Leatherstocking Rails: A History of Railroading Along the Upper Susquehanna

by Jim Loudon

ISBN-10: 0-9641119-2-6
ISBN-13: 978-0-964111-9-2-9
SCP Product #: SCP-0018
Retail Price: $29.95
Physical: 264 pages; 8.5" x 11", b&w interior, softcover, perfect bound, 615 illustrations
Publication Date: ©2005, Leatherstocking Railway HS
Retail Distribution: North Country Books
Library Distribution: North Country Books; Square Circle Press

Publication Information Sheet (PDF)

Softcover - $29.95
Ordering & shipping info

Book Summary

Leatherstocking Rails is a detailed book about every railroad and trolley line that was ever built -- or planned to be built -- in Otsego County. Jim Loudon devotes one or more chapters to the following actual railroads: the Albany and Susquehanna; the Delaware and Hudson; the Cooperstown and Charlotte Valley; the Oneonta, Cooperstown and Richfield Springs trolley line; the Cherry Valley, Sharon and Albany; the Ulster and Delaware; and the Utica, Chenango and Susquehanna Valley, which became part of the Erie-Lackawanna. For each railroad, the author offers a chapter with a historical outline, followed by maps and photographs of each station stop and photographs of locomotives an rolling stock. He notes those station buildings still standing and those that are gone. In addition to pioneer and horse-powered railroads, he also devotes a chapter each to the Catskill, Middleburgh and Cooperstown and the Catskill Mountain and Mohawk Valley railroads that were planned but never built. The author of The Oneonta Roundhouse, Loudon also tells how Oneonta was the birthplace of the railroad union movement. Lavishly illustrated with over 600 photographs, maps, drawings and documents.

Published in 2005 by the Leatherstocking Railway Historical Association, Square Circle Press is proud to offer Leatherstocking Rails as part of its retail and distribution services on behalf of the LRHS.

Book Reviews

"Loudon is an excellent researcher -- a major benefit and challenge. He seems to have found every illustration, fact and detail about Otsego County railroading ... Leatherstocking Rails is not confined to the railroad right of way. Loudon offers many details about people and businesses along the railroads. These details put a story behind many place names and landscape features on an Otsego County map. After reading this book I want to win Lotto and open a trolley line."

John Rowen, Kaatskill Life magazine

About the Author

Jim Loudon is a native of Otsego County and currently resides in the West End of Oneonta, New York. He graduated from the State University of New York College at Oneonta in 1972 with a BS in Liberal Arts, majoring in art and history. In 1982 Jim organized the Leatherstocking Railway Historical Society, which currently operates the Cooperstown and Charlotte Valley Railroad tourist train ride, and for which he has served as Conductor, Engineer, and Brakeman. For over two decades Jim has devoted his time to researching the local area's railroad history, authoring several articles on the subject, as well as another book, The Oneonta Roundhouse. A practitioner of the visual arts, the subjects of Jim's paintings, drawings and photographs include wildlife, landscapes, locomotives and antique tractors.