Hamilton, NY Mainline or Brachline?

[NYCUticaSyracuse81]

I've noticed that on old timetables, the station at Hamilton, NY is not listed as being on the mainline but rather on the Utica branch. From looking at old maps, I know that the mainline bypassed the village to the west making stops at the communities of Morrisville and Eaton instead. However, on March 29, 1957 the last train on the O & W traveled through Hamilton and not Morrisville or Eaton leading me to believe that that segment might have been abandoned some time earlier. My question is, did the tracks that ran through Pecksport and Hamilton become part of the mainline at some point before the railroads demise? It seems like from the time of the railroads birth, Hamilton would have offered more business than that of the smaller communities of Morrisville and Eaton. Not to mention that the Utica branch wasn't accessed on the main, but rather on the Pecksport branch. I'm wondering why Hamilton wasn't on the main from the beginning? It seem that at some point before the 1957 abandonment, the Pecksport loop became the mainline and the segement between Whites Corners and Randallsville which included Morrisville and Eaton was abandoned before '57. Perhaps this is why the last train went through Pecksport and Hamilton and not Morrisville or Eaton?

[ricebrianrice]

Hamilton did not want to be bonded to pay for the railroad when it was originally built, so the Ontario & Midland bypassed it, and found towns that would put up the money. That is why they built to Eaton and Morrisville, but the negative was there were steep grades to go that way.

When the Utica branch came into service, the branch line went through Hamilton, so now Hamilton was now connected to the O&W.

The Pecksport Loop:
After the opening of the Uitca Branch, not sure what year, the O& W realized that if they build a short line from Pecksport back to the mainline they could bypass the steep grades on the old main. This became know as the Pecksport loop, and became the new mainline.

Thus Hamilton, via the Pecksport loops got back on the Mainline.

[NYCUticaSyracuse81]

Hamilton did not want to be bonded to pay for the railroad when it was originally built, so the Ontario & Midland bypassed it, and found towns that would put up the money. That is why they built to Eaton and Morrisville, but the negative was there were steep grades to go that way.

When the Utica branch came into service, the branch line went through Hamilton, so now Hamilton was now connected to the O&W.

The Pecksport Loop:
After the opening of the Uitca Branch, not sure what year, the O& W realized that if they build a short line from Pecksport back to the mainline they could bypass the steep grades on the old main. This became know as the Pecksport loop, and became the new mainline.

Thus Hamilton, via the Pecksport loops got back on the Mainline.

Thanks! Now it all makes sense to me!

So after the new mainline through Hamilton was established, was the original main through Mo-ville and Eaton abandoned/scrapped before the 1957 abandonment, or was it used as a branch line on an as needed basis to service the old mainline coustomers?

Maybe I should borrow Taibi's Pecksport book next time I'm at the library. It's one of the few book published by him that I haven't read yet.

Thanks again-81

[Cactus Jack]

The Eaton line was used to the very end but apparently was not used on the very last day.
Moses Grain had a big feed mill operation there that burned in 1955 / 56.

I cannot seem to remember the date that the Pecksport Loop was made the Main Line but get a copy of Taibi's book. I am sure all you want to know is in there. It is a very good book.

[NYCUticaSyracuse81]

The Eaton line was used to the very end but apparently was not used on the very last day.
Moses Grain had a big feed mill operation there that burned in 1955 / 56.

I cannot seem to remember the date that the Pecksport Loop was made the Main Line but get a copy of Taibi's book. I am sure all you want to know is in there. It is a very good book.

Thanks for the info C.J. The Peeksport Loop is one of the few books that I haven't read on the O & W's Northern Division. I'm sure that it will provide the answers to many of the questions I've been looking for.

[Cactus Jack]

The Pecksport Loop appears to have become the mainline about October of 1942.
Also, Moses Elevator in Eaton burned in 1955.

[NYCUticaSyracuse81]

The Pecksport Loop appears to have become the mainline about October of 1942.
Also, Moses Elevator in Eaton burned in 1955.

Thanks C.J.!