Adirondack Railroad Timeline

The New York Central Railroad North of Utica Timeline of Adirondack Railroads Railroads of the Adirondacks

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Adirondack Division
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Timeline of Adirondack Railroads
1832	Watertown & Rome Railroad created to build a railroad between those two points. Black River Company Railroad created to build from Rome or Herkimer to Ogdensburg.
1836	Herkimer & Trenton Railroad created to built between those places. The line was never built.
1850	Potsdam Railroad created to link Potsdam to the Northern Railroad. Watertown & Rome Railroad opened from Rome to Camden.
1851	Watertown & Rome opened into Watertown.
1852	Watertown & Rome opened from Watertown to Cape Vincent. Potsdam & Watertown Railroad created to build from Watertown to the Northern Railroad at Norwood.
1853	Black River & Utica Railroad created to build between those places.
1855	Potsdam & Watertown opened from Watertown to Antwerp. Black River & Utica Railroad opened from Utica to Boonville.
1856	Potsdam & Watertown opened from Antwerp to DeKalb. Potsdam Railroad opened from Potsdam to Norwood.
1857	Potsdam & Watertown opened from DeKalb to Potsdam and absorbed the Potsdam Railroad.
1860	Black River & Utica was sold. Watertown & Rome purchased the Potsdam & Watertown, but maintain its identity.
1861	Black River & Utica became the Utica & Black River Railroad and was to be built to Philadelphia. Watertown & Rome merged with Potsdam & Watertown to become the Rome, Watertown & Ogdensburg Railroad.
1862	Rome, Watertown & Ogdensburg opened from DeKalb Junction to Ogdensburg. Grand Trunk Railway began to operate a car ferry service between Ogdensburg and Prescott.
1863	Dr. Thomas C. Durant acquired the Sacketts Harbor & Saratoga, changed its name to the Adirondack Company, changed the proposed terminus from Sacketts Harbor, and built as far as North Creek. Oswego & Rome Railroad created to link Oswego to the Rome, Watertown & Ogdensburg Railroad. Leased to RW&O.
1866	Oswego & Rome Railroad opened from Richland to Oswego.
1868	Syracuse Northern Railroad created to build a rail line north from Syracuse.
1869	Carthage, Watertown & Sackets Harbor Railroad created to link those places.
1870	Utica & Black River created the Black River & Morristown Railroad to connect their railroad to Morristown.
1871	Carthage, Watertown & Sackets Harbor opened from Watertown to Sackets Harbor. Utica & Black River created the Clayton & Theresa Railroad to connect those two points. Utica & Black River created the Ogdensburg & Morristown Railroad to connect those two points. Syracuse Northern Railroad opened from Syracuse to Pulaski.
1872	Utica & Black River Railroad opened into Carthage. Utica & Black River leased the Carthage, Watertown & Sackets Harbour. Black River & Morristown opened from Philadelphia to Theresa.
1873	St. Lawrence & Ottawa Railway took over the car ferry service between Ogdensburg and Prescott. Utica & Black River opened from Carthage to Philadelphia. Clayton & Theresa opened from Rivergate Junction to Lafargeville. Clayton & Theresa opened from Lafargeville to Clayton. Black River & Morristown opened officially. Syracuse Northern was built to Pulaski and Lacona. The Rome, Watertown & Ogdensburg Railroad leased it shortly thereafter.
1874	Carthage, Watertown & Sackets Harbor opened from Watertown to Carthage. Black River & Morristown opened from Theresa to Redwood.
1875	Black River & Morristown was leased by the Utica & Black River. Syracuse Northern Railroad became the Syracuse & Northern Railroad and was merged into the Rome, Watertown & Ogdensburg Railroad.
1878	Ogdensburg & Morristown opened from Morristown to Ogdensburg.
1879	Black River & Morristown opened from Redwood to Morristown.
1880	Herkimer, Newport & Poland Narrow Gauge Railway was created to build the line that the Herkimer & Trenton Railroad did not build.
