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Elmira NY Information
The following is several messages received from the EL Chat site addressing Elmira NY.
Response 1
Just to clarify a few things concerning the DL&W track in Elmira. The eastern segment that went to Kennedy Valve was removed in late 1996, althought local city folks have indicated that NS mentioned it might attempt to restore it.
The track leading to Adtranz runs from the remains of the former DL&W yard to the Adtranz facility in Elmira Heights. None of the trackage in Horseheads remains. The test track at Adtranz is one of the former main line tracks. A short segment that extended past the plant was removed recently. Another segment in Big Flats remains.
The Pennsy trackage runs from the former Erie main to the Horseheads town line. This is to serve the Horseheads Industrial Center (The Holding Point). The former PRR depot in Horseheads is under restoration by the Horseheads Historical Society.
Reponse 2
Railpace ran a shot I took of NJT cars enroute to ABB a few years ago - if I remember right access is via a section of DL&W main that runs up into Horseheads. not much left, some DL&W track as industrial track (east of Elmira the R-O-W is very visible and one segment of track still uses a bridge of unusual design - like a through truss but with squared offset ends), and a short segment of the Pennsy north as far as a lumber yard.
Response 3 - Elmira, NY more infomation
A little more about Elmira, NY, Adtranz is not serviced by former DL&W tracks, there is access from the Yard at Elmira, but only comes as far a 14th St. in Elmira Heights.
Adtranz has the rest from 14th Street up about 1/4 mile where the track ends. This section is Adtranz electrified test track, The main factory can't be accessed by this track by any trains from the yard. In order for trains to access the main factory, they must come up the Conrail ( fromer Erie) Tracks to a siding just south of the Horseheads Town Line, where they back down on a siding that splits into two tracks one that services a cardboard box manufacture, and the other that continues on and then again splits into 2 different tracks, one that goes directly into the factory and the other that goes onto a loading ramp for flatbed trucks, this is used to take completed railcars out of the factory and load onto flatbed trucks, as no trains have serviced the Adtranz factory for several years. Adtranz found it to be more cost effective to ship the completed railcars by road instead of train.
Now if you were to continue up the Conrail Mainline to Horseheads you would find another siding (former PRR tracks) that runs behind Horseheads High School, about 1500 feet up from the school on the track is Nutrena Foods ( Small dog food processer) they have a siding in which to unload products that come in on rail. grain etc.... Then is the old PRR station, if you continue north you will come to the Holding point, (Horseheads Industrial Center) However, the tracks in the Holding point are former Lehigh Valley tracks, now owned by the Holding point, however they are serviced by Conrail. Conrail runs about 5- 15 cars into the Holding point and Nutrena Foods a week. this happens about 2 times a week.
If you were to keep going on the Conrail Mainline about a half-mile you would again come to some sidings that serviced the former A&P Food Processing Plant, now a mostly vacant warehouse, however there are several companies that store products in the warehouse, and just last week I saw Conrail place 3 Burlington Northern Boxcars in there, Why?? I am not sure, i didn't think anyone was receiving shipments by rail in the warehouse. After the old A&P the mainline tracks continue to Big Flats, Gibson, Corning, and Gang Mills and so on....
Shawn Karney, Resident of Horseheads
Last Updated - 23 Jun 1998
