Hojack in the Lewiston/Niagara Falls area

Some of the forum discussions I have read on here lately have peaked my interest about railroading in the Niagara Falls area. For one, I never knew there was an LV yard in Niagara Falls that had a north-south orentation, but looking at the google maps view the former yard becomes quite apparent. Anyways, my question is about the Hojack railroad and the Niagara Escarpment. I have tried following the old Hojack ROW from both the north and south as it approaches the escarpment but can not figure out where/how it went over/down the escarpment. It is quite a change in elevation over a very short distance. Does anyone have any details on the path of the Hojack in this area????

Try http://docs.unh.edu/nhtopos/nhtopos.htm

http://docs.unh.edu/NY/niag01ne.jpg

Welp, guess that answers it.

On a side note: Interesting the railroad that rides the gorge down into Lewiston.

Myself, I was always curious as to what the gradient was from around Model City to
Niagara Falls. Can't help but think that was the primary reason that initially the line
was abandoned between Model City and Suspension Bridge. It was quite the long trek
that the "Jungle Patrol" local made in the 1970s from Rochester to Wilson/Model City
and back.......it was about 2 days!

Charlie

charlie6017 wrote: It was quite the long trek that the "Jungle Patrol" local made in the 1970s from Rochester to Wilson/Model City
and back.......it was about 2 days!

Charlie

Actually, that would be one way, at least by 1977. The CTA used to work outward Tuesday and Wednesday, making it back to Charlotte Friday evening - if all went well.

The Rochester punblic library has a nice book on the Hojack. IIRC, it said the speed limit on the line was reduced from 8 mph to 4 mph in the mid '70s. That's a slooooooow trip. The pictures of the western Hojack from the '70s almost look like a scene from "Deliverence" -the tracks are almost invisible in the brush.

Matt, is this book "The Hojack Railroad...Tracking Hamlin" by Mary E Smith?

I think that's the book in question. It's been a while since I've read the book.

Hey guys......yes, it is "The "Hojack" railroad...tracking Hamlin : a tale of "The white elephant line",
written by Mary E. Smith. It looks like the Monroe County library system has copies readily available
for check-out. Railfan87, it looks like Parma's library has 3 or 4 of them there.

Charlie

There is still some track and a couple bumpers down in the gorge at Niagara Falls. NYC went into the gorge right in the city. Hojack went through Niagara University campus. NYC went down to river in Lewiston where The Silo is now - silo held sand at that time. There is a tunnel in Lewiston on the line to Youngstown. Old topo maps help a lot. There are still trolley rails from the line that went over the old Lewiston bridge to Queenston. Ya gotta know where to look.

The WIlliam Gordon book on Buffalo Railways covers the Hojack up there quite a bit with photos and maps. Neat tunnel up there too along the gorge which I think was removed when the dam was put in.

Charles

Thanks for the great info, everyone!

I have always found this line to be fascinating. I remember seeing the CTA cross the Waterport
trestle over Oak Orchard Creek when I was about 4 or 5 years old, which would have been either
1975 or '76, and of course it was moving very slowly westbound.

That was one of the few very hazy memories that helped spur my interest in railroads.

Oh, before I forget.......there was a few photos of the Penn Central local around 1974 in a Trains
Magazine article about three years ago or so. I think the train was in Wilson at the time.

Charlie

I used to get in trouble back in Jr high in Hilton, for watching trains going slooooowwwly by, rather than paying attention in English. I'll have to dig out my copy of Bill Gordon's Buffalo book. For some reason, I never noticed the Hojack coverage in it.


Scott K.

Scott, I assume you are talking about Merton Williams....its funny that I looked out the same windows only to see the old ROW being paved into a road

Thanks for all of the info everyone. I have never really explored railroading books but it sounds like I need to! Seems like these books have a lot more than you can find on the internet.

While it's farther east than the OP is asking about, one interesting statistic from that book stuck in my mind. They mentioned during the harvest season in one year in the teens or 20's, ONE customer (IIRC it was in Hamlin) loaded out about 225 cars in ONE week! Multiply that by how many other customers there, factor in how many stations along the line, east and west, and imagine what a busy line that was!