| New York State Railways | |
|---|---|
| Locale | Upstate New York |
| Dates of operation | 1909–1941 |
| Successor | New York Central Railroad |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) (standard gauge) |
New York State Railways was a grouping of several large city streetcar and electric interurban systems in upstate New York. It included the city transit systems in Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, Oneida and Rome, plus various interurban lines connecting those cities.
The company was formed in 1909 when the New York Central Railroad (NYC) consolidated its previously purchased (in 1905) Rochester Railways, serving that city, with the Rochester and Eastern Rapid Railway and Rochester & Sodus Bay interurban companies. In 1912 it added the Rochester & Suburban Ry., the Syracuse Rapid Transit Railway, the Oneida Railway, and the Utica & Mohawk Valley Ry. In effect, the big steam railroad system (NYC) was able to monopolize local and intercity passenger business along its Mohawk Valley mainline.
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In June 1920, the total value of the New York State Railway Corporation franchise in Syracuse as determined by the New York State Tax Commission was $2,320, down from $2,407,000 in 1919.[1]
Patronage on the streetcar and interurban lines declined in the 1920s, thanks to autos, buses, and paved roads — but the electric utilities owned by the company grew. As a result, in 1928 the New York Central sold its control of the New York State Railways system to what became the Associated Gas & Electric Co.
Shortly after the transaction, the stock market crashed, and on December 30, 1929, the company was put into receivership. Afterward the interurban routes were abandoned along with many unprofitable city and suburban routes.
New York State Railways emerged from receivership in 1934, and gradually the remaining core city lines were sold as separate operations. The Rochester lines became Rochester Transit Co. in 1938, Syracuse Transit Corp. took over that system in 1939, and, finally, the Utica lines were reorganized in 1948. During this period all remaining streetcar lines were converted to bus. Rochester's last city streetcar ran March 31, 1941, and its unusual subway line ceased in 1956. Syracuse's streetcar service ended January 4, 1941, and Utica's on May 12, 1941.
The story up to date with the present public agencies now operating in former N.Y.State Rys. territory.
Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority (Rochester) Regionally owned since 1968
CNY Centro, a subsidiary of the Central New York Regional Transportation Authority (Syracuse) Regionally owned since 1972
- 1941 - streetcars discontinued
Oneida County Rural Transit (Oneida) Regionally owned
1930 - streetcars discontinued - Period of no transit service
Centro of Oneida, a subsidiary of the Central New York Regional Transportation Authority (Utica-Rome) Regionally owned since 2005
1933 - streetcars discontinued - Period of no transit service
Centro of Oneida, a subsidiary of the Central New York Regional Transportation Authority (Utica-Rome) Regionally owned since 2005
1941 - streetcars discontinued