Rome, Watertown, & Ogdensburg Abandonment Dates

I'd like to to find out all the abandonment dates of the Rome, Watertown, & Ogdensburg branches of the NYC. I'd also like to know what portions are still active and by what railroad. The site http://www.rworr.net" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, has the RR spit into 5 districts on their website. The districts and stations can be found by clicking on the 5 links to them listed underneath the R, W, & O RR banner on the homepage. The Districts listed on the site are as follows

Oswego District

Suspension Bridge to Windsor Beach
Rochester to Windsor Beach
Windsor Beach to Pulaski (Is this the Hojack?)
Woodward to Fulton

Oswego & Watertown District

Syracuse to Masena Springs (Still Active I think as the CSX St. Lawrence Subdivision)

Carthage District

Utica to Clayton and Ogdensburg

Watertown District

DeKalb Junction to Ogdensburg
Gouvernuer Junction and Edwards
Rome to Richland (Camdem-Richland ab. November 19,1957, McConnellsville-Camden ab. December 1,1977, Rome-McConnellsville ab. August 4, 1982, Small section in Rome still active/Mohawk Adirondack & Northern RR)
Watertwon to Cape Vincent

Watertown & Carthage District

Newton Falls to Sacketts Harbor

Thanks-81

I think that Pulaski westward was all called the Hojack.

The original RW&O went Rome -> Camden -> Altmar -> Richland and continued north to Massena Springs. It also went from Richland west to the Niagara. What was the Syracuse & Northern went from Woodard north to Sandy Creek and Lacona. It was abandoned back to Pulaski and so the mainline CSX is S&N Woodard to Pulaski, Hojack Pulaski to Richland, then Richland north to Massena Springs.

Originally it stopped in Watertown (duh), and the Potsdam and Watertown picked up the traffic and interchanged with the Rutland in Norwood (aka Potsdam Junction). That was, for a few dozen years, the terminus (with a wye going south into the wetland which you can still see. Later on, it was extended up to Massena. That all got rolled into the RW&O system, itself into the New York Central.

The Hojack on the west side of the Genesee in Rochester (aka Charlotte) is still in minor used. Used to go to the Russell Coal Station, but that's now gone.

Another portion is in "use" for the Somerset power station. I use "use" very lightly.

Courtesy Richard Palmer:

Ontario Secondary, Mileposts from Buffalo

Buffalo (NYC terminal) 0.0
Niagara Falls 25.07
Suspension Bridge 26.90
Model City 34.29
Ransomville 39.95
Elberta 42.54
Wilson 45.65
Slash Road 47.05
Beebe Road 49.04
Burt 51.59
Appleton 54.80
West Somerset 57.13
Barker 59.74
Millers 64.05
Lyndonville 68.08
Ashwood 72.04
Waterport 75.17
Carlton 78.10
Brice 80.72
West Kendall 83.82
Kendall 85.74
Morton 88.04
Hamlin 92.16
Walker 95.14
Collamer 97.47
Hilton 98.57
Greece 101.83
Charlotte 108.48

Mileposts from Rochester terminal

Windsor Beach 10.59
Sea Breeze 13.36
Forest Lawn 15.49
Webster 19.99
Union Hill 22.86
Fruitland 24.68
Ontario 27.47
Williamson 32.30
East Williamson 34.49
Sodus 38.51
Wallington 41.50
Alton 43.43
North Rose 48.54
Wolcott 53.16
Red Creek 58.92
Sterling 63.63
Crocketts 66.84
Hannibal 69.38
Metcalf 72.06
Furniss 74.95
Oswego 79.47

•Oswego to Hannibal abandoned 1978
•Hannibal to Red Creek (Conrail) 1980 (OMID had been designated operator)
•Hannibal to Webster sold to Ontario Midland, Oct. 15, 1979
•Webster to Windsor Beach abandoned 1978
•Charlotte to Barker abandoned 1978
•Barker to Suspension Bridge 1979 (Portion from Suspension Bridge at Niagara Falls to ‘‘Riverview’’ north of Niagara University campus dismantled in the late 1960's by Penn-Central. Had not been used since construction of Niagara Power Project)
•Rochester to Windsor Beach abandoned 1996
•Through passenger service, Oswego to Rochester and Suspension Bridge, discontinued Feb. 2, 1935
•Passenger service discontinued, Oswego to Pulaski, Sept. 25, 1947

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Abandonments of New York Central "Hojack" Lines
Contributed by Richard Palmer List is based on mileage in in employee timetables

