Peekskill Lighting and Railroad Company
| Locale | Westchester County, New York, and Putnam County, New York |
|---|---|
| Dates of operation | 1899–1926 |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
| Electrification | 600v DC |
| Headquarters | Peekskill, New York |
The Peekskill Lighting and Railroad Company was a streetcar transit line operating in northern Westchester County and southern Putnam County. The earliest segment was constructed by the Peekskill Traction Company in 1899 running 5.5 miles from the New York Central Railroad train station at Peekskill to Lake Mohegan. The company was unable to meet payments for construction of the line, so the contractor operated the railroad until it was sold to the Peekskill Lighting and Railroad Company in 1900 (itself a consolidation of the Peekskill Gas Light Co., Peekskill Electric Light and Power Co., and the Peekskill Traction Co.). The associated Westchester and Putnam Traction Company built extensions beyond Lake Mohegan, though the two companies were operated as one. In 1902, an extension was constructed through Buchannan to Verplanck. Another extension was opened in 1907 to Cortlandville, and Varian's Mills (later Williams Corners) in 1908. The final extension to Oregon (Putnam Valley) opened in 1909.[1] The first cutbacks came in 1924, followed by the closure of the Putnam Valley extension in 1925. The remaining track around Peekskill was closed in 1926.[2]
