"The Sole Leather Line" 1954 - 1979
(Credit for the following to Chris Bigham, copyright 1999 from his website on the WAG RR.)
"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."