Lewiston Branch

Suspension Bridge 0 - Abandoned 1950
Lewiston 5.38*
Lewiston-Lewiston Jct. 3.60- Abandoned 1895
*(former connection with Lewiston & Youngstown Frontier RR) “Ontario Secondary”

MILEPOSTS FROM BUFFALO
Buffalo NYC Terminal 0
Niagara Falls 25.07
Suspension Bridge 26.90
Model City 34.29
Ransomville 39.95
Elberta 42.54
Wilson 42.65
Slash Road 47.05
Beebe Road 49.04
Burt 51.59
Appleton 54.80
West Somerset 57.13
Barker 59.74
Millers 64.05
Lydonville 68.08
Ashwood 72.04
Waterport 75.17
Carlton 78.10
Brice 80.72
West Kendall 83.82
Kendall 85.74
Morton 88.04
Hamlin 92.16
Walker 95.14
Collamer 97.47
Hilton 98.57
Greece 101.83
Charlotte 108.48
Barnard 111.36
Otis 114.89
Rochester 117.85


MILEPOSTS FROM ROCHESTER TERM.
Windsor Beach 10.59
Sea Breeze 13.36
Forest Lawn 15.49
Webster 19.99
Union Hill 22.86
Fruitland 24.68
Ontario 27.47
Williamson 32.30
East Williamson 34.49
Sodus 38.51
Wallington 41.50
Alton 43.43
North Rose 48.54
Wolcott 53.16
Red Creek 58.92
Sterling 63.63
Crocketts 66.84
Hannibal 69.38
Metcalf 72.06
Furniss 74.95
Oswego 79.47

Oswego to Hannibal abandoned 1978, now hiking trail.

Hannibal to Red Creek (Conrail) 1980 (OMID had been designated operator).

Hannibal to Webster sold to Ontario Midland, Oct. 15, 1979.

Webster to Windsor Beach abandoned 1978 Charlotte to Barker abandoned 1978 Barker to Suspension Bridge 1979

(Portion from Suspension Bridge at Niagara Falls to “Riverview” north of Niagara

University campus dismantled in the late 1960s by Penn-Central.
Had not been used since construction of Niagara Power Project)

Rochester to Windsor Beach abandoned 1978

Through passenger service, Oswego to Rochester and Suspension Bridge, discontinued Feb. 2, 1935

Passenger service discontinued, Oswego to Pulaski, Sept. 25, 1947 Cape Vincent Branch

C. Vincent - now marina 0
Rosiere 4.38
Three Mile Bay 7.72
Chaumont 11.16
Limerick 16.04
Dexter Junction 17.9
Brownville 19.86
Main St., Watertown 23.31 C. V.
C. V. Wye 22.89
Coffeen St. 24.06
Watertown Station 24.68

Limerick to Cape Vincent Abandoned 1952

Watertown to Limerick Abandoned 1976

Passenger service discontinued March 14, 1936 Sackets Harbor Branch

Sackets Harbor 0
Chamberlain’s 2.00
Camp’s Mills 3.39
Alverson’s 5.62
Green’s Corners 6.13
East Hounsfield 7.51
Watertown Junction 11.04

Abandoned 1949.

Passenger service discontinued Sept. 30, 1934.


Utica Branch

Lyons Falls 0
Glenfield 6.65
Martinsburg 10.18
Lowville 13.94

Abandoned 1964

Passenger service, Utica to Massena, discontinued May 21, 1961 (RDC) Watertown Passenger Train Cutoff

Watertown 0
Pamelia 5.39
Calcium 8.18
Roots 8.68

Abandoned 1963 Carthage Branch
Mileposts from Sackets Harbor

Watertown 12.00
Black River 18.45
Felts Mills 20.66
Great Bend 22.91
Carthage 29.68

Watertown - Great Bend abandoned 1967

Great Bend- Carthage abandoned 1970

Trackage in Watertown, Abandoned 1970

Passenger service, Utica to Watertown, this route, abandoned Nov. 3, 1958 (RDC) Carthage & Adirondack Branch

Newton Falls - Clifton Mines 10.04 1955

Passenger service, Carthage to Newton Falls, discontinued June 7, 1942 Clayton Branch

Clayton 0
LaFargeville 8.77
Orleans Corners 5.55
Strough’s 12.17
Rivergate 15.88
Shurtleff 17.75
Philadelphia 21.7

Abandoned 1973 Passenger service discontinued April 29, 1951 Ogdensburg Branch

Ogdensburg 0
Shipyard 0.84
Terrace Park 9.52
Morristown 10.67
Brier Hill 16.8
Hammond 21.43
Oakvale 25.49
Redwood 33.19
Theresa 39.32
Rivergate 41.82

