Important dates in railroad history for Rochester.

[scottychaos]

Im going to put together a series of maps showing Rochester's railroad evolution through various points in history..before I can start, I need some specific dates..I know you guys can help with these!

(??) First railroad comes through Rochester.
(??) PRR arrives (In Rochester)
(??) LV arrives
(??) Erie arrives
(??) (various lines that became NYC arrive..westshore, Hojack, falls road, auburn road, etc..)

1869 - Rochester & State Line built.
1887 - Becomes BR&P
1932 - becomes B&O
1980 - becomes Chessie system
(??) - becomes Rochester & Southern

(??) consolidation of various smaller lines into the NYC system.
(??) PRR torn up.

1968 - Penn Central
1976 - Conrail
1999 - CSX


(??) - NYC westshore torn up east of Fairport & west of Churchville.
(??) - LV torn up between Rochester Junction & downtown.
(??) - EL torn up between Mortimer Junction & downtown.
(??) - NYC Auburn Road torn up between Rochester, Pittsford, and beyond.
(??) - Hojack torn up.
(197?) - Genesee coal dock torn down.


1994 - BeeBee station line torn up.
1995 - Falls Road torn up between Rochester & Brockport.
(??) - High Falls/Genesee Beer spur abandoned. (name of spur?)

1997 - Conrail sells Avon branch to LAL, LAL arrives in Rochester.

thats all I can think of right now!
im sure there are more to be added..

im thinking Monroe County only..I could go to a wider region, but this is ambitious enough as-is!

thanks,
Scot

[BR&P]

Scot here are a couple things to help you along.

You ask about "Genesee Coal Dock". Genesee Dock was the ferry operation which ended service in the early 1950s, I'm not sure but I suspect it was torn out gradually. One track survived until the end of operations, used occasionally when things were heavy to stash a few cars on.

The coal trestle operation was Charlotte Docks, the last boat was November 12, 1970, and the trestle was torn down in fall of 1974.

As for removal of the PRR, you will have to be more specific. South of Wadsworth Jct was torn out somewhere about 1961. Wadsworth Jct to the West Shore lasted until the Penn Central. Other parts survived longer with a few tiny pieces still existing today. So there are different dates depending on where you are talking about.

Likewise the Auburn Road - search the back pages of the NYC and/or New York State forums, Chief Troll had exact dates on abandonment of the segment from Pittsford to Victor I think. The line from Brighton to Pittsford lasted until somewhere about 1980.

The line to Beebee Station was variously known as the Rochester Branch and the State Street Branch.

Somewhere I have the date of the last train on the West Hojack, if nobody else has it I can dig it out. Actual removal of the tracks was about 1979.

[charlie6017]

Somewhere I have the date of the last train on the West Hojack, if nobody else has it I can dig it out. Actual removal of the tracks was about 1979.

IIRC, the last train ran on 3/31/78.

[scottychaos]

Scot here are a couple things to help you along.

You ask about "Genesee Coal Dock". Genesee Dock was the ferry operation which ended service in the early 1950s, I'm not sure but I suspect it was torn out gradually. One track survived until the end of operations, used occasionally when things were heavy to stash a few cars on.

The coal trestle operation was Charlotte Docks, the last boat was November 12, 1970, and the trestle was torn down in fall of 1974.

As for removal of the PRR, you will have to be more specific. South of Wadsworth Jct was torn out somewhere about 1961. Wadsworth Jct to the West Shore lasted until the Penn Central. Other parts survived longer with a few tiny pieces still existing today. So there are different dates depending on where you are talking about.

Likewise the Auburn Road - search the back pages of the NYC and/or New York State forums, Chief Troll had exact dates on abandonment of the segment from Pittsford to Victor I think. The line from Brighton to Pittsford lasted until somewhere about 1980.

The line to Beebee Station was variously known as the Rochester Branch and the State Street Branch.

