New York State Railways
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New York State Railways is a former parent company of rapid transit companies for a number of cities and communities in western and central New York State.
History
Created on March 22, 1909, New York State Railways was born of the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad, a position that the New York Central Railroad held until being sold in June, 1928. The creation of New York State Railways was an amalgamation of the Rochester Railway, Rochester and Eastern Rapid Railway, Rochester and Suburban Railway, Rochester and Sodus Bay Railway, Syracuse Rapid Transit Company, Utica and Mohawk Valley Railway Company and Oneida Railway Company.
By 1928, the New York State Railways began closing down street railway lines and converting them to bus operation or abandoning them altogether. This continued until 1938 in Rochester, when the New York Central Railroad sold the subsidiary for Rochester to the Rochester Transit Corporation, and 1939, when the same occurred for the City of Syracuse when the operations for that city were sold to the Syracuse Transit Corporation. Service by Utica City Lines was surrendered to the Utica Transit Corporation in 1948.
To this date, New York State Railways carries the distinction of having (had) one of the largest public transportation systems in upstate New York, in terms of reach, and mileage of track.
A selection of the areas served, include:
- Canandaigua City Lines: 1909-1928; streetcar service discontinued on July 31, 1930.
- Rochester City Lines: 1909-1938; streetcar service discontinued on March 31, 1941, subway service discontinued in 1956. Bus replacement available on most lines of the Rochester Transit Corporation.
- Rome City Lines: 1909-1933; streetcar service discontinued on December 8, 1930.
- Syracuse City Lines: 1910-1939; Bus replacement available on most lines of the Syracuse Transit Corporation.
- Utica City Lines: 1909-1948; streetcar service discontinued on December 31, 1930. Bus replacement available on most lines of the Utica Transit Corporation.
- Rochester-Geneva: 1903-1930; interurban service discontinued July 31, 1930.
- Rochester-Sodus Point: 1900-1929; local service to Webster and Sodus Point replaced by Rochester Transit Corporation route 30 Webster-Sodus buses until at least March, 1957.
- Utica-Syracuse: 1907-1930; interurban (third-rail service) discontinued December 31, 1930. Bus replacement available on most lines of the Central New York Coach Lines.
- Rome-Utica-Little Falls: 1902-1933; some service replaced by services of the Central New York Coach Lines.
Timeline
- 1905: The New York Central Railroad took control of three companies, the Rochester Railway Company, Rochester and Eastern Rapid Railway, and Rochester and Sodus Bay Railway, necessitating the creation of the Mohawk Valley Company, to manage the acquisitions.
- 1909: New York Central Railways was incorporated on March 22, 1909 when the above mentioned properties were merged into a single entity.
- 1912: The Rochester and Suburban Railway, Syracuse Rapid Transit Railway, the Oneida Railway and Utica and Mohawk Valley Railway were acquired, extending the New York State Railways reach, further to the east of New York state. This was done in part for New York Central Railroad to control the competition and to gain control of lucrative electric utility companies that the railways used utilities of.
- 1920's: Ridership begins dropping, as operating costs increased, and the increase in personal vehicle use rose.
- 1923: Trackless trolley service begins in Rochester.
- 1927: The Rochester Subway placed under operation by New York State Railways, from the City of Rochester. In Syracuse, the Green Street car line is closed, with no bus replacement.
- 1928: New York Central Railway is sold to a consortium led my investor E. L. Phillips, interested in gaining control of upstate utilities.
- 1929: Phillip's stake in the company is sold to Associated Gas and Electric. The new owners allowed the railway's bonds to default, entering receivership on December 30, 1929, at the start of the Great Depression. The first streetcar lines in Rochester were closed, including the Exchange, Plymouth, Emerson and Driving Park routes. In addition, the Rochester to Sodus Bay interurban is shut down.
- 1930: The Rochester and Eastern Rapid Railway's Rochester to Geneva interurban line closes, in addition to Canandaigua local streetcar services. In Syracuse, Valley via Elmwood and Valley via Salina car lines closed.
