New West Shore/Third Rail Book

I just found this link while searching for John Taibi's new book on the WestShore/Third Rail. It has a few old photos, maps and some historical notes as well. Also has information on purchasing the book for anyone who is interested. I was a little disappointed that it's only available in .PDF format, but it looks like he did another excellent job on this one.

http://oneidarailway.wix.com/thirdrailsystem" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

NYCUticaSyracuse81 wrote:I just found this link while searching for John Taibi's new book on the WestShore/Third Rail. It has a few old photos, maps and some historical notes as well. Also has information on purchasing the book for anyone who is interested. I was a little disappointed that it's only available in .PDF format, but it looks like he did another excellent job on this one.

http://oneidarailway.wix.com/thirdrailsystem" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks for sharing, looks interesting!

-otto-

I attended John's book release at the Canastota library. He said with the number of maps and color photos the book would be close to $80 which is why he went with a PDF. He also said that people could take it to the Oneida Print Shop and they would print and bind it for $30. The $80 price tag would have been due to a 40% publishers markup and he wanted to avoid that. Everyone who attended the meeting also got a free pair of West Shore porcelain third rail brackets! For those of you with cable in central New York, all of Johns talks are filmed and shown on the public access channel.

The book is incredible, I highly suggest it.

Thanks for the info BTM. I had planned on going to hear Taibi speak at the 'stota library but was unable attend. Sounds like the .PDF format was the better option for everyone.

Under the remains link of the site, it says that numerous track insulators can still be found alongside the old ROW. I remember digging these up when I was a kid. I also found it neat that many of the old mileposts haven't been removed, but just knocked down after abandonment of the Shore.

brockwaythemusician wrote:I attended John's book release at the Canastota library. He said with the number of maps and color photos the book would be close to $80 which is why he went with a PDF.

He probably spoke to the wrong publisher... But to each their own!

-otto-

Speaking of the ceramic insulating blocks, I was fortunate enough to dig one out of the ground today not far from The Vernon Station, bridge, and VO tower. Check out 3rd photo from bottom on the photo page http://oneidarailway.wix.com/thirdrails ... otos/c1i7o" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. That's where I found it. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any mileposts but it's still quite overgrown. Will have to walk the old ROW next spring to find what remains.

Very nice pictures NYCUticaSyracuse 81

I was trying to find the old ROW of the West Shore
yesterday around Vernon
but was not successful
could you tell me what is the best way to find it, of Route 5
or the best place to explore it
Thank You

Railhead-Glad you enjoyed my photos. I've had a lot of fun this spring and summer photo documenting old stations, ROW's, bridges etc. of central NY. I'm quite familiar with the ROW between Canastota and Vernon.

Coming from Utica

Most of the WS/third rail ROW can be found by turning down any road off of Rt. 5 traveling north. In Vernon, these roads include Beaver Meadow Rd., Rt. 26, Wood Rd. (WS Bridge can be see on East side of Rd. but on private property), Ward St. ( WS Bridge seen on east side of Rd. but is on private property), ROW to west on Ward St. is not posted and the WS bridge over Sconondoa Creek is about a 1/2-1/4 mile hike. If you walk along the fence back there you can see the front of the Vernon Station. Rt. 31 (Only Surviving WS station between Utica & Syracuse) Located on the right side of Rt. 31 just after the West Shore Hotel and before Cooper St.

Traveling West to Sherrill, the ROW parallels Rt. 5 and if you look carefully you can see two bridges over the abanodoned ROW behind a couple of farms that at one time allowed farmers to access land on opposite side of track. The Oneida Railway/Third Rail substation is on the right side of Rt. 5 just after passing Hawthorne Dr near Sherrill, NY. The old ROW crossed Betsinger Rd. but is now private property and hard to find. The ROW on west side of Betsinger has been removed. Heading West, the ROW runs behind the Sherrill Savon gas station although part of the ROW has been removed there as well. Heading West again, the ROW runs right beside rt. 5 almost all the way into Oneida. At high bridge Rd. you will notice a credit union on opposite side of ROW (Back entrance to Oneida Ltd). Both west and east can be hiked for short distances to nearest roads.


At Oneida Castle, ROW can be seen from Steuben Pl. but is private property. It crosses Rt. 365/state St. close to intersection with Rt. 5. At Castle St. (Bridge abutments can easily be seen from Rt. 5.)

At Oneida, the Rite Aid on the right just after crossing Oneida Creek is former site of Oneida Castle WS/O & W Depot. The bridge over Oneida Creek and old O & W ROW is located behind Rite Aid. A bridge abutment can be seen on the west side of main St/Rt. 46 near grocery store plaza. The old WS freight house/Beacon Feed mill sits back on West side of broad St. Heading west again along Rt. 5, at Seneca St., the trail parallels Oneida high school parking lot and can be hiked to Sayles St. (One Small bridge and culvert along this stretch). I'm not sure if the stretch to Sayles St. to Lenox Ave. is posted or not. I don't think so, but haven't been back there since the bridge over Lenox Ave. was removed around 15 years ago. Many houses have gone up back there since then. Lenox Ave. in Oneida to Hubbard Pl. in Wampsville is public rail trail and can be hiked.