1881	Canadian Pacific Railway gained control of the St. Lawrence & Ottawa. Herkimer, Newport & Poland Narrow Gauge Railway opened from Herkimer to Middleville.
1882	Canadian Pacific created the Canadian Pacific Car & Transfer Company to operate the car ferry service between Ogdensburg and Prescott. They began a car ferry between Morristown and Brockville. The Ontario Pacific Railway was created to build from Cornwall to French River with branches from Cornwall to Smiths Falls and Cornwall to Moira. Herkimer, Newport & Poland Narrow Gauge Railway opened from Middleville to Poland.
1883	Northern Adirondack Railroad created to build from Moira to St. Regis Falls. Carthage & Adirondack Railway created to build a railway into the Adirondacks to reach mines. The Ontario Pacific was allowed to extend from French River to Sault Ste. Marie and the branch line to Smiths Falls would leave the main line at Newington and end at Almonte with a third branch from Douglas to Pembroke. Northern Adirondack opened from Moira to St. Regis Falls. Black River & Morristown merged into the Utica & Black River.
1884	Norwood & Montreal Railroad created by Rome, Watertown & Ogdensburg to link Norwood to Massena where a Canadian company was to link up.
1885	Northern Adirondack completed laying rail between St. Regis Falls and Santa Clara, but was to transfer this section to a different company. Utica & Black River leased by the Rome, Watertown & Ogdensburg.
1886	Northern Adirondack Extension Railroad created by Northern Adirondack. The trackage from St. Regis Falls to Santa Clara was transferred to this new company and was to extend to Tupper Lake. Clayton & Theresa and Ogdensburg & Morristown merged into Utica & Black River. Utica & Black River merged into Rome, Watertown & Ogdensburg. Northern Adirondack Extension opened from Santa Clara to Brandon. Norwood & Montreal opened from Norwood to Massena and was leased by the Rome, Watertown & Ogdensburg.
1887	Carthage & Adirondack opened from Carthage to Jayville. Chateaugay Railroad ran from Plattsburgh to Saranac Lake The Elmira, Cortland & Northern (later part of the Lehigh Valley) had extended from Canastota to Camden in 1887. Camden was on the Rome to Watertown section of the RW&O. The EC&N chartered the Camden, Watertown & Northern. Although some construction was started, it never really had a chance and just died.
1888	Canada Atlantic Railway created the St. Lawrence & Adirondack Railway to build from Valleyfield to Malone. Canadian Pacific Railway created South Western Railway to build from Caughnawaga to Dundee.
1889	Northern Adirondack Extension opened from Brandon to Tupper Lake. Carthage & Adirondack opened from Jayville to Benson Mines. Norwood & Montreal merged into Rome, Watertown & Ogdensburg. Delaware & Hudson acquires Adirondack Company to North Creek.
1890	Northern Adirondack Extension merged into Northern Adirondack. Saranac & Lake Placid Railroad created to link Saranac Lake to Lake Placid. Northern Adirondack officially began to run to Tupper Lake. Herkimer, Poland & Jock’s Lake Railroad never took control of the Herkimer, Newport & Poland Narrow Gauge Railway, which meant that the line was now ready to grow on its own by Dr. W. Seward Webb. Mohawk Valley & Northern Railway was created to build from Poland to Noblesborough.
1891	Mohawk & Adirondack Railroad created to link Poland to Malone. Rome, Watertown & Ogdensburg leased by the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad. Malone & St. Lawrence Railroad was created to build from Malone to the international border and was leased by the Central Vermont Railroad. Mohawk & Adirondack was split into two separate companies, the St. Lawrence & Adirondack Railroad was to build the section from Remsen to Malone. Herkimer, Newport & Poland Narrow Gauge Railway merged into the Mohawk Valley & Northern Railway which became the Herkimer, Newport & Poland Railway.
