Empire United Railways

Empire United Railways
Locale Rochester to Syracuse, to Auburn to Oswego[1]
Dates of operation 1912–1917
Successor Empire State Railway
Track gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Headquarters Syracuse, New York

The Empire United Railways was an interurban railway that was owned by Clifford D. Beebe of Syracuse, New York. The Beebe Syndicate controlled interurbans that ran from Rochester to Syracuse, to Auburn to Oswego on Lake Ontario.[1]

The road was established in 1912 after the Auburn and Northern Railroad and the Rochester, Syracuse and Eastern Rapid Railroad consolidated.[2] A year later, in 1913, Syracuse, Lake Shore and Northern Railroad was merged into the company.[1]

The line had an "electric parlor car" named Syracuse in 1912 that made runs between Syracuse and Rochester.

The company was consolidated into the Empire State Railway in 1917.[2]

History

Between 1912 and 1916, three of Beebe's properties were consolidated into the Empire United Railways, but for most of their histories they were independently operated under the control of officers affiliated with Beebe.[1] The interurbans of the Beebe Syndicate that were consolidated were the Rochester, Syracuse and Eastern Rapid Railroad, Auburn and Northern Railroad and the Syracuse, Lake Shore and Northern Railroad.[1]

Labor union

During June 1916, an agreement with the Amalgamated Association of Street and Electrical Railway Employees was offered to workers from Empire United lines as well as Syracuse and South Bay Railway, Auburn and Syracuse Electric Railroad and the Syracuse, Lake Shore and Northern Railroad. Additionally, the Fulton city lines and Oswego city lines were included in the agreement. Attending the conference were H. J. Barrette and Burton Sampson of the Auburn line, Patrick Long and Willis Pickard of the South Bay road and John Manning and Arthur Hubbell of the Lake Shore road.[3]

Empire State Railway

The company was consolidated into the Empire State Railway in 1917.[2]

Gallery

Main gallery of images: Commons:Railroad in Syracuse, New York

Empire United Railways interior of parlor car in 1912
Empire United Railways interior of parlor car in 1912
Empire United Railways parlor car Syracuse - Halloran Building in 1912

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Hilton, George W. and Due, John. The Electric Interurban Railways in America. Stanford University Press, 1960, p.314. Retrieved March 4, 2011.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Polston, Jeff (2010). "JeffPo's Empire State Railroad Lantern Page". JeffPo's Universe. Retrieved March 3, 2010.
  3. ↑ "Amalgamated Men Preparing Agreement". Syracuse Herald (Syracuse, New York). June 12, 1916.