Lehigh Valley Railroad – history resource:  for use within a Hike Announcement, when planning a Hike on the Lehigh Valley Trail (LVT).   Book: UPSTATE ODYSSEY The Lehigh Valley Railroad in Western New York.  Author, Mary Hamilton Dann, Copyright 1997. Published by Railroad Research Publications, 3400 Ridge Road West, Suite 5-226 Rochester New York 14626-3495.  Phone: {was 716 area code at the time of publishing}  (585)-227-6903.

Chapters: 1) One Hundred Years; 2) Father of the Lehigh; 3) The Erie Connection; 4) Cornell Colors; 5) Consolidation; 6) Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railway; 7) Transition; 8) “Mainline”, Buffalo to Rochester Junction; 9) “Mainline”, Rochester Junction to Geneva; 10) Branch Line North – Rochester; 11) Branch Line South – Hemlock; 12) Branch Line South – Naples; 13) Coming of Age; 14) War & Peace; Addenda ; Appendix A – Attempts to Save the Lehigh ; Appendix B – Maps ; Bibliography.   In addition to text, this book contains numerous photos throughout, and other historic depictions as well.

This book also gives some insight into the Erie Railroad, as well as the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railroad.  The book is available in numerous public libraries.

Note: Bringing one or more copies of the book to a hike planned on the LVT would provide much opportunity for insight for those hikers interested in history and who have never seen this book.

One other book which provides a glimpse of info as to the LVRR branch line that had southern terminus in Naples (Geneva to Naples branch).  Titled: The Pittsburg, Shawmut and Northern Railroad Company by author Paul Pietrack (also properly spelled Pietrzak) on pages 19-22 mentions a mid 1890s proposal by the CNY&W RR (to the LVRR) to link Wayland Junction (the northern most terminus of the CNY&W RR) to LVRR’s Naples southern terminus and thus giving the CNY&W RR a connection to east-west railroad mainlines across NYS.   CNY&W = Central New York & Western Railroad.

With what appears to have been lack of interest on the part of the LVRR in the proposal floated by the CNY&W RR, the CNY&W hatched another methodology to gain northward access, that of the newly formed CNY&N RR (akin to the CNY&W RR).  The CNY&N was to link between Wayland Junction northward to Macedon NY where access would be had to east-west railroad mainlines in NYS, and Valentown was established with this goal in mind, but the railroad of the CNY&N was never to be completed and “Valentown” became stillborn toward the designated impetus of its birth.   CNY&N = Central New York & Northern Railroad.

Some other books useful for reference and utilization for a history component of some hikes that ST may do.

book – Historic Photos of Rochester by Ruth Rosenberg-Naparsteck (2007);

book – Runnin’ Crazy: a portrait of the Genesee River by Ruth Rosenberg-Naparsteck     (1996)

book – Slim Fingers Beckon by Arch Merrill (1951)

books – many other books by author Arch Merrill

On Sunday there were sixteen hikers who enjoyed hiking in the West Hollow valley north of Naples, NY. Three naturalists stayed down in the valley hiking toward Gannett Hill for a close up view of the Beaver Pond. The rest of the hikers carpooled to Clement Rd and hiked up Cleveland Hill on the Bristol Hills Branch orange trail.  We had beautiful views from the two lookouts which have been cleared of trees.  Here is a picture of the Climbers looking east across the southern end of Gannett Hill at Hi Tor on the east side of Canandaigua Lake.