Susquehanna and New York Railroad
| Reporting mark | S&NY |
|---|---|
| Locale | Towanda, Pennsylvania, Williamsport, Pennsylvania |
| Dates of operation | 1902–1942 |
| Successor | dismantled |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Headquarters | Towanda |
The Susquehanna and New York Railroad (reporting mark S&NY) was a short-line railroad connecting the Lehigh Valley Railroad at Towanda, Pennsylvania with the Pennsylvania Railroad at Marsh Hill Junction. The railroad carried freight and passengers between Williamsport and Towanda by rail rather than using the Susquehanna River or the Pennsylvania Canal.
The railroad, 45 miles in length (72.4 km), in Northeastern Pennsylvania was originally built to carry timber and coal out of the Barclay Mountain (also called the South Mountain range of the Alleghenies) to Towanda where these products could then be shipped by river or rail.
As with many railroads, the S&NY formed from an earlier company, absorbed companies during its heyday, and was later itself absorbed before being torn up to help with the war effort during World War II. The story of the S&NY starts in 1794 when Robert Barclay of London, England came to own 21,000 acres (85 km²) in the region. Little development occurred until coal was discovered on the land. Professor Johnson or Richard Taylor (or possibly both) surveyed the land for a railroad about 1835, but no road was cut and access to the coal was still limited.
The "Towanda and Franklin Railroad Company" was formed in 1853 to create a railroad to the coal mines but no rails were laid. In 1854 the Barclay Railroad and Coal Company formed, and work on the road began. The Barclay Railroad was authorized to hold 2,000 acres (8 km²) of coal lands as well as lands for track, depots, and stations, etc.
In 1856 the Pennsylvania Canal (North Branch Division) was built, improving access into the area and leading to renewed interest. The "North Branch Canal" – another name for the Pennsylvania Canal (North Branch Division) – opened in Spring 1856 and the Barclay Railroad began hauling coal in July of that year. The new railroad delivered over 7,000 tons of coal to the canal boats in the first year. The coal was brought the 16 miles to Towanda where canal boats moved it to markets. James Macfarland, the railroad's first general manager, organized the Towanda Coal company, which leased and operated the railroad for 20 years.
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