(A SUMMARY HISTORY OF WAG-RR)
Wellsville Addison & Galeton Railroad
"The Sole Leather Line" 1954 – 1979
(Credit for the following to Chris Bigham, ©1999 from his website on the WAG (link at bottom of page).
“The Wellsville, Addison and Galeton Railroad (WAG) was incorporated in 1954 to purchase 91 miles of former Buffalo and Susquehanna (B&S) trackage from the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O). This former B&S trackage had seen dwindling profits for a number of years and the tracks were physically separated from the rest of the B&O system due to a flood that washed out track in 1942.
The B&O acquired this trackage back in 1932 when they merged with the B&S. The 37-mile Wellsville branch was built in 1895 between Wellsville , NY , and Galeton , PA , by the B&S and the Wellsville, Coudersport and Pine Creek Railroad. The Addsion and Northern Pennsylvania Railroad built the 54-mile Addsion Branch in 1883 between Addsion , NY and Galeton , Pa. The B&S built the 8-mile Ansonia Branch between Galeton and Ansonia , Pa in 1896.
The ICC approved the abandonment of the Wellsville Branch and the C&PA in May 1970. The Erie Lackawanna (EL) and several shippers filed objections immediately citing their concern over the loss of rail service. The ICC considered the objections but still ruled in favor of the abandonment. More objections were filed but there were no objections to the abandonment of the C&PA. The C&PA's last run was in December 1970 but WAG trains would continue on the Wellsville branch.
The WAG filed its reply with the ICC to the PPUC's objections at the end of 1977. After looking at both sides' reports, the ICC again decided that the WAG could abandon in March 1978.
The final freight run of the WAG occurred on March 13, 1979 .”
Chris Bigham's Website>: http://www.wagplow.org/WAGHistory.html
Interesting Hobby Shop in Wellsville, Painted in the old WAG colors........They carry the WAG models & others.
The caboose along Route 19 north of Belmont is ex-WAG #2640; Baltimore & Ohio class I-10 # C2640 Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh # 289. It is wooden, built by Standard-Butler in 1923. (Info & Photo by Dick Palmer)
The B & S RR Depot known locally since 1954 as the WAG Depot, was torn down near the end of the 1980's and was located where the present Wellsville Water Treatment Plant now resides on West State Street.
A friend sent the two pictures below to me for my enjoyment; I share them with you. I thought they were such great shots colorized that I could not resist placing them here. Thank you Dick for sending them to me. (rt)
Guy Wicksall is credited for the Photography. I call them the "Coming & Going of the WAG"
Below is the F7 - "2000" Transferred to L&NW RR; Gibsland, LA in 1969 (Postcard a gift to webmaster by Dan Nicholson)
Two Black & White Photos below submitted by John Stewart and are of only steam locomotive ever actually lettered for WAG....
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Below are 2 Black & Whites of WAG Boxcar & Plow from Photo Collection of Richard Palmer..........
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pictured below is a WAG train in Galeton in May, 1972. Photo by John R. Taibi. Submitted by Richard Palmer.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The photo below shows a WAG train crossing the Genesee River at Wellsville. Photo taken May 22, 1972 by Paul J. Templeton. Submitted by Richard Palmer.