Passenger service discontinued Oct. 28, 1956

Abandoned 1962 Ogdensburg Branch (2)

Dekalb Junction 0
Rensselaer Falls 6.73
Heuvelton 11.77
Ogdensburg 18.91

Abandoned 1979

Passenger service discontinued Nov. 9, 1958, Utica to Ogdensburg

Canadian Pacific car and passenger transfer - Ogdensburg to Prescott, Ont., abandoned 1971 Gouverneur & Oswegatchie Branch

Gouverneur Jct. 0
Hailesboro 3.26
York 5.94
Emeryville 7.72
Hyatt 10.37
Talcville 11.32
Edwards 13.82

Abandoned Emeryville - Edwards Jan. 1, 1978

Passenger service discontinued June 26, 1932 Syracuse Northern

Pulaski-Lacona 7.09 miles

Abandoned 1878 Miscellaneous Notes

Antwerp to Jefferson Iron Mine 2 miles Abandoned pre-1900

The Mohawk, Adirondack & Northern operates from Carthage to Lowville (17.2 miles); Carthage to Newton Falls, 45.7 miles (out of service, 1996, up for abandonment); Utica to Lyons Falls, 45 miles; also trackage and rights at Utica and Rome. All remaining portions of the St. Lawrence Division formerly operated by Conrail were transferred to CSX in 1999.

A short section of the Hojack was removed in the Village of Webster last year- roughly 1 1/2 miles. The section is from Holt Road to near Phillips Road.

The Hojack from Wolcott to Red Creek was abandoned circa 1988, with the track being removed in 1990 0r '91.

This is great! Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!!!!

That's some great information!

One of my earliest moments of seeing trains was a west-bound crossing the trestle/viaduct
at Waterport at less than 10 mph and creeping past the adjacent dirt-road crossing. I have
been interested in this line ever since!

Charlie

Repeat

Repeat

Repeat

Repeat

Repeat

A short segment between Niagara Falls and Lewiston remains, this being the tracks across the dam at the Robert Moses Power Project.

I apologize for the repeats which I blame on my computer.

Charles, that is a wealth of information for the OP. Sorry to do a little nit-picking, it's done for accuracy not criticism.

On your station list, I suggest the word "distance" or even "miles" would be more appropriate than "milePOST'. The actual mileposts on that line started at Pulaski and went westward - for example MP 65 was at Sodus.

The segment from Webster to Red Creek was never sold to Ontario Midland. The right of way is owned by Rochester Gas & Electric. The railroad infrastructure - ties, rails etc - were sold by the Penn Central Estate to the respective counties a year or two after OMID began operations. Cayuga County did not elect to acquire the Red Creek - Hannibal segment, and it was only operated a year after OMID's start-up. While Conrail was the designated operator before OMID, they were never the owner and were not involved in the abandonment of the Hannibal - Wolcott segments.

A couple unrelated notes: Webster and Sodus are roughly 18 miles apart. I have a copy of a timetable for 1893 showing a passenger train making that distance in about 23 minutes - making a couple station stops in between!

Also, that 1893 timetable showed trains on that line were numbered contrary to common practice - westbound trains were even numbers, while eastbounds were odd.

There are no former RW&O or NYC Lewiston Branch tracks left heading compass north railroad west out of the Suspension Bridge Yard. There is no rail access to the power plant. RW&O and Lewiston Branch tracks were separate. Lehigh Valley eventually occupied former RW&O yard at Niagara Falls.

No problem as it's not from me. As I said, It's just a copy and paste from Richard Palmer. His formatting and words.

Charles

BR&P wrote:Charles, that is a wealth of information for the OP. Sorry to do a little nit-picking, it's done for accuracy not criticism.

On your station list, I suggest the word "distance" or even "miles" would be more appropriate than "milePOST'. The actual mileposts on that line started at Pulaski and went westward - for example MP 65 was at Sodus.

The segment from Webster to Red Creek was never sold to Ontario Midland. The right of way is owned by Rochester Gas & Electric. The railroad infrastructure - ties, rails etc - were sold by the Penn Central Estate to the respective counties a year or two after OMID began operations. Cayuga County did not elect to acquire the Red Creek - Hannibal segment, and it was only operated a year after OMID's start-up. While Conrail was the designated operator before OMID, they were never the owner and were not involved in the abandonment of the Hannibal - Wolcott segments.

A couple unrelated notes: Webster and Sodus are roughly 18 miles apart. I have a copy of a timetable for 1893 showing a passenger train making that distance in about 23 minutes - making a couple station stops in between!

Also, that 1893 timetable showed trains on that line were numbered contrary to common practice - westbound trains were even numbers, while eastbounds were odd.