My lifelong question was 'who were the last customers between the ferry closing and 1971?' John indicated that the train came up mostly with a caboose only, and you could ride for free in the caboose if you asked ahead of time. He did recall some sporadic deliveries (lumber, box cars, etc.), but mostly it was a naked ride about once a week.
So...why did the track stay to Northport with little/no customer base for so many years? As I thought about it, my answer became clear. My answer...the C&O utilized the turn around feature at the extreme end of the line. There were several customers remaining in Sutton's Bay at the time. I think that's right!
Also worth note, take drive up to Smith St in Northport. Much of the rails are still in-tact. John indicated that the mayor kicked the crews out, as they weren't supposed to be working on the holiday weekend. That's why you can still find the rails in place here and there.
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