Syracuse Northern Railroad

Syracuse Northern Railroad
Locale Syracuse, New York to Watertown, New York
Dates of operation 1868–1875
Successor Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad
Track gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge

The Syracuse Northern Railroad, incorporated in 1868 and opened on November 9, 1871,[1] drew trade from Liverpool to Syracuse, New York.[2] The line had routes to Watertown, New York, and in 1875, the road was extended to Pulaski and Lacona.[3]

The company merged in 1875 into Syracuse and Northern Railroad and once again that same year to Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad.[4]

History

The Syracuse Northern Railroad Company was chartered on February 25, 1868, and opened for business on November 9, 1871, with routes to Watertown, New York.[5] Around 1875, the Syracuse Northern Railroad extended their line to Pulaski and Lacona. The Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad (RW&OR) leased the rail shortly after.[5]

Syracuse Northern Railroad - 1874

In 1874, the company advertised they had the most direct route between Syracuse and Watertown, Ogdensburg, Cape Vincent, Kingston, Plattsburg, Burlington, Vermont and "all points in Northern New York.[6]

R. DeW. Mann was the general pass agent and James W. Brown was the superintendent in Syracuse.[6]

The railroad ran a total distance of 8 miles (13 km) and extended from the Penn Central tracks west of Route 11 in the village of Pulaski northward to the village of Lacona where it rejoined the Penn Central. The railroad passed through the streets and backyards of Pulaski and paralleled Route 11 to the village of Sandy Creek, where it crossed Route 11 and the present Interstate Route 81 before reaching Lacona. The right-of-way passes through gently rolling terrain, largely wooded with some open fields. By 1974, cuts and fills for the original grade were apparent, but the only structure observed was one stone arch and the abutments of the Salmon River Bridge in Pulaski.[3]

Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg railroad

The company was sold under foreclosure and reorganized as the Syracuse and Northern Railroad Company and consolidated on July 31, 1875[5] into Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad.[4]

In 1913, the Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad became part of New York Central and Hudson River Railroad and reverted to NYCRR in 1914.

References

  1. ↑ Beauchamp, Rev. William Martin. "Past and present of Syracuse and Onondaga county, New York (Volume 1)". New York: S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1908, pg. 8. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
  2. ↑ "Liverpool Was First Named For Irish". Syracuse Journal (Syracuse, New York). March 20, 1939.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Inventory of Abandoned Railroad Rights of Way". New York State Department of Transportation, 1974. Retrieved February 18, 2011.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Poor, Henry Varnum. Manual of the railroads of the United States, Volume 22. Poors, 1889 p. 85; 317. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "New York State Railroads and New York Central Railroad". kinglyheirs.com, 2010. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Boyd's Syracuse City Directory 1874. Andrew Boyd, 1874.