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was completed August 21, 1871. Prom September 28th to the 30th, a fair and racing were held at the Orange County Pleasure Grounds. The Pleasure Grounds were located off the east side of Dolson Avenue where it joins with Academy Avenue. For those three days, the M & C ran a train down from Pine Bush in the morning which returned in the evening. A round trip to Pine Bush cost 70 cents. A depot was built at Pine Bush in October. The railroad was finally completed, November 21, 1871.
When completed, the Midland, who leased the M & C, did not begin to run regular trains. On December 2, Daniel Thompson, president of the M& C, wrote a letter "to the stockholders and friends of the" railroad, which was published on the 5th. When asked when the road would begin running regular trains, Mr. Thompson wrote that he would reply, "I do not know and by diligent inquiries can get no definite information by which I can be able to know very soon... The Midland Company is, and have been using the road at intervals for freight and passengers, and
a few individuals have been greatly accommodated... but now...all - should have an opportunity to patronize it, which can be done by putting on regular trains. But if the les sees of the road (the NY & OM) prefer to let it stand idle, the responsibility must rest with them as to the future business of the road and damaging effects it may have on the interests of the village of Middletown."
President Thompson's cleverly worded letter to the newspaper produced the desired effect, for it was soon announced regular train service would begin December 14, 1871. A passenger train would leave Pine Bush at 6:08 AM, arriving at Middletown 6:50 AM. In the evening, a train left here at 7:55 PM, arriving at Pine Bush 8:37 PM. Stations, or stops, were located at Pine Bush (Railroad Street, near the corner of Main Street), Thompson's (Thompson Ridge), Bullville (right by the post office), Circleville (Creamery Road), Crawford Jct., and Middletown.
On January 18, 1872, a brand new engine arrived here for use on the Crawford Branch. This was engine No. 38, named, appropriately, the "Crawford." This had been built by Baldwin in December, 1871, and was a 4-4-0. Starting on February 1, 1872, the Midland began running two trains each way on the branch.
On February 24, 1872, the officers., stockholders, and a few invited guests of the M & C, celebrated somewhat belatedly, the completion of the railroad. A special train took the party to Pine Bush were a lunch was held at Decker's Half-Way House. After this, the group went sight-seeing through the village. They then returned to Middletown, proceeding to slauson Hall (later known as Linden Hall on Linden Avenue at the corner of Wickham Avenue) where a dinner was held. The group then adjourned to the upper hall for a short business meeting followed by speeches.E.M. Madden, on behalf of the Executive Committee, gave a detailed list of expenses. The road had cost $185,063.82 to build, or about $18,506 per mile, which was below original