1892	Malone & St. Lawrence opened from Malone Junction to the international border where the St. Lawrence & Adirondack Railway opened to Cecile Junction and used Canada Atlantic and Grand Trunk to reach Montreal. Gouverneur & Oswegatchie Railroad created and leased by New York Central & Hudson River. St. Lawrence & Adirondack Railroad merged with Herkimer, Newport & Poland Extension Railway and Herkimer, Newport & Poland Railway (Herkimer - Poland) to become the Mohawk & Malone Railway. Mohawk & Malone opened from Malone Junction to Childwold Station with a branch from Lake Clear Junction to Saranac Lake. Mohawk & Malone opened south of Childwold Station to connect to their southern part, becoming a whole line. Herkimer, Newport & Poland Railway standard gauged its line. Mohawk & Malone Railway opened from Poland to Thendara, as well as a branch from Prospect Junction to Hinckley.
1893	New York Central & Hudson River leased Mohawk & Malone and Carthage & Adirondack. Gouverneur & Oswegatchie opened in from Gouverneur Junction to Edwards and passenger service inititated. Saranac & Lake Placid opened from Saranac Lake to Lake Placid. Mohawk & Malone had running rights over this. Through trains on the Mohawk & Malone Railway were moved to the Utica & Black River Ralroad between Utica and Remsen.
1894	Northern Adirondack went into receivership. Malone & St. Lawrence ended their lease with Central Vermont and was leased by New York Central & Hudson River.
1895	St. Lawrence & Adirondack began to use Canadian Pacific’s Windsor Station in Montreal. Northern Adirondack was and became the Northern New York Railroad. Malone & St. Lawrence merged into St. Lawrence & Adirondack.
1896	Carthage & Adirondack opened from Benson Mines to Newton Falls. Fulton Chain Railroad opened from Thendara to Old Forge. Grand Trunk Leased the St. Lawrence & Adirondack. Canadian Pacific Car & Transfer Company ended ferry service between Morristown and Brockville. Canadian Pacific released South Western and it was leased by St.Lawrence & Adirondack. South Western leased Grand Trunk’s line from Beauharnois to Valleyfield. South Western. merged into St. Lawrence & Adirondack. Saranac & Lake Placid leased by Chateaugay Railroad.
1897	St. Lawrence & Adirondack opened a new route from St-Stanislas-de-Kostka to Valleyfield and from Beauharnois to Adirondack Junction, where they used Canadian Pacific to enter Montreal. The original Cecile Junction trackage was made into a spur. The Ontario Pacific became The Ottawa & New York Railway and was to build from Ottawa to Cornwall and cross the St. Lawrence River to link to an American railroad. New York & Ottawa Railroad was created to build from Moira to the St. Lawrence River to connect with The Ottawa & New York. Cornwall Bridge Company created to build the south span bridge over the St. Lawrence River. Northern New York merged into the New York & Ottawa.
1898	New York Central & Hudson River became the operators of the St. Lawrence & Adirondack and leased it. The Ottawa & New York was purchased by the New York & Ottawa and dropped “The” from their title. Ottawa & New York opened from Cornwall to Ottawa. Cornwall Bridge Company’s bridge collapsed, killing 15 workers. New York & Ottawa opened from Moira to Nyando (Rooseveltown).
1899	New York & Ottawa Bridge Company created to operate the St. Lawrence bridge crossing. Racquette Lake Railway opened privately from Carter to Racquette Lake.
1900	New York & Ottawa was in receivership. Racquette Lake opened to the public. Cornwall Bridge Company opened the bridge crossing between Nyando and Uscan. Ottawa & New York opened from Cornwall to Uscan. New York & Ottawa Bridge Company leased the St. Lawrence River bridge crossing at Cornwall. New York & Ottawa/Ottawa & New York bridges opened officially.
1901	Delaware & Hudson Company took over Chateaugay Railroad.
1902	Norwood & St Lawrence Railroad opened
1903	Saranac & Lake Placid merged with Chateaugay Railroad and Chateaugay Railway to become Chateaugay & Lake Placid Railway. Delaware & Hudson rerouted parts of the Chateaugay & Lake Placid and made it standard gauge. It was leased long term as the Chateaugay Branch.
