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  • The NYC West Shore Thread

  • Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in New York State.
Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in New York State.

Moderator: Otto Vondrak

 #1302736  by sd80mac
 
ctclark1 wrote: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.
avoiding the property tax as well.. I was thinking why cant they connect at where Savage rd is... take east abutment out and lower the track level. Dont have to buy new property for new connection. But looking at map.. it's about 2 miles from where new connection veers away from WS to Savage rd. so in long run, they might have saved $ on property tax by getting rid of approx 1 3/4 miles
 #1302769  by TB Diamond
 
Reference West Shore passenger service:

Trains 83-84, Syracuse-Wayneport, discontinued in 1930.
 #1302840  by NYCUticaSyracuse81
 
NYCUticaSyracuse81 wrote: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!

Just uploaded the vid to youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLcojsjFGmg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 #1319228  by NYCUticaSyracuse81
 
This postcard I recently acquired has me a bit confused. Is this the original WS station at Catskill, NY, or is it possible that it is a misprint. Please read caption below the postcard. Thanks-cnyrailroadnut

https://www.flickr.com/photos/97630304@N02/16447133957/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 #1319741  by NYCUticaSyracuse81
 
I recently purchased this postcard of what I believe to be the former West Shore RR bridge over Ransom Rd., and Ransom Creek at Clarence, NY. Can anyone familiar with the area confirm this for me? Based on satelitte maps, it appears that a new pedestrian bridge now spans the road and creek.

Thanks, cnyrailroadnut
Attachments:
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 #1319786  by charlie6017
 
That looks like it.....obviously it's much different now. The West shore crossed nearby Rte. 5 at-grade at
roughly diagonally and then over Ransom Road as seen. The local towns/villages made a nice trail on this
ROW.

Charlie
 #1319799  by NYCUticaSyracuse81
 
Awesome! Thanks Charlie! I thought that it was the original bridge, but wanted to be 100% before I posted it on my flicker page. Looks like a nice pedestrian bridge they have put in there now. I tried using google street view, and it looks like the original west bridge abutment still remains. I have a couple more questions. When was the line through Clarence abandoned, and do any whistleposts, mile markers, or historic RR structures remain?
 #1319818  by charlie6017
 
You're welcome! I want to say the line through Clarence was abandoned some time in the mid 1980's but
that's purely guessing. Others on here can likely give more exact dates. I'll hunt around more for a concrete
answer. I know traffic from Buffalo Crushed Stone further west toward Buffalo used part of the line from the
area of the quarry near Harris Hill Road; I think that was into the late 1990's or so.

As far as structures, mileposts, etc goes......I don't think there's anything in the paved-trail area, but maybe
someone with more knowledge can speak more on that.

Charlie
 #1319847  by Old & Weary
 
Between Oakfield, where the west end terminated from the l960's to 80's and Akron, where the trail starts, there is nothing left except the roadbed.
 #1320462  by NYCUticaSyracuse81
 
Thanks O&W.

I know that there are a lot of remains between Syracuse, and Ilion, such as mileposts, whistle posts, bridges, stations, interurban artifacts, rails in pavement, an so forth. Does Anyone know what remains between Ilion, and Pattersonville? I plan to explore this section over the spring and summer, so if anyone has knowledge of remains such as the ones i have listed above, I'd love to know, so I can photograph them for my flickr page and West Shore group. Thanks-cnyrailroadnut
 #1320468  by SST
 
I've done the bike path a few times from Buffalo Crushed Stone to Akron. There are random items to see. I have spotted a few telegraph poles, standing and fallen. A few displaced concrete pedestals bulldozed out of place. I believe a call box buried in severe overgrowth. A few spurs off of the row. A rusted sign that is attached to a rail post. A pile of RR ties that are becoming pretty rotted.

Years ago, my uncle and I tried to ride the ROW east of Akron. The ballast, at that time, made it impossible to ride on. I gave up and turned around.
 #1320474  by lvrr325
 
Much of this section can be hiked as a trail. From Little Falls to Pattersonville, it's the New York State Canalway Trail, with some small sections where it uses other routes - for instance just west of Fort Plain a house is built on the ROW. Some sections show on their map as proposed and are unimproved, some are a full on bike trail, paved and signed along the route. One bridge is out in Fort Plain. Some rails from sidings are in evidence and at least one depot (Fultonville with it's odd foundation) remains.

The Schoharie Creek bridge may not be passable, not sure what the state is doing there. Two years ago December 5S was still detoured onto the railroad bridge due to damage to the highway bridge next to it, but as of 2013 the road now uses the highway bridge albeit with traffic lights making it single lane. Equipment and barriers are all over the place there.


From Fort Plain to the quarry just east of Amsterdam was only pulled out in 1982, and from there to Pattersonville came out even more recently (CSX I believe removed it).

Little Falls east to Mohawk has some sections where it's largely dissapeared and others where it's still obvious. The highly altered station remains in Mohawk, although it's been moved and I believe 5S actually is routed on some of the ROW. There's a BAR caboose and an old 40' plug door box car as part of the station area, which was a restaurant.
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