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West Shore Railroad main line
The main line of the West Shore Railroad is a partially-abandoned railway line in the states of New Jersey and New York. At its fullest extent, it ran from Weehawken Terminal on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York. It runs roughly parallel to the former main line of the New York Central Railroad and was originally built as a competitor to that line, but was acquired by the New York Central Railroad and used primarily as a freight line. Much of the line has been abandoned but several sections remain in use, including most of the line on the west side of the Hudson between Weehawken and Albany.
The oldest part of the West Shore Railroad main line is the former main line of the Saratoga and Hudson River Railroad, later the Athens Branch of the New York Central Railroad. Daniel Drew founded the Saratoga and Hudson River Railroad in 1864 to further his steamboat interests on the Hudson River. The company completed a 37-mile (60 km) line between Schenectady, New York, and Athens, New York, in March 1866. The New York Central leased the company in 1867; the New York, West Shore and Buffalo Railway leased the line between Coxsackie, New York and Fullers, New York, on December 2, 1881. The company used it as a second main line track.
The Ridgefield Park Railroad was incorporated in 1867 and began building a 13-mile (21 km) line between Ridgefield, New Jersey, and Tappan, New York. This line was completed by the Jersey City and Albany Railroad on July 30, 1873. The New Jersey Midland Railway, a predecessor of the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway, operated the line under contract. After a period of receivership, the line was sold to the new Jersey City and Albany Railway in 1878.
The Jersey City and Albany Railway was incorporated in 1878 to acquire the property of the Jersey City and Albany Railroad. The new company pushed the line north from Tappen to Haverstraw, New York, an additional 13.1 miles (21.1 km). The extension opened on March 1, 1880.
The next and most significant expansion of the line took place under the New York, West Shore and Buffalo Railway, which was established in 1880. This new company had powerful financial backing and was developed as a competitor of the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad. The company extended its main line an additional 391.6 miles (630.2 km) from Haverstraw to Buffalo, New York. The line was completed in 1883. The New York Central established the West Shore Railroad in 1885 to acquire the New York, West Shore and Buffalo Railway, including its main line.
The West Shore Railroad remained the titular owner of the West Shore Railroad main line until June 20, 1952, when it, along with several other subsidiaries, was formally merged into the New York Central Railroad. The most significant change to the line during that period was realignment of the New York Central's lines through Syracuse, New York. The New York Central's main passenger line ran down the middle of Washington Street, posing a hazard to pedestrians and motorists. The West Shore line ran several blocks to the north, between Burnet and Canal. The New York Central constructed a new three-track line, elevated on an embankment, on the right-of-way of the West Shore line. This new line, including a new passenger station, opened on September 24, 1936.
Beginning in 1955, the New York Central gradually abandoned portions of the West Shore Railroad main line between Albany and Buffalo as it implemented centralized traffic control (CTC) to consolidate through traffic (freight and passenger) on its original main line. The line ceased being a through route as the New York Central abandoned 114 miles (183 km) between 1955 and 1963:
In addition, the New York Central sold the elevated right-of-way through Syracuse, built in 1936, to the state of New York in 1962 for the construction of Interstate 690. The New York Central merged with the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1968 to form the Penn Central Transportation Company. The new company entered bankruptcy two years later, eventually leading to the creation of Conrail in 1976. Before that happened, Penn Central abandoned two more parts of the line:
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West Shore Railroad main line
The main line of the West Shore Railroad is a partially-abandoned railway line in the states of New Jersey and New York. At its fullest extent, it ran from Weehawken Terminal on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York. It runs roughly parallel to the former main line of the New York Central Railroad and was originally built as a competitor to that line, but was acquired by the New York Central Railroad and used primarily as a freight line. Much of the line has been abandoned but several sections remain in use, including most of the line on the west side of the Hudson between Weehawken and Albany.
The oldest part of the West Shore Railroad main line is the former main line of the Saratoga and Hudson River Railroad, later the Athens Branch of the New York Central Railroad. Daniel Drew founded the Saratoga and Hudson River Railroad in 1864 to further his steamboat interests on the Hudson River. The company completed a 37-mile (60 km) line between Schenectady, New York, and Athens, New York, in March 1866. The New York Central leased the company in 1867; the New York, West Shore and Buffalo Railway leased the line between Coxsackie, New York and Fullers, New York, on December 2, 1881. The company used it as a second main line track.
The Ridgefield Park Railroad was incorporated in 1867 and began building a 13-mile (21 km) line between Ridgefield, New Jersey, and Tappan, New York. This line was completed by the Jersey City and Albany Railroad on July 30, 1873. The New Jersey Midland Railway, a predecessor of the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway, operated the line under contract. After a period of receivership, the line was sold to the new Jersey City and Albany Railway in 1878.
The Jersey City and Albany Railway was incorporated in 1878 to acquire the property of the Jersey City and Albany Railroad. The new company pushed the line north from Tappen to Haverstraw, New York, an additional 13.1 miles (21.1 km). The extension opened on March 1, 1880.
The next and most significant expansion of the line took place under the New York, West Shore and Buffalo Railway, which was established in 1880. This new company had powerful financial backing and was developed as a competitor of the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad. The company extended its main line an additional 391.6 miles (630.2 km) from Haverstraw to Buffalo, New York. The line was completed in 1883. The New York Central established the West Shore Railroad in 1885 to acquire the New York, West Shore and Buffalo Railway, including its main line.
The West Shore Railroad remained the titular owner of the West Shore Railroad main line until June 20, 1952, when it, along with several other subsidiaries, was formally merged into the New York Central Railroad. The most significant change to the line during that period was realignment of the New York Central's lines through Syracuse, New York. The New York Central's main passenger line ran down the middle of Washington Street, posing a hazard to pedestrians and motorists. The West Shore line ran several blocks to the north, between Burnet and Canal. The New York Central constructed a new three-track line, elevated on an embankment, on the right-of-way of the West Shore line. This new line, including a new passenger station, opened on September 24, 1936.
Beginning in 1955, the New York Central gradually abandoned portions of the West Shore Railroad main line between Albany and Buffalo as it implemented centralized traffic control (CTC) to consolidate through traffic (freight and passenger) on its original main line. The line ceased being a through route as the New York Central abandoned 114 miles (183 km) between 1955 and 1963:
In addition, the New York Central sold the elevated right-of-way through Syracuse, built in 1936, to the state of New York in 1962 for the construction of Interstate 690. The New York Central merged with the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1968 to form the Penn Central Transportation Company. The new company entered bankruptcy two years later, eventually leading to the creation of Conrail in 1976. Before that happened, Penn Central abandoned two more parts of the line: