[Date Prev][Date Next]
[Chronological]
[Thread]
[Top]
(erielack) NYO&W
The map http://historical.maptech.com/getImage.cfm?fname=schu35ne.jpg&state=NY illustrates the scenario Blake outlined. The original O&W alignment (double track in the early 20th C) at Cornwall continues straight inland to access the valley of Moodna Creek, while the West Shore alignment veers off to the north. Several Erie routes also appear in this quadrangle, including both Newburgh lines, the Graham line and a short segment of mainline at Harriman. Between Jersey City and Middletown, the O&W and Erie were more or less parallel routes. Further west, they were within two miles of each other at Cadosia/Hancock before the O&W took a northward tack towards Norwich.
One can understand the fan appeal of the "Old & Weary" with it's routes through some very scenic territory. However in reality it was as transportation scholar George Hilton called it "a monstrosity that should never have been built", a ragtag collection of branchlines propped up by anthracite traffic until it began to drop off in the fifties. Unlike LV and DL&W, it had no "friendly" east-west connections in upstate NY, and you wonder how it lasted as long as it did. Moreover it's presence had a deleterious effect on Erie and other healthier trunk lines by siphoning away some bridge traffic. Erie went from "here to there by way of nowhere"; O&W went from nowhere to nowhere by way of nowhere.
Paul B
Actually, Gould had nothing to do with the West Shore. When The O&W was trying to find a way to New York City, they acquired the charter of the Jersey City & Albany through their Midland Terminal Co. They then formed the North River Construction Co. who actually built the railroad from Weehawken to Cornwall prior to the formation of the New York West Shore & Buffalo. They used the Surveys that were done for the New York West Shore & Chicago (that was never built) which was the PRR company formed to compete with the NYC. After being built, the NYO&W turned over it's North River Construction Company to the New York West Shore & Buffalo and obtained trackage rights to Cornwall. It is believed by some that this was all a failed attempt at the beginnings of a transcontinental railroad.
Blake D. Tatar
The Erie Lackawanna Mailing List
Sponsored by the ELH&TS
http://www.elhts.org
------------------------------