1904	Grand Trunk purchased the Canada Atlantic. New York & Ottawa was sold at an action in Utica.
1905	Grand Trunk sold the St. Lawrence & Adirondack to New York Central & Hudson River, who kept the name. New York & Ottawa became the New York & Ottawa Railway. New York & Ottawa and Ottawa & New York leased by New York Central & Hudson River.
1906	New York Central & Hudson River began to operate the New York & Ottawa and Ottawa & New York.
1908	The swing span of the north channel bridge for the Ottawa & New York collapsed when the Cornwall Canal broke open. A temporary swing span was put in place for the Ottawa & New York.
1909	A new swing span was in place for the Ottawa & New York.
1913	The following railroads merged into the New York Central & Hudson River: the New York & Ottawa as the Ottawa Division; the Mohawk & Malone as the Adirondack Division; the Carthage & Adirondack as the Carthage & Adirondack Branch; and the Gouverneur & Oswegatchie as the Edwards Branch. The Oswego & Rome Railroad. The following railroads merged into the New York Central & Hudson River: the Rome, Watertown & Ogdensburg, the Utica & Black River and Carthage, Watertown & Sackets Harbour as the St. Lawrence Division (Ogdensburg - Carthage); the Clayton Branch (Clayton - Rivergate Junction); the Carthage Branch (Carthage - Watertown); the Watertown Branch (Massena - Watertown); the Ogdensburg Branch (Ogdensburg - DeKalb Junction); Cape Vincent Branch (Cape Vincent - Watertown) and the Sackets Harbor Branch (Sackets Harbour - Watertown).
1914	New York Central & Hudson River became New York Central Railroad; then became New York Central Lines.
1917	Old Forge and Racquette Lake merged into New York Central as its Old Forge Branch and Racquette Lake Branch.
1920	New York Central opened the Balmat Branch from Emeryville on the Edwards Branch to Balmat.
1930	New York Central purchased half of the Canadian Pacific Car & Transfer Company. Delaware & Hudson Company became Delaware & Hudson Railroad.
1931	New York Central Lines abandoned the Hinckley Branch.
1932	New York Central abandoned the Old Forge Branch. New York Central ended service on the Racquette Lake Branch until next summer.
1933	New York Central abandoned the Racquette Lake Branch.
1934	New York Central opened the Piercefield Spur from Piercefield Station to Piercefield.
1935	New York Central became New York Central System. All Divisions and Branches stayed the same except the St. Lawrence Division was now from Massena to Watertown and the Lyons Branch was from Ogdensburg to Carthage.
1937	New York Central abandoned the Ottawa Division from Tupper Lake Junction to Helena. The trackage from Tupper Lake Junction to Tupper Lake became a spur and access to Helena was by running rights on Canadian National Railways from Massena.
1940	Delaware & Hudson Railroad abandoned 22 miles Plumadore to Lake Clear Jct. Reached Lake Placid via trackage rights over New York Central.
1943	New York Central relocated the trackage of the Carthage & Adirondack Branch in Benson Mines. Delaware & Hudson reaches mines at Tahawus New York Central System abandoned the Adirondack Division between Prospect Junction and Poland.
1946	New York Central agreed to purchase and took possession of Delaware & Hudson’s line between Saranac Lake and Lake Placid as part of the Saranac Branch. Delaware & Hudson abandoned Lyon Mountain to Plumadore.
1949	New York Central abandons Sackets Harbor to Watertown.
1952	New York Central abandoned the Cape Vincent Branch from Cape Vincent to Limerick.
1953	New York Central abandoned the remainder of the Cape Vincent Branch.
1956	New York Central abandoned the Lyons Branch from a point west of Ogdensburg to Redwood. The track in Ogdensburg became a spur.