- 1932: Trackless trolley service ends in Rochester.
- 1933: Syracuse's Burnet car line converted to bus service on January 22. On June 30, Syracuse car lines on West Genesee and West Solvay streets were closed. On October 31, the Dudley, Oak and Park car lines were closed in Syracuse. On December 31, the Liverpool car line closed.
- 1934: New York State Railways exits receivership, and local operations were sold to private operators in 1938 and 1948.
- 1935: In Syracuse, the Oakwood and Summit car lines were closed on May 27.
- 1936: The largest streetcar to bus conversion occurs in August, affecting eleven routes: Durand-Eastman Park, Allen, Jefferson, South Clinton, Webster, Clifford, Central Park, Goodman North, Sea Breeze, Hudson and Joseph. In Syracuse, the Solvay car line converted to bus operation.
- 1937: In Rochester, the Park, West, and University streetcar lines are converted to bus service. In Syracuse, the Elmwood, East Syracuse and Midler car lines were shut down September 15, with the Minoa car line following on October 11.
- 1938: Rochester Transit Corporation is created by reorganization, on August 2, to operate remaining bus and streetcar services. In Syracuse, the Court and Midland car lines closed on July 31.
- 1939: The final car line in Syracuse under the New York State Railway on the University car line was closed on September 30. On November 22, the Syracuse Transit Corporation was reorganized to replace Syracuse City Lines.
Rochester division
See Rochester City Lines (New York) for more details.
Covers Rochester city lines, Rochester and Sodus Bay, Rochester and Geneva, Canandaigua and the Rochester Subway.
The Rochester division of New York State Railways operated from four carbarns on a number of routes radiating from the busy corner of Main and Clinton Streets in Downtown Rochester.
Carbarns
- East Main Station
- State Street Station (downtown)
- Lake Avenue Station
- Portland Avenue Station
Streetcar lines
Most routes are through-routed from end of the city to the other, passing through downtown near the center point of each route.
- 1 Lake Avenue / Park Avenue; streetcar service abandoned on Park Street portion 8-10-1937.
- 2 Main Street East / West Avenue; streetcar service abandoned on West Avenue portion 8-10-1937. service on Main Street East abandoned 3-31-1941.
- 3 Park Street / Dewey Street streetcar service abandoned on Park Street 8-10-1937, with Dewey Street following on 3-11-1941.
- 4 University Avenue / Thurston; streetcar service abandoned on 8-10-1937.
- 5 St Paul Avenue / South Avenue; streetcar service abandoned on St. Paul and South Avenue 5-23-1939.
- 6 Webster Avenue / Lyell Avenue; streetcar service abandoned on Webster Avenue 8-10-1936.
- 7 North Clinton Avenue / South Clinton Avenue; streetcar service abandoned on South Clinton 8-10-1936.
- 8 Parsells Avenue / Genesee Avenue; streetcar service abandoned on Parsells Avenue 12-24-1940, Genesee abandoned on 3-28-1939.
- 9 Hudson Avenue / Jay Street; streetcar service abandoned on Hudson 8-30-1936
- 10 Portland Avenue; streetcar service abandoned on 3-11-1941
- 11 Clifford Avenue; streetcar service abandoned on 8-30-1936
- 12 Central Park / Jefferson Street; entire line abandoned on 8-30-1936
- 13 Glen Haven
Note: most routes not showing an abandoned date after the route may have continued as streetcar routes with the Rochester Transit Corporation before being abandoned.
