Welcome to pictures of the Cushing Branch.  The Cushing Branch (Cushing Industrial Track) is all that remains of the West Shore Railroad's Rotterdam  Junction to Utica line.  She was also known as the New York Central and Penn Central West Shore Mohawk Division.  Conrail used the line as far as Fort Plain, New York as late as 1981, then cut the line back to Cranesville, New York. There she received stone from Cushing Stone Quarry for her ballast.  The small switch used at the plant is up above.  When CSX acquired the line, the stone wasn't deemed sufficient and the line hasn't been used since.  In 2003, CSX officially abandoned the line and it is in the process of being scrapped...

Here are some shots taken of the Cushing Branch before track removal (All Photos: Gino DiCarlo)

Rotterdam Jct

Rotterdam Jct

A milepost heading east before Rotterdam Junction

A bridge near Pattersonville

Pattersonville

Route 5s Crossing

Entrance to Cushing Stone

Switcher that has sat dormant at Cushing Stone

Here's a shot inside the quarry

This track wast used to hold dozens of CONRAIL hoppers when the line supplied ballast. The lock-house for Lock 10 is in the rear-right of the photo

This was the recent end-of-track

See shots of the removal of track

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