First Train Reached Bolivar on Sunday, November 24.
The first standard gauge train to run into Bolivar reached the Shawmut station at five o’clock, Sunday afternoon, Nov. 24, a date to jot down in your diary. A work train drawn by Engine 9 with S.E. Heers at the throttle and John Jacques in the fireman’s seat came first, followed by Engine No. 11, in charge of Master Mechanic L.B. Heers and fireman John Van Brunt. No. 11 pulled a fine new coach destined for the Bolivar and Olean run. The new combination smoker and baggage car will not reach Bolivar from the shops for a week yet and in the interim a box car will answer for a baggage car.
The trains arrived at the lower end of the yards at three o’clock and as both engines began tooting their whistles a mile down the valley, many people thought there was a fire down near the station, and naturally a big crowd ran down that way and was on hand to greet the trains when they arrived. A keen wind was blowing and a light rain falling. When the trains came the track through the yards was not widened out but in two hours the narrow gauge switches had been torn out by the roots, the big rails were down and spiked, and the edge of the station platform sawed off so that the standard gauge cars could run by.
The trains remained at the station but a few minutes and all who desired were given a free ride to Ceres and back. The narrow gauge engines made their last trip over this end of the line on Sunday afternoon when they left for White House. The work of standard gauging the line from White House to Olean will proceed rapidly, and President Byrne of the Construction Company says that with favorable weather he will have standard gauge trains running into Olean from Bolivar one week from next Monday.
Mr. Byrne says that under the new schedule soon to go into effect that the running time from Bolivar to Olean will not exceed 40 minutes and may be reduced to 35 minutes. It is expected that the number of trains will be increased though no official statement to that effect has been issued.
The old narrow gauge line is to be ripped up at once and the iron shipped to the mines in Pennsylvania for use on the company’s coal roads. The old roadbed will be abandoned on Jan. 1. The new road bed which has been built under the supervision of Chief Engineer McComb, is a fine one, substantially and nearly all of the curves in the old line have been eliminated and the grades reduced. The roadbed is still a little “soft” but the work of ballasting and leveling up is proceeding rapidly.
The first regular run over the new road was made on Monday by Engine 11, in charge of Engineer William Johnson and Sam Smith as fireman. Conductor John McLaughlin was in charge of the train and John Hale and Len White were the brakemen. James McLaughlin will continue as American Express messenger. The new coach is finished in oak, the seats are upholstered in elegant red plush. The train crew transfers to the narrow gauge at White House and completes the regular run to Olean and return twice a day.
Source: Bolivar Breeze. Bolivar, NY. November 28, 1901. Provided by Richard Palmer.