1957	New York Central ran its last train over the Ottawa Division and officially abandoned the Ottawa Division from Rooseveltown to Ottawa. The remaining track became the Rooseveltown Spur. Ottawa & New York was dissolved. New York Central System abandoned the Rome Branch from Richland to Camden, leaving a spur in Richland that would be taken up in years to come. New York Central System was paid $2,280,000 as an incentive to abandon the Ottawa Division, so that the Seaway Project would not have to pay for a costly reroute plan for the railway.
1959	New York Central System double tracked from Pulaski to Richland.
1961	New York Central abandoned the Adirondack Division from Malone Junction to Gabriels. The line to Lake Clear Junction became a spur and the Saranac Branch became part of the division. Access to the St. Lawrence & Adirondack was made over Canadian National’s line, continuing running rights from Helena to Huntingdon. New York Central abandoned the Lyons Branch from Redwood to Theresa.
1963	New York Central abandons Watertown to Roots.
1964	New York Central began negotiations to buy the abandoned Rutland Railway from Ogdensburg to Rouses Point. New York Central abandons Lyons Falls to Lowville, cutting line between Utica and Watertown.
1965	New York Central abandoned the Gabriels Branch and purchased ex-Rutland Railway’s line from Malone Junction to Morton Siding in Malone for the St. Lawrence & Adirondack. They also provided service over the trackage from Norwood to Ogdensburg for the Ogdensburg Bridge & Port Authority. Lake Placid - Utica passenger service ends.
1966	New York Central abandoned the Carthage Branch from Watertown to Great Bend. Ogdensburg Bridge & Port Authority purchased the ex-Rutland line from Norwood to Ogdensburg, maintaining New York Central as an operator until they could get another company. Delaware & Hudson Railroad abandoned Lyon Mt to Dannemora
1967	New York Central stopped operating the Norwood to Ogdensburg line since a new operator was ready to take over. Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority (OBPA), owners of the then abandoned Rutland line between Ogdensburg and Norwood, created the Ogdensburg & Norwood Railway
1968	New York Central merged with Pennsylvania Railroad to become Pennsylvania New York Central Transportation Company then became Penn Central Transportation.
1970	Canadian Pacific Car & Transfer Company ended ferry service between Ogdensburg and Prescott. Penn Central abandoned the remainder of the Carthage Branch. Penn Central Transportation decided to remove the Lyon Branch track between Remsen and Snow Junction since that and the Adirondack Division tracks ran parallel. They connected the Lyon Branch to these tracks. Penn Central went bankrupt.
1972	Penn Central abandoned the Adirondack Division and the Tupper Lake and Piercefield Spurs. Penn Central abandoned the Lyons Branch north of Philadelphia and to Clayton.
1974	Canadian Pacific Car & Transfer Company was dissolved.
1975	The State of New York took possession of Penn Central’s abandoned Adirondack Division. Assets of the Norwood & St Lawrence Railroad were donated to the OBPA as it was to the benefit of the St. Regis Paper Co., owners of the N&SL, to help continue rail operations between Ogdensburg and Norwood
1976	Penn Central abandoned the last running portion of the Adirondack Division, that of the original line between Poland and Herkimer. Penn Central merged with other companies to create Consolidated Rail Corporation ( Conrail). The Ogdensburg Branch and Spur were placed under the operation of the Ogdensburg & Norwood Railway. Conrail abandoned Cape Vincent Branch Watertown to Limerick.
1977	Ogdensburg & Norwood abandoned the Ogdensburg Spur. Ogdensburg & Norwood became St. Lawrence Railroad. Conrail abandoned the Edwards Branch from Edwards to Emeryville. Conrail abandoned the Rome Branch from Camden to McConnellsville.
1978	St. Lawrence Railroad returned the Ogdenburg Branch to Conrail.
1979	After years of restoration, the Adirondack Railway opened over the former Adirondack Division to Lake Placid as well as the Tupper Lake Spur.
1980	Conrail gave the Ogdensburg Branch to North Country Railroad to operate. Conrail ( St. Lawrence & Adirondack) abandoned from Morton Siding to Malone Junction and all the way to Huntingdon. Adirondack Railway closed to in August to fix their trackage. They reopened in September and in November closed for the winter.
