The Catskill and Tannersville Railway was a historic narrow gauge railroad operating in New York.
Also known as "The Huckleberry", the C&T operated tracks that were laid to a narrow gauge. The railroad commenced at the Otis Summit station in Kaaterskill at the top of the Wall of Manitou, which was the terminus of the Otis Elevating Railway, and ended 5.2miles away at its headquarters in Tannersville. The C&T faced competition from the parallel Stony Clove and Kaaterskill branch of the Ulster and Delaware Railroad.
The Catskill Mountain Railway didn't always have the Catskill & Tannersville to connect the Otis Elevating Railway to Tannersville. Instead, the Kaaterskill Railroad served that purpose, as it was the same narrow gauge as the Otis Elevating and the Catskill Mountain Railway, and connected by a shorter C&T from the Otis Summit Station, too. But the C&T was also present in the area, and was very close to the Kaaterskill. In fact, the two lines were so close that the C&T ran trains on the KRR from 1893-1898. This stopped when the Ulster and Delaware converted the Kaaterskill Railroad to in 1899, and the connection was no more. So the CMR president solved that problem by lengthening the C&T to Tannersville in 1899.
It was built on a tight budget, and used narrow gauge track so it could interchange freight cars with the Otis, and because it was cheaper. It only had two locomotives in its roster, both eventually being replaced by outside-frame engines. This railroad was the Ulster & Delaware's narrow gauge competitor; it did offer an alternative route, but this "alternative route" was right next to the U&D, and most of the C&T stations were right across from the U&D stations. There were downfalls to using this railroad, and that included the fact that it's Trains barely ever ran on time. This was probably due to the frequent stops to let passengers get out and see the Kaaterskill Falls, the mountain laurel in full bloom, and even to pick blueberries, which the locals called "huckleberries", hence the railroad's nickname, and was probably enjoyed by the fellow passengers.
The railroad was somewhat profitable, and managed to survive for quite a while, but it couldn't stave off bankruptcy. It went bankrupt in 1918, and was torn up and sold for scrap, along with the rest of the Catskill Mountain Railway system in 1919. The two locomotives that were previously owned by the C&T were shipped to the Bellevue and Cascade Railroad in the State of Iowa.
| Number | Name | Builder | Type | Date | Shop No. | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st #1 | Brooks Locomotive Works | Sep. 1882 | 783 | Ex-Colorado & Southern Ry. #20, previously Denver, Leadville & Gunnison Ry. #165, originally Denver, South Park & Pacific R.R. #38. Purchased in June 1899. (The transfer from the C.&S. Ry. to the Otis Co. may have been via F. M. Hicks & Co. The photo of 1st #1 at Otis Summit, reproduced in the Helmer (1970) reference, identifies it as one of the D.S.P.&P. R.R. ##29-38 / 156-165 series locos, particularly the driver axle spacing, the location of the right boiler check valve, and the shape of the tops of the cab windows.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] C.&S. Ry. #20 was the only ex-D.S.P.&P. R.R. ##29-38 / 156-165 series loco to have left Colorado before July 1899.[7]) Retired in 1907. | |||
| 1st #2 | Dickson Manufacturing Co. | Feb. 1883 | 411 | Originally Chateaugay Ore & Iron Co. #8 (Dannemora). Purchased by the Kaaterskill R.R. from New York Equipment Co. in July 1893 (#3). Redesignated U.&D. R.R. # 4 in 1894. Resold to F. M. Hicks & Co. in August 1899.[8] Acquired by the Otis Co. for C.&T. Ry. later in August 1899. Became stationary boiler at Otis Summit, New York between July 1, 1901 and June 30, 1902. | |||
| 2nd #1 | Isaac Pruyn | Baldwin Locomotive Works | Feb. 1908 | 32715 | Purchased new. Sold to Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific R.R. in March 1926 (CMStP&P #2). Became Bellevue and Cascade Railroad #2 in July 1933. Scrapped in 1934.[9] | ||
| 2nd #2 | Alfred V. S. Olcott | Baldwin Locomotive Works | Apr. 1901 | 18884 | Purchased new. Sold to Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific R.R. in July 1928 (CMStP&P #3). Became Bellevue and Cascade Railroad #3 in July 1933. Scrapped in 1934. |
| Number | Type | Capacity | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | combine car | 38 seats | Ex-Worcester & Shrewsbury R.R.[10] Purchased in 1899. Sold to a South American in September 1919.[11] | |
| 2[12] | coach | 58 seats | Ex-Worcester & Shrewsbury R.R. Purchased in 1899. Sold to a South American in September 1919. | |
| coach | 58 seats | Purchased used in 1909 or 1910.[13] [14] Sold to a South American in September 1919. | ||
| 3 | freight car | 10 tons[15] | Obtained as a flat car in 1899. Converted to boxcar in 1904 or 1905. | |
| flat car | 10 tons | Obtained in 1901 or 1902. One of the two C.&T. Ry. freight cars may have been temporarily configured as an open observation car.[16] |
In 1904, a freight car interchange was installed between the C.&T. Ry. and the Otis Ry. at Otis Summit. The Catskill Mountain Ry. built the following freight cars for use through this interchange, and through the interchange with the C.M. Ry. at the foot of the Otis Ry.[17]
| Owner & Car No. | Type | Capacity | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otis Ry. 1 | boxcar | 8ST | Built in 1904 | |
| Otis Ry. 2 | boxcar | 8 tons | Built in 1904 | |
| Otis Ry. 3 | gondola | 8 tons | Built in 1904 | |
| Otis Ry. 4[18] | gondola | 8 tons | Built in 1904 | |
| C.M. Ry. 15 | gondola | 8 tons | Built in 1906 or 1907 | |
| C.M. Ry. 16 | gondola | 8 tons | Built in 1906 or 1907 | |
| C.M. Ry. 17 | boxcar | 8 tons | Built in 1907 or 1908 | |
| C.M. Ry. 18 | boxcar | 8 tons | Built in 1907 or 1908 |