Following Rt. 5, turn down Hubbard Pl., both the abutments to the Oneida railways Co., the WS bridge over cowalseon Creek and former NYC mainline can all be found on west side of this Rd. Heading further West, It then crosses North Court St. near court house in Wampsville. Crosses Willow Acres Rd. (ROW on East side of Rd. not posted and can be hiked back to North Court St).

In Canastota, some of the old ROW is now the CSX elevated mainline, but can be hiked on the south side of rails to the east and west. Hiking it west will eventually take you to BeeBee bridge RD. and about 1 mile of old WS row is now part of the Erie Canal tow path. (Old Erie Canal bridge abutments still there). From here, the old ROW strays a little bit from Rt. 5 to Syracuse/Minoa.

Typed this in a hurry. Sorry If this all sounds confusing, try using openstreet map. It should help you find any new or old railroad you're looking for including the West Shore. It may give you a better idea how far it is from Rt. 5 and which roads to take. It seems to have all the current and former right of ways of NY state http://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=16/43.0868/-75.4811" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hope this helps. I'd say that if it's not posted and the trail isn't running directly through someones backyard, it's ok to hike.

-81

I just found this great shot of Manlius, NY on the Chenango branch of the West Shore dated 1961. Think the WS Fayettville to Manlius, NY was abandoned 1964.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-Slide- ... SS:US:3160" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

NYCUticaSyracuse81 wrote:[OpenStreetMap] seems to have all the current and former right of ways of NY state http://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=16/43.0868/-75.4811" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You're welcome! Thanks for noticing.

WOW!!!
Thank You for all the information
I plan to go exploring today

NYCUticaSyracuse81 wrote: In Canastota, some of the old ROW is now the CSX elevated mainline, but can be hiked on the south side of rails to the east and west. Hiking it west will eventually take you to BeeBee bridge RD. and about 1 mile of old WS row is now part of the Erie Canal tow path. (Old Erie Canal bridge abutments still there). From here, the old ROW strays a little bit from Rt. 5 to Syracuse/Minoa.

Following the Westshore Main west out of Canastota is a nice, easy walk:

Park at the Trackside Car Wash, just south of the overpass on Main St in Canastota. The CSX elevated main is atop the old WS ROW here.

Follow the marked and paved trail that runs west and parallel to the CSX main. About 1/2 half mile from Main St until the paved trail doglegs south and starts uphill - at this point you will be atop the old WS main.

The ROW now continues west through the woods as an unmarked/unmaintained ATV trail to Beebe Bridge Rd. (Note the the trail will bring you through through an apparently abandoned DPW storage lot just east of the road.)

Once across Beebe Bridge Rd. a nicely maintained Erie Canal Trail State Park trail follows WS ROW another mile or so until it hits the old canal. At this point trail descends to follow the old canal towpath; the WS ROW continues straight and disappears into dense woods.

----

Incidentally Bing Maps is your friend for this kind of exploration. Except in recently built-up areas, the Westshore ROW is easily discernible from Bing aerial photos, and cross roads, etc. easily identified.

...FB

I recommend an Android phone or tablet, and OSMAnd (in the Google Play store). You can download maps to it, so you don't need a cell data plan. All you need is some Wifi. I have entered "ALL" New York State railbeds into OpenStreetMap, so you can easily trace them. I put ALL in quotes because it's more aspirational than real. I know that I'll probably never have every spur and every siding. Some of them were logging sidings: there one months, gone the next.

I did a bit of exploring East of Vernon on the Shore yesterday. While some of the right-of-way was a bit swampy, most of it appears to be walkable and not posted from Rt. 26 in Vernon to Rt. 233. near Hecla/Clark Mills. Part of the ROW off of Station Hill Rd. is now Denslow Rd for maybe 1/4 mile. I was really hoping to find WS MP 240 which is near creaser Rd., but had no luck. Although I could see a trail, the west side of the ROW at Creaser Rd. did appear to be posted so I didn't check out, and the East was quite flooded and overgrown. Locating it would have been like trying to find a needle in a haystack. According to the link I posted above, Taibi states that many of the WS mileposts were knocked out of the ground, but not removed. Think I'll try again in early spring when visibility will be at its peak. I really want to find some of the old mileposts.

Speaking of "The Oneida Railway Company -- from Horsecars to Interurbans", anybody know where I can order it from? Can't seem to find it anywhere online.

Thanks,

Frank