History of the Endless Mountain Trail

The Endless Mountain Trail was the former right-of-way for the Lackawanna & Montrose Branch (L&M) of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad (DL&W).  It was constructed in the 1880’s off the main line at Alford and extended for about 10 miles to Montrose.  It was built with the objective to improve access to the regions’ agricultural and forest industries, as the main line could ship goods south to Scranton and north to Binghamton.

The Endless Mountain Trail was the former right-of-way for the Lackawanna & Montrose Branch (L&M) of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad (DL&W).  It was constructed in the 1880’s off the main line at Alford and extended for about 10 miles to Montrose.  It was built with the objective to improve access to the regions’ agricultural and forest industries, as the main line could ship goods south to Scranton and north to Binghamton.  It operated for 50 years as a freight and passenger line.  By all estimates, the L&M was an unprofitable operation.  Its chief asset was the scrap value of its rail, needed for the war effort.  So in 1944 it was decommissioned and conveyed by quit claim deed to the Bridgewater Riding Club (BRC), a local equestrian club headed by Judge Little, a well-respected Susquehanna County citizen, and a retired judge.

The Bridgewater Riding Club owned and managed the corridor for over 60 years when they decided to deed it to the Rail-Trail Council in 2008.  The Council did a Feasibility Study (PA Dept of Conservation & Natural Resources) in order to clarify the corridor’s legal status, its physical boundaries and its relationship to abutting properties.  A feasibility study is necessary to receive any state or federal grants for trail improvements.  The RTC is currently surveying the corridor and attempting to secure trail easements.  A local group of Montrose-area citizens is heading up its revival.

Heart Lake Station
Alford Station on DL&W
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