Today I received a letter of notification from Stewartstown RR officials that the railroad has closed "for an indefinite amount of time" and will not reopen for Easter. I'm afraid this may finally spell the end of the line for the venerable Stewartstown RR. It would be a real tragedy to lose such a valuable historic resource. The SRR has been operating as the same company almost continuously since 1885.

The Stewartstown is a gem for sure. Maybe some plan can be worked out to save this great little line. It is a private business presently? Maybe a non profit group could be formed to carry on?

Tom

Stewartstown is the closest thing I know to a living version of a Beebe & Clegg shortline--an ancient iron bridge, incredibly light rail, tight curves, hill and dale profile, historic structures, picturesque towns and countryside, a proud independent history. It really hurts to think of it being taken up.

eledbetter@rypn.org

> Today I received a letter of notification
> from Stewartstown RR officials that the
> railroad has closed "for an indefinite
> amount of time" and will not reopen for
> Easter.

Not being familiar with it, where is it? Route?

Thanks,
Ed

> Not being familiar with it, where is it?
> Route?

Southern York County, PA, above and roughly parallel to the Maryland state line. Operates from its Headquarters at Stewartstown west (passing under I-83) to a junction with the former PRR/Northern Central line in New Freedom PA.

The PRR Northern Central line itself is intact northwards to York, but not operated at the moment--it's owned by the York COunty EDA. South of New Freedom the PRR line is a rail trail to Cockeysville MD and then part of the Baltimore Central Light Rail line.

eledbetter@rypn.org

I've only been to the Stewartstown once, when it was shut down, but it was obvious that it is one of the best preserved of the lines Beebe and Clegg wrote about. I certainly hope some kind of non-profit opeeration can save it, or at least keep it intact until someone can. I believe there are some little Baldwins down in Cuba that are a close match to Stewartstown No. 5, and a replica of one of the 4-4-0s isn't unthinkable. It would be a shame to keep building more rail museums in cornfields while a real historic property like the Stewartstown was lost.

ryarger@rypn.org

> I've only been to the Stewartstown once,
> when it was shut down, but it was obvious
> that it is one of the best preserved of the
> lines Beebe and Clegg wrote about. I
> certainly hope some kind of non-profit
> opeeration can save it, or at least keep it
> intact until someone can. I believe there
> are some little Baldwins down in Cuba that
> are a close match to Stewartstown No. 5, and
> a replica of one of the 4-4-0s isn't
> unthinkable. It would be a shame to keep
> building more rail museums in cornfields
> while a real historic property like the
> Stewartstown was lost.

Certainly in agreement with all of the above. However, strictly as "devil's advocate" to bring up two challenges any preservationists of the railroad will have:

1) The area the railroad is located in has experienced explosive demographic development in the past decade. This stems in large part from Baltimore-area families of the stereotype dad-off-to-work-and mom-and 2.5-kids-and-the-dog-stay-home type increasingly fleeing the "People's Democratic Republic of Maryland" and its high tax rates for the lower rates (and, also, lower real estate prices, better schools, room for the horses, whatever) of southern York County. The area the Stewartstown runs through is the very heart of this explosion, as the railroad runs right under Interstate 83 (the main commuter highway to Baltimore, Hunt Valley, etc.) just north of the state line. Therefore, the railroad runs a critical risk of NIMBY-ism, high real estate prices, and having its rural character ripped away by the "little boxes" of suburban hell Pete Seeger sang of.

2) I regret to say that part of what makes the Stewartstown unique is also what will doom it in the 21st century: the fact that it very literally resembles the "Toonerville Trolley" or "Petticoat Junction" in every way, good AND bad. Neither modern-day safety regulations (or, more importantly, a nation where litigation has replaced baseball as the national pasttime) nor the demands of the general public can possibly abide the existence of a railroad of the type eloquently described in "Slow Train to Yesterday"--livestock on the track or in the cars (not that I've seen this, but you get the idea); leaving when they're good and ready, thank you; "track" where it wouldn't surprise the Cap'n one bit if the trolley takes off through the field, and if it does, the passengers are required to help it back up on to the track; etc.

Yes, it IS possible to retain quaint charm without robbing its soul or laying welded rail. Many of the British excursion lines do this exceptionally well, but British charm differs from grizzled American independent pioneer charm. I'd love to see this line preserved, but unless someone discovers the answer to cold fusion somewhere underneath it, I fear the only possible means of its survival is our old enemy, in some respects: local government takeover of the infrastructure for preservation (the same solution I advocated for the Wilmington & Western after its latest flooding). Sadly, after the problems with the last excursion operator over on the county-owned Northern Central rail line, I think the idea of additional county rail preservation may go over like a lead balloon.



