unction ▁point ▁on ▁the ▁rail road , ▁but ▁also ▁because ▁of ▁the ▁amount ▁of ▁cutting ▁and ▁filling ▁that ▁would ▁have ▁been ▁needed ▁to ▁build ▁this ▁route . ▁As ▁about ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁old ▁line ▁was ▁cur ved ▁track , ▁a ▁major ▁r ationale ▁for ▁building ▁the ▁new ▁line ▁would ▁be ▁to ▁" stra ight en - out " ▁the ▁route . ▁ ▁The ▁new ▁route , ▁the ▁cut off , ▁would ▁ultimately ▁eliminate ▁two - third s ▁of ▁this ▁curv ature , ▁ 2 4 0 0 ▁degrees , ▁the ▁equivalent ▁of ▁more ▁than ▁six ▁and ▁a ▁half ▁circles . ▁ ▁Near ly ▁all ▁the ▁remaining ▁curves ▁would ▁be ▁ 2 ° ▁( ▁radius ) ▁or ▁less , ▁perm itting ▁ ▁or ▁greater ▁for ▁passenger ▁trains . ▁ ▁This ▁was ▁a ▁decided ▁improvement ▁over ▁the ▁curves ▁on ▁the ▁old ▁route , ▁some ▁of ▁which ▁exceed ed ▁ 6 ° ▁( ▁radius , ▁restrict ing ▁trains ▁to ▁). ▁ ▁Const ruction ▁on ▁the ▁Nich ol son ▁C ut off ▁started ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 1 2 ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁re venue ▁train ▁to ▁run ▁over ▁the ▁line ▁was ▁on ▁November ▁ 6 , ▁ 1 9 1 5 . ▁ ▁While ▁the ▁new ▁ ▁line ▁resulted ▁only ▁in ▁a ▁mod est ▁sav ings ▁in ▁travel ▁distance ▁() ▁the ▁cut off ▁saved ▁a ▁significant ▁amount ▁of ▁travel ▁time ▁between ▁Sc r anton , ▁Pennsylvania , ▁and ▁B ingham ton , ▁New ▁York , ▁especially ▁for ▁fre ight ▁trains . ▁ ▁Before ▁the ▁building ▁of