Rochester and Syracuse Railroad (interurban)
Encyclopedia
The Rochester and Syracuse Railroad was a double-track, high-speed line 87 miles (140 km) line that ran between Rochester, New York
and Syracuse, New York
. The tracks paralleled the New York Central Railroad
and the Erie Canal
and had only one grade crossing with another railroad its entire length.
The road was first established as the Rochester, Syracuse and Eastern Railroad in 1909, although a number of miles had been in use since 1906. In 1930, the rail was sold for junk and the line was abandoned in 1931.
was incorporated as the successor to the Rochester, Syracuse and Eastern Railroad, the property which they sold under foreclosure on August 28, 1917.
, to Syracuse
, to Auburn
and on to Oswego
on the shores of Lake Ontario
.
Arthur W. Loasby was president, T. C. Cherry was vice-president and general manager, and Elbert A. Hervey was treasurer.
Initial construction costs of the rail amounted to $7 million, an exceptionally large sum in 1909. In 1913, largely in an effort to deal with heavy fixed charges of the Rochester, Syracuse and Eastern Railroad, Beebe merged the line with two of his other interurban
rails into Empire United Railways
. The effort not successful and the new company failed in 1915 and was dissolved into its component interurbans in 1916. Beebe withdrew from interurban operation and the Rochester, Syracuse and Eastern Railroad was reorganized in 1917 as the Rochester and Syracuse Railroad.
, when they were converted for freight service.
In 1927, the rail rebuilt seven of its standard coaches for limited service with double-width windows, bucket seats and new flooring. The limiteds made the trip in two hours and 40 minutes, some 50 minutes faster than local trains. After 1928, cars used the Rochester subway for their entrance to the city, saving about 12 minutes in running time.
In spite of its "excellant physical plant," the interurban was unable to convince the railroads to interchange freight cars.
from Syracuse
cost $3.90. The company advertised that a day would be spent in Sea Breeze, the largest resort west of Coney Island
or the Highland, Seneca or Durand-Eastman Parks; "The finest free municipal parks in the State."
Tickets were sold at the "Electric Terminal" at 112 West Genesee Street where other rails such as Syracuse Northern Electric Railroad and Empire State Railway
also sold vacation excursions.
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
and Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
. The tracks paralleled 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...
and the Erie Canal
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
and had only one grade crossing with another railroad its entire length.
The road was first established as the Rochester, Syracuse and Eastern Railroad in 1909, although a number of miles had been in use since 1906. In 1930, the rail was sold for junk and the line was abandoned in 1931.
History
The Rochester and Syracuse Railway, Inc., of Syracuse, New YorkSyracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
was incorporated as the successor to the Rochester, Syracuse and Eastern Railroad, the property which they sold under foreclosure on August 28, 1917.
Company management
Clifford D. Beebe owned the rail and it was part of the Beebe Syndicate that ran from RochesterRochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, to Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
, to Auburn
Auburn, New York
Auburn is a city in Cayuga County, New York, United States of America. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 27,687...
and on to Oswego
Oswego, New York
Oswego is a city in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 18,142 at the 2010 census. Oswego is located on Lake Ontario in north-central New York and promotes itself as "The Port City of Central New York"...
on the shores of Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
.
Arthur W. Loasby was president, T. C. Cherry was vice-president and general manager, and Elbert A. Hervey was treasurer.
Financial
When the new company formed in 1917, the firm had $3,000,000 of preferred stock and $1,500,000 of common stock outstanding.Initial construction costs of the rail amounted to $7 million, an exceptionally large sum in 1909. In 1913, largely in an effort to deal with heavy fixed charges of the Rochester, Syracuse and Eastern Railroad, Beebe merged the line with two of his other interurban
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...
rails into Empire United Railways
Empire United Railways
The Empire United Railways was an interurban rail that was owned by Clifford D. Beebe of Syracuse, New York. The Beebe Syndicate controlled interurbans that ran from Rochester to Syracuse, to Auburn to Oswego on Lake Ontario....
. The effort not successful and the new company failed in 1915 and was dissolved into its component interurbans in 1916. Beebe withdrew from interurban operation and the Rochester, Syracuse and Eastern Railroad was reorganized in 1917 as the Rochester and Syracuse Railroad.
Operations
While the road was in operation, it was noted for a high standard of service. Beginning in 1913, the company had three parlor cars on its limited trains. This continued until World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, when they were converted for freight service.
In 1927, the rail rebuilt seven of its standard coaches for limited service with double-width windows, bucket seats and new flooring. The limiteds made the trip in two hours and 40 minutes, some 50 minutes faster than local trains. After 1928, cars used the Rochester subway for their entrance to the city, saving about 12 minutes in running time.
In spite of its "excellant physical plant," the interurban was unable to convince the railroads to interchange freight cars.
Vacation excursions
By May 1923, a ten-day round trip to RochesterRochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
from Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
cost $3.90. The company advertised that a day would be spent in Sea Breeze, the largest resort west of Coney Island
Coney Island
Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill....
or the Highland, Seneca or Durand-Eastman Parks; "The finest free municipal parks in the State."
Tickets were sold at the "Electric Terminal" at 112 West Genesee Street where other rails such as Syracuse Northern Electric Railroad and Empire State Railway
Empire State Railway
The Empire State Railway, established in 1916, was an interurban rail that ran from Syracuse, New York, to Oswego, New York, a distance of . Streetcar service on the route ran until 1931 when it was abandoned in favor of buses.-History:...
also sold vacation excursions.