The NYC West Shore Thread

[NYCUticaSyracuse81]

I'm having lunch today with a couple NYC men who hired out in the 40's, I'll try to remember to pick up a story or two.

Now that is cool! Would love to hear what they have to share, West Shore or otherwise.

[BR&P]

I didn't get too much but learned something new to me - maybe old hat to others. I already knew the West Shore continued west of Attridge Road, and crossed the NYC main near Savage Road, and continued on into Churchville etc. But I did not realize there was a facing point westbound switch west of Tower 33 on the main line, whereby a westbound on the main line could cross to the WS. When the Oakfield Stub used to work out of Rochester, that's how they would go, get on the Shore there and the cross over the main line. There also was a connection from the Shore to the main line at Churchville, seems to me we discussed that on here at one time. Both those connections are visible on Bing Birds-Eye views.

Weather permitting I'll be seeing the same guy Friday, if I sit at his end of the table maybe I'll get a few more tidbits.

[charlie6017]

There also was a connection from the Shore to the main line at Churchville, seems to me we discussed that on here at one time. Both those connections are visible on Bing Birds-Eye views.

Here's the bird's-eye view of where this connector was, just off Sanford Rd. North. Last I knew, there are still
ties in the ground, but not entirely sure how long ago the rails came-up. Pretty overgrown now but not too tough
to see things if one looks really good.

Charlie

http://binged.it/1wQGpmW" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[BR&P]

Charlie, I believe that connector outlasted the WS abandonment by quite a few years, as it was retained to serve the feed mill. Seems to me the place still used rail into the late 70's or early 80's but I'm not sure.

[charlie6017]

Charlie, I believe that connector outlasted the WS abandonment by quite a few years, as it was retained to serve the feed mill. Seems to me the place still used rail into the late 70's or early 80's but I'm not sure.

Thanks Don!

I was out today just east of Churchville where the West Shore crossed over the ex-NYC main. Bridge is
long gone, but the abutments still remain. Wish I had drive just a few feet further west to poke around this
area.

But I did get some photos of the abutments that are still in place where the West Shore crossed over top
the main-line......caught 5 trains while I was there late morning. Here are a few photos.

An open view looking time-table east on the main (but direction north-east).



A zoom-in on the west abutment......



And the east abutment.

[charlie6017]

While in the area, I drove into the center of Churchville to see if I could get photos of the West Shore's
bridge over Black Creek. This area is located just south of the Good-Year auto repair building on the east
side of Main St. I walked back to find the bridge gone, but the abutments are still there. Not certain how
long ago the bridge itself was removed.

[charlie6017]

And here are the links to the full-size photos for better detail.......really wish the admins would make it so
larger file size photos could be posted here! Oh well. Hope you enjoyed!

Charlie

http://i926.photobucket.com/albums/ad10 ... ddeb07.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://i926.photobucket.com/albums/ad10 ... a852c0.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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http://i926.photobucket.com/albums/ad10 ... 01ee53.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://i926.photobucket.com/albums/ad10 ... ae0fe6.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[NYCUticaSyracuse81]

Nice shots Charlie! Would you consider adding them to my West Shore group on Flickr?

Here's a shot I was fortunate enough to catch today. The photo is actually a still from a video I took. It is NY Susquehanna & Western 3040 crossing French Rd. at New Hartford, NY on the only remaining section of the original West Shore Railroad on the Mohawk Division. The stretch is only about 1/4-1/2 miles in length, but at least I finally got to see an actual train on The West Shore Railroad. What an exciting day!

[charlie6017]

Sure can! You want them in the "West Shore, Syracuse, Mohawk & River Divisions" folder?

I'm sending you a DM.....

[FarmallBob]

While in the area, I drove into the center of Churchville to see if I could get photos of the West Shore's
bridge over Black Creek. This area is located just south of the Good-Year auto repair building on the east
side of Main St. I walked back to find the bridge gone, but the abutments are still there. Not certain how
long ago the bridge itself was removed.

The WS bridge over Black Creek was still in place the 1970's. If memory serves it was removed/scrapped about 1980.

...FB

[ctclark1]

There also was a connection from the Shore to the main line at Churchville, seems to me we discussed that on here at one time. Both those connections are visible on Bing Birds-Eye views.

Here's the bird's-eye view of where this connector was, just off Sanford Rd. North. Last I knew, there are still
ties in the ground, but not entirely sure how long ago the rails came-up. Pretty overgrown now but not too tough
to see things if one looks really good.

Charlie

http://binged.it/1wQGpmW" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Essentially what I was asking about but it kinda got lost in the "renaming" comments I think - See my crudely drawn diagram --
The connection inside the village at Sanford Rd was the original WB Shore --> Main connection, but in the late 1940s or very early 1950s the new connection (the current "terminus" of the WS Sub) was built east of Attridge, complimenting the already existing WB Main --> Shore connection on the west side of Attridge Rd. Was this because NYC had already planned to abandon the rest of the West Shore that early on, or was it just to move the crossover closer to its "sister" and get it out of the village?

[Old & Weary]

Without looking anything up, the "new connection" served only as a siding to the flour mill in Churchville which was on the original West Shore alignment. The Mill siding ended at Main St. and usually had several covered hoppers in Penn Central and Conrail days and I recall someone telling me they shipped much of their product to New England. I don't recall when this ended as far as rail service is concerned but the tracks were only to retain this shipper as the original WS track shrunk toward Buffalo.

[BR&P]

Without looking anything up, the "new connection" served only as a siding to the flour mill in Churchville which was on the original West Shore alignment. The Mill siding ended at Main St. and usually had several covered hoppers in Penn Central and Conrail days and I recall someone telling me they shipped much of their product to New England. I don't recall when this ended as far as rail service is concerned but the tracks were only to retain this shipper as the original WS track shrunk toward Buffalo.

I think you mean the OLD connection served to reach the flour mill, not "new". (The yellow line on the above drawing)

[Old & Weary]

You're right. The purple line on the map for Attridge Road is definitely not Main St.

[ctclark1]

Yeah, sorry the drawing is a bit "compressed" with respect to the east/west aspect haha.

So I'm guessing the new connection was built for the sole purpose of abandoning the line to the west in the '50s, then? Seems odd in one aspect to put that kind of money and effort into a new connection when there was already one a few miles west but I'm guessing the cost was easily offset over time by not having to maintain those few miles into the village, particularly the flyover at Savage rd.