1981	Conrail reclaimed the Ogdensburg Branch and sold it later to St. Lawrence Industrial Development Authority, but still operated it. Adirondack Railway declared bankruptcy and was abandoned. Ontario Eastern Railroad took over the Ogdensburg Branch. Delaware & Hudson abandoned the remainder of the Chateguay Branch from Dannamora to Otis Jct.
1983	Conrail abandoned Camden Secondary (from Rome).
1985	Ontario Eastern abandoned.
1986	St. Lawrence & Adirondack was absorbed into Conrail as its Montreal Branch.
1989	Conrail reorganized its lines. Those changed were : Watertown to Massena was the Montreal Secondary, Helena to Rooseveltown was the Rooseveltown Industrial Track, and Carthage to Newton Falls was the Newton Falls Secondary. Mine at Tahawau closes. Delaware & Hudson sells track to NL (National Lead)
1991	Mohawk Adirondack & Northern Railroad purchased Conrail’s Lyons Branches and Newton Falls Secondary. They rejoin the track between Lowville and Lyons Falls.
1992	Adirondack Centennial Railroad began operating 4 miles from Thendara to Minnehaha.
1993	Conrail purchased Canadian National’s line from Massena to Huntingdon and made it part of their Montreal Branch.
1994	Adirondack Centennial Railroad becomes Adirondack Scenic Railroad.
1995	Adirondack Scenic Railroad opened from Thendara to Carter.
1998	St.Lawrence & Norwood Railroad ceased operation of the line from Norwood to Ogdensburg The Ogdensburg Bridge & Port Authority, owners of the line from Norwood to Ogdensburg, leased operation to The New York & Ogdensburg Railway Company, Inc. (NYOG). Adirondack Scenic Railroad opened from Minnehaha to Snow Junction and had trackage rights over Mohawk Adirondack & Northern Railroad between Snow Junction and Utica.
1999	Conrail is jointly purchased by Norfolk Southern Corporation and CSX Transport. CSX got the Northern New York lines.
2000	CSX made a deal with Canadian National to use their line from Cecile Junction to Coteau Junction and on to Montreal. CSX stops running trains east of Beauharnois. CSX was contracted by New York & Ogdensburg Railway to operate their line from Norwood to Norfolk and Norwood to Ogdensburg. Adirondack Scenic Railroad opened from Saranac Lake to Lake Placid. Opened south from Thendara to Snow Junction where trains go to Utica over the Mohawk, Adirondack & Northern Railroad.
2002	CSX stopped operating the New York & Ogdensburg.
Sources of Data	Basic structure from Chris Granger of the New York Central Adirondack Division Forum Other data from my own research on Internet and research at Yale University Library.

Joint Winter Olympics for Montreal and Lake Placid? New York Central Adirondack Division Railroad

Webb's Wilderness Railroad, New York Central Adirondack Division


Interested in Penn Central? New York Central? Pennsylvania Railroad? New Haven Railroad? or in the smaller Eastern US railroads? Then you will be interested in "What if the Penn Central Merger Did Not Happen". You will also enjoy "Could George Alpert have saved the New Haven?" as well as "What if the New Haven never merged with Penn Central?"

Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority

The Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority owns two shortline railroads that are operated by a private contractor d/b/a the New York and Ogdensburg Railway Company. This railroad serves the Port of Ogdensburg and connects with CSX, thus providing total intermodal service for industries of Northern and Central New York, as well as Eastern Ontario, Canada

New York Central Branch from DeKalk Junction to Ogdensburg, In 1861, the Potsdam & Watertown line merged into the Watertown&Rome, the name of the new railroad was changed to Rome, Watertown&Ogdensburg, and a 19-mile line built from DeKalb Junction to Ogdensburg. It lasted until the 1980's. Read the whole story.

REFERENCE

List of New York Railroads