LNER4472-NOSPAM-@bcpl.net

> 2) I regret to say that part of what makes
> the Stewartstown unique is also what will
> doom it in the 21st century

Railroad enthusiasts are by nature a romantic lot and a quaint enterprise such as the Stewartstown will undoubtedly bring out many suggestions for its salvation. Such passions sometimes lead to a sustainable business or historical site that can entertain and interpret railroad history for future generations (Strasburg is an obvious and nearby example) or can lead to unfortunate misallocation of limited resources, either private or public (insert your own favorite example here.) But you're right, the very elements that give the Stewartstown its charm would be difficult to preserve in any case.

Alan Maples

AMaples@aol.com

> Railroad enthusiasts are by nature a
> romantic lot and a quaint enterprise such as
> the Stewartstown will undoubtedly bring out
> many suggestions for its salvation. Such
> passions sometimes lead to a sustainable
> business or historical site that can
> entertain and interpret railroad history for
> future generations (Strasburg is an obvious
> and nearby example) or can lead to
> unfortunate misallocation of limited
> resources, either private or public (insert
> your own favorite example here.) But you're
> right, the very elements that give the
> Stewartstown its charm would be difficult to
> preserve in any case.

Strasburg's area (Lancaster County) has been fortunate in having a 40+-year-old tourism industry that is horribly self-aware of the perilousness of its goose-laying-golden-eggs. For decades now the county has been struggling--successfully for the time being, I might note--with the troubles of tourism and real estate prices overwhelming the Amish community. And as I understand it, a couple of the big farms that sit beside the Strasburg RR are owned by parties that were or are stockholders in the railroad. Even so, I've seen one of Lancaster County's quaint covered bridges overwhelmed by traffic and development from a nearby mall.

The Stewartstown/Shrewsbury area, on the other hand, enjoys no such distinction--the railroad is just down the hill from a new McDonald's, Wal-Mart, and other new light-polluting businesses. The railroad's immediate right-of-way remains quaint and charming, but soon it's likely to more accurately resemble a suburban rail trail more like the Washington & Old Dominion or the Baltimore & Annapolis--not the Northern Central.

LNER4472-NOSPAM-@bcpl.net

As somebody with close inside connections with the STRT, here's the straight dope on the railroad's current siutation: the company owes literally hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid freight demmurage fees from years ago to a western freight carrier that I won't name; the company is a for-profit concern and many fear that they will come in to collect their debt by selling off the assetts of the company. The current President and G.M., George Hart, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and Dimensia about a year ago and for all practical purposes has reached the point of not being able to continue running the day-to-day functions of the company for several reasons. He has been relectant to start any non-profit or friends-type group to come in and help preserve the railroad so that is a major stumbling project in terms of preservation. The reason for the recent shutdown is due to soaring insurance premiums to cover the excursion operation. The physical plant is worsening by the month, and a huge gaping hole is evident in the Stewartstown station roof. So unfortunately the railroad is in a bad siutation made worse by its for-profit status. I envision it falling victim to the NIMBYs. If it can be saved, it would take a huge miracle. I'm not too optimistic.

> Railroad enthusiasts are by nature a
> romantic lot and a quaint enterprise such as
> the Stewartstown will undoubtedly bring out
> many suggestions for its salvation. Such
> passions sometimes lead to a sustainable
> business or historical site that can
> entertain and interpret railroad history for
> future generations (Strasburg is an obvious
> and nearby example) or can lead to
> unfortunate misallocation of limited
> resources, either private or public (insert
> your own favorite example here.) But you're
> right, the very elements that give the
> Stewartstown its charm would be difficult to
> preserve in any case.

> Alan Maples

Is there a core of people who would step in with some high hopes and a lot of hard work? Mr. Hart has done wonders for railroad preservation/recreation over the years but I think it is safe to say he has probably lost the "fire in his belly" somewhere between running G5s and now. If such people exist maybe there can be hope for getting them back on track.

Tom Gears

That's the problem--he would prefer not to use volunteer help, period. Nor does he endorse or seek government funding or handouts from any funding agencies. So the company will remain a victim of its own devices. Why are all of these tourist lines and short lines so crippled with managerial problems?!! There must be a workable solution to save this railroad. Very frustrating. Ugh!!!

> Is there a core of people who would step in
> with some high hopes and a lot of hard work?
> Mr. Hart has done wonders for railroad
> preservation/recreation over the years but I
> think it is safe to say he has probably lost
> the "fire in his belly" somewhere
> between running G5s and now. If such people
> exist maybe there can be hope for getting
> them back on track.

> Tom Gears

Perhaps a "solution" like what happen to the Strasburg in the 1950's is in order. A new corporation is set up to buy the Stewartstown RR. The buyers would have to attempt to negotiate a settlement of the previous debt. Personally, I think the holder of the debt would be better off with the tax write off. I can't imagine much value for scrap metal or the right of way. Hey, you could try the old trick of making every investor a Vice President.

There is state and federal money available if the new owners apply and are creative.