Somewhere I have the date of the last train on the West Hojack, if nobody else has it I can dig it out. Actual removal of the tracks was about 1979.

good points!
thanks..
I will try to be more specific..

Here is my basemap.
If its not within this map, then it doesnt matter!



Scot

[clearblock]

The Genesee Brewery track was called the "GFR" by PC and Conrail. I believe this meant Genesee Falls Railroad. I found it called "Genesee Falls Branch" in a 1967 NYC Timetable.

It was abandoned for several years before the mainline switch was removed about 2 or 3 years ago.

[rls62]

Some of these dates may be off by a few years but here goes:

The predecessor to the PRR in Rochester was the Genesee Valley Canal railroad, which was built along the abandoned Genesee Valley canal about 1882. It was obsorbed into the Pennsy about 1906. Not to be nitpicking but the Pennsy from Wadsworth Junction south to Hinsdale was abandoned in 1963.

The LV mainline opened from Geneva to Buffalo in 1892. I think the Hemlock branch and Rochester branch were built a few years after that. The LV branch between Mortimer Junction and UR was torn up about 1986. North of UR to downtown (I'm guessing) was early 1970's. The large low-income housing project on Mt. Hope Avenue that now occupies the space where the LV yard once existed was built about 1972. I think LV Rochester Junction to Matthew and Fields Lumber lasted until about 1981. I think LV Hemlock to HoneoyeFalls lasted until about 1981. South of Honeoye Falls was abandoned in 1968.

I think the predecessor to the Erie was built about 1854. Ex-EL(Conrail) lasted into downtown until about 1980, but I think the section from UR south to Mortimer Junction was abandoned about 1976 since the former LV could be used.

The Auburn Road (NYC) from Pittsford to Victor was abandoned about 1960. Victor to Canandaigua was abandoned about 1976.

NYC West Shore east of Fairport was abandoned in 1960. West of Churchville, abandoned in 1963.

The Hojack, one of my favorites! It started out as the Lake Ontario Shore Railroad in this area about 1873 but was taken over by the Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg about 1875. It built the Ontario Secondary(Beebee line) from Charlotte to Downtown Rochester in 1882. RW&O became a subsidiary of NYC in 1891. Here's link to a webiste with greater detail:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rome%2C_Wa ... g_Railroad

I've tried to be as accurate as possible. Good luck!

[scottychaos]

Some more sources for dates:

http://www.vintageviews.org/vv-r/transp ... /land.html

http://newyorkcentral.quickseek.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Central_Railroad

http://www.scripophily.net/newyorcenhud.html

http://www.geocities.com/k_kinlock/NewY ... lroads.htm

http://www.iment.com/maida/familytree/g ... hester.htm


Im trying to determine the FIRST railroad in Rochester..and already I have a conflict in dates!

Tonawanda Railroad.
I have 1833 and 1837 for the first railroad in Rochester.

"The first section, from Rochester southwest to Batavia, opened May 5, 1837"

1833
First steam drawn train reaches area, Tonawanda Railroad.

1837
Tonawanda Railroad opens, connecting Rochester with Tonawanda to the west. First three locomotives brought to Rochester by canal.

the railroad was chartered in 1832..
so its possible construction began in Rochester in 1833.
and then the line officially opened in 1837.

Was there an operating steam locomotive and rails being laid in Rochester in 1833??
I believe the answer is "yes"..and the locomotives were brought in by canal..
more research is needed to pin-down that 1833 date though.

Scot

[scottychaos]

Here we go:

http://mcls.rochester.lib.ny.us/~rochhi ... /v30i4.pdf

First steam locomotives arrives by canal, May 1837, for the Rochester & tonawanda Railroad.

May 11, 1837, the first steam-powered train leaves Rochester bound for Batavia.

there was a horse drawn Railroad built in 1832, from downtown to Carthage. (north up the genesee)

Scot

[scottychaos]

updated list..corrections and additions welcome and wanted!

