▁canal ▁to ▁the ▁rail road ▁for ▁$ 3 0 , 0 0 0 ▁($ ▁in ▁ ▁dollars ). ▁The ▁sale ▁was ▁intended ▁to ▁give ▁the ▁rail road ▁a ▁new ▁source ▁of ▁re venue , ▁but ▁the ▁C & M ▁bare ly ▁used ▁the ▁canal . ▁The ▁canal ' s ▁value ▁was ▁in ▁its ▁right ▁of ▁way , ▁and ▁the ▁C & M ▁later ▁sold ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁canal ▁to ▁the ▁Pitts burgh , ▁Cleveland ▁and ▁To led o ▁Rail road , ▁which ▁filled ▁it ▁in ▁and ▁used ▁it ▁as ▁the ▁bed ▁for ▁its ▁track . ▁ ▁Operation ▁by ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁and ▁Great ▁Western ▁Railway ▁ ▁C & M ▁invol vement ▁in ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁the ▁A & G W ▁As ▁early ▁as ▁ 1 8 5 2 , ▁the ▁C & M ▁was ▁in ▁tal ks ▁to ▁make ▁its ▁eastern ▁connection ▁with ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁& ▁Great ▁Western ▁Railway ▁( A & G W ). ▁The ▁imp et us ▁behind ▁the ▁tal ks ▁came ▁from ▁the ▁completion ▁in ▁early ▁ 1 8 5 1 ▁of ▁the ▁Er ie ▁Railway ▁( then ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁and ▁Er ie ▁Rail ▁Road ) ▁between ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁and ▁D unk irk , ▁New ▁York ▁( a ▁small ▁town ▁on ▁the ▁shore ▁of ▁Lake ▁Er ie ▁half way ▁between ▁Buff alo , ▁New ▁York , ▁and ▁the ▁New ▁York - P en nsylvan ia ▁border ). ▁On ▁June ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 1 8 5 1 , ▁the ▁state ▁of ▁New ▁York ▁issued ▁a ▁char