Book on Utica West Shore railroad

[Benjamin Maggi]

I am interested in Utica's railroads, though specifically what I believe was a piece of the West Shore line that cut through east-west through the city. I have read many of the threads here (some of the links I posted below) about this and other portions of railroads in Utica but haven't come across many pictures of the West Shore line. I have the red Along the Old West Shore book by John Ham but it doesn't really help me here.

Are there any other railroad books, preferably in color and for the period of the 1950s-through abandonment which I think was the early 1970s, showing the West Shore in Utica?

Thanks.

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http://railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=128&t=88798" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[jurtz]

Are you aware of this web site: https://oneidarailway.wixsite.com/thirdrailsystem

While it is more focused on the electric interurban operations, it is about the West Shore and includes Utica within its scope. There is a PDF book available for purchase.

[WShore4Ever]

Sadly, though I have been looking, too, for quite a while, there is nothing that I have come across that covers that part of the West Shore. Even postcards (eBay, Worthpoint, etc.) and aerial photos are scarce to non-existent. Don't forget about the Broad St. spur, too. Valuation maps and Sanborn Maps are a start, though. Somewhere in the Railroad.net forum archives is a post linking to or containing Sanborn Maps of Utica.

Although it seems logical given the double-tracked, airline West Shore RoW through Utica, the Utica and Mohawk Valley interurban was on private RoW after leaving the West Shore east of Frankfort to Bleeker St. in Utica, then ran on the street railways in Utica. As was mentioned above, the electrified West Shore began again headed west at Genesee St. In between was essentially what today we would call a (long) industrial track, albeit double-tracked into the 1950s. Severing the line between S. Little Falls and S. Ft. Plain ca. 1970, cutting it back in stages to Harbor, and severing it again near Vernon sealed its fate. The density of street crossing, many compound, didn't help. We are now coming to the end of crew who even remember operating over it. It truly has become a forgotten line.

Please let the online community know if you find anything.'

- WShore4Ever

[Benjamin Maggi]

Thank you both for your insight.

[mackdave]

You may want to invest in a set of these from the New York Central System Historical Society:
http://www.nycshs.net/West-Shore-Val-Ma ... _1120.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Dave Mackay