It began in 1998 when a local aggregate company approached the Arcade & Attica about loading gravel products on railcars. A&A management was thrilled to add additional, diversified, income and readily agreed to the proposal. In late 1999 a railroad construction company was chartered to build the new branchline from the Arcade Shops to the customer's quarry in the small town of Freedom NY. Not long after procurement of the needed property was begun, they ran into problems with locals and the NIMBY coalition was out in force. It took a decisive court battle and some innovative engineering, but in mid-2004, the new rail-line was ready to begin operations. However the poltical struggle had broken the will of the A&A Board of Directors; and instead of being a new branch of the Arcade & Attica, the line was opened as the mainline of the new Freedom Central Railroad.