1837 - May 11, First train leaves Rochester, bound for Batavia, on the Rochester & Tonawanda Railroad.
(??) Erie arrives.
(??) (various lines that became NYC arrive..westshore, Hojack, falls road, auburn road, etc..)
1869 - Rochester & State Line built. (later BR&P)
1873 - Lake Ontario Shore Railroad arrives (later Hojack)
1875 - LOSR taken over by Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg. (later Hojack)
1882 - RW&O builds the Ontario Secondary from charlotte to downtown (later "BeeBee station" line.)
1882 - Genesee Valley Canal railroad built along abandoned Genesee Valley Canal. (later PRR)
1887 - Rochester & State Line Becomes BR&P.
189? - Lehigh Valley Railroad arrives in Rochester.
(??) consolidation of various smaller lines into the NYC system.
1906 - Genesee Valley Canal railroad absorbed by the PRR, becomes PRR Rochester Branch.
1932 - BR&P becomes B&O
1960 - NYC auburn Road abandoned between Pittsford and Victor.
1960 - NYC West Shore abandoned east of Fairport.
1963 - NYC West Shore abandoned west of Churchville.
196? - PRR abandoned from Rochester south.
1968 - NYC and PRR become Penn Central.
197? - LV torn up between downtown terminus and UofR.
1974 - Genesee coal dock torn down.
1976 - Penn Central, LV and EL become Conrail.
197? - former EL torn up between Mortimer Junction & downtown.
1979 - Hojack torn up.
1980 - B&O becomes Chessie system
198? - former LV torn up between Mortimer Jct and UofR.
(??) - former BR&P/B&O lines in Rochester become Rochester & Southern RR.
1994 - BeeBee station line torn up.
199? - Genesee Falls branch abandoned.
1994 - BeeBee station line torn up.
1995 - Falls Road torn up between Rochester & Brockport.
1997 - Conrail sells Avon branch to LAL, LAL arrives in Rochester.
1999 - Conrail lines around Rochester become CSX.

First map complete:



I think im going to create a webpage, with the long chronological list of events, then have the various maps (I dont know how many yet) displayed in a slideshow format, with arrows for "forward in time" and "backward in time"..

Scot

[nydepot]

PRR took over control of Western New York & Pennsylvania RR in 1900 not 1906. This was the successor of the GVC RR.

Charles

[bwparker1]

Somewhere I have the date of the last train on the West Hojack, if nobody else has it I can dig it out. Actual removal of the tracks was about 1979.

IIRC, the last train ran on 3/31/78.

If that is true, than it was on the day I was born...

BWP

[Otto Vondrak]

I think the CSX/RSR change over came in 1985.

-otto-

[clearblock]

Traffic to the brewery continued on the GFR/Genesee Falls for a while after CSX so I think the last run was probably in 2000 and the switch was removed during the summer of either 2003 or 2004.

The "Beebee Station" line was called the "Rochester Branch" in the 1967 NYC timetable but it was also referred to as "State Street" in the Special Instructions. Crews usually called it "State St" during NYC/PC/Conrail regardless of what the offical name was.

Does anyone know how the "Long Branch" track at CP373 got its name? This has always been a mystery to me and even old heads from NYC days I have asked do not know.

[scottychaos]

Traffic to the brewery continued on the GFR/Genesee Falls for a while after CSX so I think the last run was probably in 2000 and the switch was removed during the summer of either 2003 or 2004.

that late?
I always thought the "last run" over the line was 1994 or so. hmmm..
can anyone confirm that date for certain?

Thanks or the updates!
please keep them coming!

I have moved the timeline over to its own webpage:

http://gold.mylargescale.com/Scottychaos/Rochester

a few more mystery dates (in addiition to the ones still listed with a red ? on the list)

1. I have a date for the construction of the Hojack from Charlotte East..but not from Charlotte West.

2. When did the West Shore come through?

thanks!
Scot

[BR&P]

Re the Long Branch, I believe that was mentioned in Kachler's book, if so it was there in the early 1940's. Is it still there or torn out?