[?]

Rip Van Winkle Railroads Catskill Mountain - Otis - Cairo - Catskill & Tannersville

Tannersville

Seen here is the C&T's Tannersville Station, to the right can be seen the freight depot. Tannersville was the western terminus of the 5-mile long narrow gauge Catskill & Tannersville Railway. The C&T constructed west to this location in 1899 after the Ulster & Delaware Railroad was standard gauged and discontinued service to Otis Summit. The new route of the Catskill & Tannersville Railway paralleled the Ulster & Delaware Railroad. The terminal station of the C&T at Tannersville was located on South Main Street, just a short distance from the U&D's station. Facilities at Tannersville were rather simple. There was a single track to serve both the passenger and freight stations. Trains, after arriving in Tannersville and allowing passengers to disembark, would back up the hill. The hand brakes on the coach(es) would be applied. The locomotive would then proceed down to the turntable to be turned to face back towards Otis Summit. Meanwhile, the brakes on the coach(es) would be released and the car(s) would coast down the hill into the Tannersville Station. The locomotive would come off the turntable spur and back down to recouple to the train, then proceed back to Otis Summit. This view looking west  shows an overall view of the C&T's terminal facilities at Tannersville. From left to right can be seen the freight house, the passenger station, and the turntable spur.  C&T #2 (2nd) is seen here at Tannersville Station. The locomotive has been turned and recoupled to its train. Passengers are boarding for points east. Map drawn by Michael Kudish. Page 1185.  Mountain Railroads of New York State: Vol. IV.  Where Did the Tracks Go in the Catskills?  Used with permission. C&T #2 (2nd) is ready to disembark Tannersville with the eastbound train to Otis Summit. Conductor Herb O'Hara consults his pocket watch. To the right can be seen the turntable pit. August 1912. #1 (2nd) is seen here at Tannersville, heading up the train bound for Otis Summit. The train crew poses alongside their train. 1916. C&T #2 (2nd) poses on the Armstrong turntable at Tannersville for a photograph. 1907. C&T #1 (2nd) has just been turned on the Armstrong turntable. The locomotive will pull past the switch and then back down to its waiting consist seen on the right. The train has been handbraked down the hill past the switch, allowing the locomotive to move to the other end of the train.

Head Back to the Station!