Jamestown, Westfield and Northwestern Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Jamestown, Westfield and Northwestern Railroad (JW&NW) was an electric interurban
railroad that served the New York towns of Jamestown
and Westfield
from 1914 to 1950.
with major stops at Greenhurst, Bemus Point, Dewittville, and Mayville. From Mayville, after crossing the Pennsylvania Railroad
(PRR) Chautauqua Branch, the single track climbed steep hills and passed through scenic "Hogsback Ravine" at the grade's summit. It then followed a curving route and drop to Westfield. In Westfield, the line crossed under the Nickel Plate Railroad
to reach its depot which was the west end of the New York Central Railroad
(NYC) station.
A JW&NW schedule from 1941 shows six daily trips 6am to 9pm, each way, three hours apart to meet NYC passenger trains that stopped at Westfield. The Jamestown to Westfield trip took one hour. The JW&NW and the NYC interchanged considerable freight traffic as well as exchanged passengers.
The JW&NW operated bright red heavy steel passenger interurban cars (including one with an observation platform) and interurban freight-express cars capable of pulling two or three freight cars to provide freight delivery between the two towns. The NYC would set out cars on the interchange tracks to be taken to Jamestown and the JW&NW would set out cars for the NYC to pick up.
At Mayville, the JW&NW crossed a branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad where there were interchange tracks for PRR lumber and coal setouts for Jamestown. The JW&NW tower and dispatcher were at this junction. PRR and JW&NW control and signaling to prevent collisions (called interlocking) was the responsibility of the JW&NW tower at this interchange. Dispatching orders for the conductors of the interurban cars was by written order, and the interurbans stopped here to pick them up. Passenger and freight business for the line was at its greatest in the 1920s. Furniture was manufactured in Jamestown, and the JW&NW hauled it to Westfield for the NYC.
In a 1941 ad, the line offered two-day LCL (less-than-carload) shipping to New York City
from Jamestown, and three days to Chicago.
The grade out of Westfield into the hills to reach the Jamestown valley was quite scenic, running through Hogsback Ravine. However, the grade was steep, and the interurbans worked hard making the climb, particularly the electric powered freights. The 32-mile JW&NW represented classic small town to rural electric interurban operation similar to interurbans all over the 1920s United States.
The sight of the large red steel interurbans lumbering by at grade crossings was a familiar one for locals. Most interurban lines were abandoned during the 1930s due to increased car ownership and improving highways plus the dramatic financial impact of the Great Depression. The JW&NW's survival to 1947 was unusual and was due to the amount of freight that it hauled to the New York Central for the many Jamestown factories.
Total abandonment occurred in 1950.
Interurban
An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...
railroad that served the New York towns of Jamestown
Jamestown, New York
Jamestown is a city in Chautauqua County, New York in the United States. The population was 31,146 at the 2010 census.The City of Jamestown is adjacent to Town of Ellicott and is at the southern tip of Chautauqua Lake...
and Westfield
Westfield (town), New York
Westfield is a town in the western part Chautauqua County, New York, United States. The population was 5,232 at the 2000 census. Westfield is also the name of a village within the town.- History :...
from 1914 to 1950.
Heyday
Dubbed the "Chautauqua Lake Route", the provided frequent passenger and freight trolley service. From Jamestown, the route was eastward along the north edge of Chautauqua LakeChautauqua Lake
Chautauqua Lake is located entirely within Chautauqua County, New York, USA. The lake is approximately long and wide at its greatest width. The surface area is approximately 13,000 acres . The maximum depth is about 78 feet...
with major stops at Greenhurst, Bemus Point, Dewittville, and Mayville. From Mayville, after crossing the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
(PRR) Chautauqua Branch, the single track climbed steep hills and passed through scenic "Hogsback Ravine" at the grade's summit. It then followed a curving route and drop to Westfield. In Westfield, the line crossed under the Nickel Plate Railroad
New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad
The New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad , abbreviated NYC&St.L, was a railroad that operated in the mid-central United States. Commonly referred to as the Nickel Plate Road, the railroad served a large area, including trackage in the states of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois...
to reach its depot which was the west end of the New York Central Railroad
New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
(NYC) station.
A JW&NW schedule from 1941 shows six daily trips 6am to 9pm, each way, three hours apart to meet NYC passenger trains that stopped at Westfield. The Jamestown to Westfield trip took one hour. The JW&NW and the NYC interchanged considerable freight traffic as well as exchanged passengers.
The JW&NW operated bright red heavy steel passenger interurban cars (including one with an observation platform) and interurban freight-express cars capable of pulling two or three freight cars to provide freight delivery between the two towns. The NYC would set out cars on the interchange tracks to be taken to Jamestown and the JW&NW would set out cars for the NYC to pick up.
At Mayville, the JW&NW crossed a branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad where there were interchange tracks for PRR lumber and coal setouts for Jamestown. The JW&NW tower and dispatcher were at this junction. PRR and JW&NW control and signaling to prevent collisions (called interlocking) was the responsibility of the JW&NW tower at this interchange. Dispatching orders for the conductors of the interurban cars was by written order, and the interurbans stopped here to pick them up. Passenger and freight business for the line was at its greatest in the 1920s. Furniture was manufactured in Jamestown, and the JW&NW hauled it to Westfield for the NYC.
In a 1941 ad, the line offered two-day LCL (less-than-carload) shipping to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
from Jamestown, and three days to Chicago.
The grade out of Westfield into the hills to reach the Jamestown valley was quite scenic, running through Hogsback Ravine. However, the grade was steep, and the interurbans worked hard making the climb, particularly the electric powered freights. The 32-mile JW&NW represented classic small town to rural electric interurban operation similar to interurbans all over the 1920s United States.
The sight of the large red steel interurbans lumbering by at grade crossings was a familiar one for locals. Most interurban lines were abandoned during the 1930s due to increased car ownership and improving highways plus the dramatic financial impact of the Great Depression. The JW&NW's survival to 1947 was unusual and was due to the amount of freight that it hauled to the New York Central for the many Jamestown factories.
Decline and abandonment
After passenger abandonment in 1947, the JW&NW continued freight operation with diesels, but gradually freight business declined along with Jamestown's industrial activity. Shipping business also was lost to trucks.Total abandonment occurred in 1950.