Trolley bus
- 15 Crosstown "Trackless Trolley" (Driving Park Avenue)
Bus lines
- 16 Dewey Avenue / Latta Road
- 17 East Avenue / Pittsford
- 18 Humboldt Street / Laurelton
- 19 Ridge Road / Manitou
- 20 Genesee Park Boulevard
- 22 Lyell and Emerson
- 23 Irondequoit (Culver-Titus-Hudson)
- 24 Chili Avenue
- 26 Exchange Street (Iola Sanitorium/Westfall Road)
- 28 Holcomb
- 29 Monroe Avenue / Pittsford
- 30 East Avenue / Struckmar
- 31 Crosstown (Glide-Genesee Park Boulevard)
Subway
- 25 Rochester Subway (General Motors / Rowlands)
- The Rochester City Subway makes stops at twenty-one stations across the city, from the northwest to the southeast; Driving Park, Lexington, Glenwood, Emerson, Edgerton Park, Lyell Avenue, Main West at Oak, City Hall (Times Square), Court Street, Meigs-Goodman, Monroe, Culver, Colby, Winton Rd, East Avenue, Halfway, Highland, Ashbourne, Elmwood, Sunset and Rowlands.
- Note: Italicized stations indicate subway (underground) stations.
Syracuse division
See Syracuse City Lines for more details
Covers Syracuse city lines, Syracuse and Utica and Oneida lines.
Car barns
- Tallman Station
- Wolf Station
Streetcar lines
- 1 Nedrow (streetcar service ended 06/29/1940)
- 2 South Salina (streetcar service ended 06/29/1940)
- 4 Valley via Elmwood (streetcar service ended 05/31/1930)1941
- 4 Valley via Salina (streetcar service ended 05/31/1930)
- 5 Elmwood (streetcar service ended 09/15/1937)
- 6 Summit (streetcar service ended 05/27/1935)
- 7 Dudley (streetcar service ended 10/31/1933)
- 8 Geddes (streetcar service ended 07/01/1933)
- 9 Solvay (streetcar service ended 01/13/1936)
- 10 West Genesee (streetcar service ended 06/30/1933)
- 11 Liverpool (streetcar service ended 12/31/1933)
- 12 Wolf (streetcar service ended 01/04/1941)
- 13/14 Court (streetcar service ended 07/31/1938)
- 15 Park (streetcar service ended 10/31/1933)
- 16 Butternut (streetcar service ended 01/04/1941)
- 17 Oak (streetcar service ended 10/31/1933)
- 18 Green Street (streetcar service ended 09/29/1927)
- 19 Midler (streetcar service ended 09/15/1937)
- 20 East Syracuse (streetcar service ended 09/15/1937)
- 21 Minoa (streetcar service ended 10/11/1937)
- 22 Burnet (streetcar service ended 01/22/1933)
- 23 Westcott (streetcar service ended 01/04/1941)
- 24 Walnut (streetcar service ended 01/04/1941)
- 25 University (streetcar service ended 09/30/1939)
- 26 Oakwood (streetcar service ended 05/27/1935)
- Elm Street (streetcar service ended 11/11/1940)
- Midland (streetcar service ended 07/31/1938)
- West Solvay (streetcar service ended 06/30/1933)
Utica division
See Utica City Lines for more details
Covers Utica city lines, Rome-Utica-Little Falls, Rome and Mohawk Valley cities.
Car barns
- Main Street station
- Forest Park station and shops
Streetcar lines
1927
- 2 Rome-Little Falls
- 3 Clinton (streetcar service abandoned 3/21/1936)
- 4 New Hartford (streetcar service abandoned 5/12/1941)
- 5 Capron (streetcar service abandoned 4/8/1941)
- 6 Eagle (streetcar service abandoned 1932)
- 7 James (streetcar service abandoned 4/1936)
- 8 South (streetcar service abandoned 1934)
- 9 Blandina (streetcar service abandoned 1933)
- 10 Lincoln (streetcar service abandoned 6/1933)
- 11 Whitesboro (abandstreetcar service oned 7/5/1938)
- 12 New York Mills (streetcar service abandoned 7/5/1938)
- 14 Mohawk (streetcar service abandoned 10/7/1934)
- 15 Lenox (streetcar service abandoned 6/1933)
- 16 State
- 17 Yorkville
- Auburn Avenue Shuttle (streetcar service abandoned 1/14/1925)
- Forest Park (streetcar service abandoned 5/12/1941)
- James and Oneida Street Shuttle (streetcar service abandoned 1925)
- Roscoe Conkling Park Shuttle (streetcar service abandoned 1929)
- North Utica (streetcar service abandoned 12/1/1931)
Streetcar and Interurban Roster
This section is incomplete.
