A History of the Lake Erie, Franklin, & Clarion Railroad
Author's note:
The article that follows is an outgrowth of research into the railroad that was once so prominent in my home town. If anyone who reads this can help me with additional information, I would be most grateful.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE
LAKE ERIE, FRANKLIN AND CLARION RAILROAD
by:
James Brown, M.Ed.
In 1853 an unknown lumber company from Jamestown, New York, erected a sawmill along the Clarion River north of Strattonville, Pennsylvania. The exact location of the mill was where Mill Creek joins the Clarion River. At some time, un-recorded, the mill came under control of the Marvin-Rulofson Company. In March of 1906 the office of Corbett & Rugh, Clarion County, recorded the sale of the mill to A. Cook & Sons Company of Cooksburg, Pa. The company had vast holdings of timber in Clarion County at this time and the site of the Cook's main mill was located in what is today Cook Forest State Park. This purchase, made by Anthony Wayne Cook, cost $200,000, and included 5,999 acres, with a 5 year period allowed for cutting which, under certain conditions, could be extended until March 1, 1914. The lease included the sawmill, machinery, and other buildings, and the rights and privileges of the former company to the use of a certain branch of the PITTSBURGH, SUMMERVILLE AND CLARION RAILROAD located between the mill and Strattonville. This is the first mention of a railroad at the mill site as no railroad served that part of Clarion County until 1904.
A charter was granted on September 4, 1903 to the PITTSBURGH, SUMMERVILLE AND CLARION RAILROAD COMPANY with their stock valued at $140,000. A construction contract for the railroad was awarded to Col. James A. Bennett of Greensburg, Pa. and Daniel Nolan of Reynoldsville, Pa. The railroad was connected with the Pennsylvania Railroad at Summerville, Pa., and was to run to Clarion, a distance of 17 miles. There was also a 4 mile branch to be constructed from Strattonville to Mill Creek, for the purpose of opening up the Marvin-Rulofson timber tract containing 100 million feet of virgin pine, hemlock, and other timber.
The railroad reached Clarion, Pa on August 20, 1904, and within a few years, residents saw many different name before finally becoming the present LAKE ERIE, FRANKLIN AND CLARION RAILROAD.
Not much is said about the older equipment used on the L.E.F.& C.. Pictures dating from the early 1900's of the Mill Creek lumber operation show several two truck Shays but it seems clear that these were not on the locomotive roster of the L.E.F.& C. and most likely belonged to the Marvin-Rulofson Company. However, Shay No. 1, a 37 ton engine, later went to the Pennsylvania Southern (owned by Gen. Miller). Other photos show box cars, log cars and hoppers for hauling processed lumber to market. It is obvious that the early financial base for the railroad was in the growing lumber trade that was prevalent in that part of Pennsylvania in the late 1800's and early 1900's.
By 1932, however, the lumber industry was slowing down and a new trade in Clarion County was starting to utilize this 17 mile point to point line: COAL! It was also about this time that the line offered passenger service between Clarion and Summerville, using a Brill Model 55, 43 passenger motor car.(when passenger service ended in 1942, it was sold to a shortline in Georgia). Engine no. 97, a Baldwin 4-4-0 light American was built for the L.E.F. & C. in 1920 and scrapped about five years later. By 1932 the L.E.F.& C. had purchased six used Bessemer steam locos from the Bessemer & Lake Erie R.R.. They were rebuilt and used until Alco diesels were brough on the line. At least one of the L.E.F.& C.'s 2-8-0's was built by Baldwin. It was #99 and named "General Miller". It's possible Baldwin may have built this after a complete rebuilding at its plant. Other engines that I know of were no.'s 20, 23, 50, 100, and 22. No. 50 was an ex B&LE 2-8-0 while no. 100 was a new Brooks 4-6-0 (1914) named the "General Miller", and engine No. 101, a 2-8-0 Brooks was named "J.T. Odell". There were three Alco RS-1 engines; no. 20, purchased in 1949 and later sold to Livonia, Avon and Lakeville, No. 21 purchased in 1950, and No. 22, purchased used from another railroad in 1957 and later became Proctor & Gamble #1, Grand Prairie Alberta. No. 30 was also an ex B & LE.(# 330) No. 4, is believed to be an ex NYC (actually LS&MS) class F-49c, built by brooks in 1882, and "may actually be ex 5165". No.'s 7 and 102 were also ex LS&MS, both believed to have been built by Brooks.Lois Callahan, of Leeper, Pa, provided the following information regarding a contract between the LEF&C and Joe Poplar for the manufacture of replacement metal grates for the coal burning locomotives:
"Joseph Poplar, who owned our 50 acre farm from 1926-1946, was not only a farmer, but a mold maker by trade. He built a metal covered foundry near the road (now Evergreen Drive)."
"As a teenager, John (Jack) Callahan, watched Joe make sand molds of the grates for the coal burning locomotives of the LEF&C railroad." (Joe had a contract to make new grates). "Jack was not allowed to observe the pouring of the hot molten iron into the molds to make the cast iron grates, as Joe considered this too dangerous. The crane used to lift the large ladle of hot molten iron, was recently given to Jeff Judy of Tylersburg, Pa, for use in his welding shop. The foundry was later torn down a few years after Jack purchased the farm from Joe Poplar. The foundry windows were saved and are now in the barn. (The original barn windows had to be replaced). The metal from the foundry roof and sides was also saved."
One interesting photo shows car No. 100 known as the "Franklin". It was the private car of General George Miller, president of the L.E.F. & C. Built in the 1870's by Pullman, it was sold in 1924 and came to rest in New Jersey as part of "Rod's 1890 Road House Restaurant" where it is known to have survived at least into 1999 (Rod's 1890 Road House Restraunt is still in business as of 10/7/99 - Rod's 1890's Restaurant, Route 24, Convent Station, NJ, 973-539-6666).
Some caboose's of an older vintage are still around. No. 10 is still in the Clarion yard, but not used. My best source of information tells me that it is an ex C & EI. Another source says that it is an ex C & NW. No.'s 8 and 9 were ex P & S. No.'s 11 and 12 were originally Lehigh Valley, later owned by Detroit & Toledo Shore Line. Earlier cabooses were wooden 4-wheel bobbers, likely old Pennsylvania Railroad.
In 1971 the company changed units once again with the purchase of No. 23, a GM EMD SW-1500. No. 24 was also an SW-1500. No.'s 25, 26, 27 and 28 are GM EMD MP-1500's with No. 26 fitted with a snow plow. Rolling stock is currently made up of; 581 3 door/bay coal hoppers, 185 4 door/bay hoppers, 75 rotating coupler gondolas, 465 50 foot box cars and 25 covered hoppers. The roundhouse and main office of the L.E.F. & C. was located in Clarion PA., next to Clarion State University and the Owens Illinois glass plant. The company served the glass plant, four coal tipples, a Serta mattress plant, two lumber yards, a feed mill, and had retained its interchange with Conrail.The L.E.F.&C. is no longer in business. The roundhouse was taken over by the borough of Clarion to be used as a maintaince building.
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REFERENCES:
Benjamin F.G. Kline, Jr., DINKIES, DAMS AND SAWDUST, book No. 12, 1975
John B. Chick, Jr.
William M. Danner
George E. Shaw
Dave HamleyBack to LEF&C
