is still there.

55:32 The WAG is approaching Knox Road outside of Knoxville. The former grade of the New York Central RR's Cowanesque Valley branch is behind the train. It was abandoned in 1964.

#2200 and #2300 are now on display in the Santa Fe Warbonnet paint scheme at the Galveston Railroad Museum in Galveston, Texas: galvestonrrmuseum.org/santa-fe-warbonnets/

How to say Cowanesque:

Cow-when-es-queee

[thebigham]

Rare footage of the WAG in the mid-1960s is used in the new dvd release, "Short Lines & Branch Lines Volume 4" by John Pechulis Media.