NYC Station, N. Chittenango, NY

[NYCUticaSyracuse81]

Hi, I'm trying to figure out where the New York Central station at North Chittenango was located; formerly known as Chittenango Station? I know that most of the NYC stations on the Water Level Route were located on the south side of the tracks, particularly newer constructed structures. So, I speculate that it was located on the southwest side of what is now Wheeler Rd. I'd also like to find out when it was demolished? My grandmother's uncle was an engineer or fireman for the Central. She's 92, but remembers staying there when she was young in the 1930's. Even got a cab ride, and vaguely recalls visiting the station on occasion, as they lived next to the tracks. We took her back there last summer, but the area has changed so much, that she had little to no recollection of where anything was located. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Chittenango Station from my postcard collection

[BR&P]

Just a gut feel the view is westward. Pole lines on both sides, but one side has more crossarms if that helps. And it appears to be crossing planks in the foreground so it suggests the depot was just west of some road or other. Any old topo maps available for reference?

[ctclark1]

New York Central's 4 track main line was setup as the 2-1-3-4 trackage for two reasons - most people mention the over-hanging freight thing about having the two inner tracks both traveling westward, but the other was it allowed them to primarily put passenger stations on the south side of the line and freight platforms on the north side, reducing the freight and passenger trains crossing each others' tracks. I bring this up because I would immediately point to that to indicate the westward view of this picture.

Historic Aerials indicates this was taken from the former Lakeport Rd crossing (before it was rebuilt into an overpass) north of Chittenango. The signal bridge is still visible in the 2013 Street View.

My best guess for the station is the oval patch of growth that stands out to the left of the street view.
An overhead view:

[NYCUticaSyracuse81]

Fantastic!!! Thanks guys. It appears that the station was precisely where I had suspected. The two roads with snowplow turnarounds was once the main drag, and grade crossing through Chittenango Station. Not sure when they put the Lakeport road bridge in, and would still like to find out when the station was razed. The West shore was only a stones throw away from here, and the W.S./Oneida Railway Co. Station still stands on what was the original main drag through N. Chittenango, though its been moved from its original location. See pics below.

[ctclark1]

HA's topos and imagery indicate the overpass was built sometime between 1972 and 1994.

The station was gone by the time the earliest aerial image available, 1956. The older "black and white" topos don't show any detail of tracks or station buildings, but it appears it was gone by the time the "new style" topos were started, the transition happens in the mid-'40s in most locations I've looked at, including here. (In fact, the newer imagery for a time shows a siding off the north side to the west of Lakeport Rd, but no station)

[lvrr325]

At one time they loaded onions into reefers on that siding, I happened to pass through when cars were spotted on it being loaded.

[cnyrail]

I'm a little late to this party. The Chittenango depot was apparently moved down the road to 7368 Wheeler Road to be used as an outbuilding. From the road, it looks preserved.

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.0780957,-75.8714013,3a,15y,286.92h,83.81t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1spwfDzEaOdrWU3tv_tepfuQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[NYCUticaSyracuse81]

I think your talking about the West Shore/Third Rail depot? White wood structure, black roof can be seen from highway on the south side of the Mohawk Subdivision.

[Noel Weaver]

From Mohawk Division employee timetable no. 17, dated 4-29-23, North Chittenango station was at MP 132.75 from Albany or 38.19 miles west of Utica on the mainline. One passenger train in each direction stopped there at that time.
Later timetables show the location as MP 276.0 which is still the actual mileage from Grand Central Terminal, New York.
Noel Weaver

[NYCUticaSyracuse81]

Thanks Noel! I have a 1932 N.Y.C. System timetable. It has Chittenango station, but no scheduled stops. Noticed that with several other smaller stations, assuming that they were left in the timetables if still owned by the central, even if no longer in service. So now I know exactly where is was located, and passenger service ended sometime in between 1923 and 1932. My grandmother remembers going inside the station on several occasions with here uncle, a N.Y
C. engineer, but recalls very little. Perhaps it was by then being used for freight purposes?