Streetcars were painted in the New York State Railways signature livery across the system, comprised of a green body with cream/ivory accents and red doors/window frames.
Note: (e) following fleet numbers indicate "even" car numbers, (o) indicates "odd" car numbers, (5) indicates multiples of five (i.e. 5...10..15..)
Rochester City Lines
| Fleet number(s) | Thumbnail | Year | Manufacturer | Model | Motors | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21, 23 | Open-air trailer car. | |||||
| 26, 28, 31-36, 39-40, 44 |
1904 | Kuhlman | 12-bench | Order number 240.
| ||
| 30, 38 | 1904 | Kuhlman | 12-bench | Order number 240.
| ||
| 43 | 1904 | Kuhlman | 12-bench | Order number 240.
| ||
| 45 | ||||||
| 46-68 (even numbers) |
1917 | Cincinnati | From order 2130.
| |||
| 119 | ||||||
| 123-130 | Stephenson | |||||
| 131-148 | Stephenson | |||||
| 149 | Cincinnati | Curved Side Car | ||||
| 155 | ||||||
| 172-180 | Stephenson | |||||
| 0205 |
| |||||
| 216 | ||||||
| 221 | ||||||
| 250 | ||||||
| 303 | ||||||
| 317 | ||||||
| 322 | ||||||
| 323 | ||||||
| 430-449 | January, 1905 | Kuhlman | Semi-convertible cars. | |||
| 459 | ||||||
| 491 | ||||||
| 500-509 | 1904 | Brill | 4-GE54 | |||
| 510-516 | 1904 | in house | Double-ended cars. | |||
| 517-520 | 1898 | Jackson & Sharp | ||||
| 550-559 | Kuhlman | |||||
| 560-579 | January, 1905 | Kuhlman | Cars carry J. G. Brill Company patent. | |||
| 600-639 | 1906-1907 | Kuhlman | From order 326. | |||
| 700-724 | 1909 | Kuhlman | PAYE | Order number 440. | ||
| 750-761 | Ex-Rochester and Suburban Railway, converted from open air cars. | |||||
| 800-814 | 1911 | Kuhlman | PAYE | Order number 494. | ||
| 850-869 | April, 1913 | Brill | Order number 18485. | |||
| 904 | Open-air car. | |||||
| 1000-1024 | 1913 | Kuhlman | Order number 558. | |||
| 1058 | ||||||
| 1100-1124 | 1913 | Kuhlman | Order number 559.
| |||
| 1200-1249 | 1917 | Cincinnati | Order number 2120.
| |||
| 1300 | 1915 | Kuhlman | Order number 597.
| |||
| 2000-2018 (even numbers) |
1912 | Brill | Nine cars are ex-Utica City Lines cars (300-series). | |||
| 3000-3009 | 1907 | Brill | Ex-New York and Harlem (1200-series).
|
Syracuse City Lines
| Fleet number(s) | Thumbnail | Year | Manufacturer | Model | Motors | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1036 | 1916 | Kuhlman |
Utica City Lines
| Fleet number(s) | Thumbnail | Year | Manufacturer | Model | Motors | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Utica and Mohawk Valley Railway
| Fleet number(s) | Thumbnail | Year | Manufacturer | Model | Motors | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 532 | McKeen | "Windsplitter" car used on third-rail Syracuse-Utica line. |
Bus Roster
| Fleet Number(s) | Thumbnail | Year | Manufacturer | Model | Engine | Transmission | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|