More New York Central

New York Central Motor

Here's a drawing of one of my favorites: A "P Motor"
Art work by Stacy Kinlock Sewell
Welcome to the "Second Section" of the New York Central Home Page

Here's a preview of some of the exciting projects we have put together for you:

What Made Up the New York Central Railroad?

New York Central Railroad Pictures

New York Central Map Section

Follow the New York Central on Google Earth

New York Central Reference Section

Short Stories on the New York Central

New York Central Motive Power

Head End Equipment on the New York Central

New York Central Business Cars

Railroads in the Adirondacks

Tunnels on the New York Central

Our Big Four Section

New York Central forums/discussion groups

New York Central's Ken Knapp

New York Central Interesting Rail Links

New York Central Milk Business

New York Central Pacemaker Service

A lot about NY Central's EMPIRE SERVICE. Even more about EMPIRE SERVICE.

Take a quiz on Which One of These People Hurt New York City the Worst?
ALCO PA and PB at Beacon ALCO PA and PB at Beacon.

Beacon Historical Society collection, courtesy of Bernie Rudberg

A New York Central ALCO PA and PB are charging past Beacon on the way north and west. The National Biscuit Company building at left was the carton printing plant for Nabisco products. That building today is a museum of modern art in Beacon. The tracks at right were the CNE and New Haven which crossed over the NYC main on a bridge to Fishkill and the Maybrook line connection at Hopewell Junction. These tracks are still in use by MTA Metro North and AMTRAK.
NY Central Niagara pulling a passenger train New York Central Niagara pulling a passenger train.

What better picture than this one to show what the Central was all about. The Niagara was the last of the great locomotives.

Beacon Historical Society collection, courtesy of Bernie Rudberg

This train is southbound at Beacon. You can see the road bridge over the tracks in the background. At left is the former NY&NE ferry yard that later was occupied by the CNE and the New Haven.

Click here or on picture to see more about railroads in Beacon, New York
See our page featuring excerpts from the
New York Central Lines Magazine
Over many years I have written numerous articles about the New York Central Railroad.
What I realized was that I had no one central (no pun intended) place where someone could go and find everything I have plus what others have too.
Like great passenger trains, we added a second section, but don't miss the first section.
New Yorks Grand Central Terminal and Track 61
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 New York City Grand Central Terminal
What Made Up the
New York Central System?

The New York Central and Hudson River Railroad

Boston & Albany Railroad

Canadian Southern Railway

Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway (Big Four)

Chicago River & Indiana Railroad

Indiana Harbor Belt

Lake Erie and Western Railroad

Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway

Michigan Central Railroad

Peoria and Eastern Railway (P&E) Company

Pittsburg & Lake Erie Railroad

Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo Railway (73% NYC owned)
Joint with Canadian Pacific Railway

West Shore Railroad
including the New Jersey Junction Railroad

Amsterdam, Chuctanunda and Northern Railroad

Niagara River Bridge Company

Dayton Union Railway

Niagara Junction Railway

Central Indiana Railway

New York Central's Fall Brook Subdivision

Indianapolis Union Railway 		New York City Transit Planning
The New York Central System .. One of the great railways of the 20th Century.
Home of the Great Steel Fleet of passenger trains
including the well known 20th Century Limited. Known as The Water Level Route, serving customers between New York/Boston and Chicago.
NYC-Railroad@yahoogroups.com is a place to discuss the New York Central Railroad's US operations, including the Boston & Albany, Pittsburgh & Lake Erie, Peoria & Eastern, among others, as well as its Canadian divisions through Southern Ontario as well as the branch to Ottawa.
Discussion is not limited solely to rail operations, since the NYC had significant marine and trucking operations as well. Current equipment spottings are encouraged. The only restrictions are that the information relates to the NYC or other lines operating under its flag. Modellers, historians and anyone with an interest in the NYC family of railways are welcome.
New-York-Central-Railroad Forum
This group is dedicated to modelers, historians and fans of the late, great New York Central Railroad-gone, but not forgotten!
NYC-RR Forum
This is a discussion and sharing group for friends and former employees of the "Water Level Route", the late and great New York Central Railroad Company. Our focus is primarily historical, and mostly limited to the NYC ( and PC successor ) period prior to ConRail. Our emphasis is upon routes, signaling, towers and operations.
Troy & Schenectady railroad station at Niskayuna, New York

Troy and Schenectady Branch\Railroad

Welcome to the T&S Branch. A group devoted to the discussion and history of the Troy and Schenectady Branch\Railroad between Schenectady and Troy New York.

Although abandoned now, this line was part of the original New York Central Railroad.
Peoria & Eastern Forum
Peoria & Eastern Railway Forum
To share information, photos and memorabilia relating to the Peoria & Eastern Railway. All fans of this former New York Central subsidiary are welcome! Any conversations and photos of P&E railroad models are welcome as well.
JWH Rapid Response Temporary Housing JWH Rapid Response Temporary Housing
How are your disaster recovery plans for a hurricane?

Talk to us!
We can design a plan to provide you temporary housing, office, manufacturing or warehouse space.
We design your solution, then we store it for you.
If a disaster hits, we move it into your site, assemble it, and maintain it.
On site containers become residential accommodation, offices and much more!
Northeast Corridor

Railroads On The Rebound

 		High Speed Rail
Over the last 50+ years, railroads have changed a lot. Now they are about to change again.

It is all about a combination of economic factors and climate factors.

Since 1950 , railroads have consolidated. Freight moved from a "box car mentality" to a "unit train,mentality". Passenger went from a robust business to a "caretaker" arrangement called AMTRAK. This happened as everybody could drive for free on the Interstate Highway System or fly on an airline system where the government subsidized both airlines and airports. In the meantime, railroad express and railroad post offices went "down the tubes". The old Post Office Department and the Railway Express Agency could not adjust to the new way. UPS and Fex Ex could.
Carbon Calculator
What's the most environmentally-friendly way to transport goods? The answer is freight rail. The EPA estimates that every ton-mile of freight that moves by rail instead of by highway reduces greenhouse emissions by two-thirds. But what does that really mean? Our easy-to-use carbon calculator will estimate the amount of carbon dioxide that can be prevented from entering our environment just by using freight rail instead of trucks. We'll even tell you how many seedlings you'd need to plant to have the same effect.
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Crossing a bridge

The New York Central Railroad

See some historic photographs of the New York Central Railroad. First-generation diesels! Passenger and freight runs. Much more New York Central! 		Richard Leonard New York Central Collection
Fallen Flags Photos
Run 8 Video Productions
Railway Enthusiasts Around the World
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OUR MAP SECTION

1929 System Map (from the Wiki)

Big Four

Indianapolis Map

Indiana Maps

1918 New York Central Lines

1876 New York State railroad map

1930 New York Central System 		Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Map

Click on map to enlarge (and see other) maps of the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad (from Rails & Trails)
REFERENCE

Bridges over Niagara Falls

Dave Honan's Photography

Bellefontaine, Ohio Railroads

Boston & Albany Track Charts

Kahndog Publications
publishes books about the railroading history of Western Pennsylvania,
featuring the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie
and associated railroads such as
the Montour, Monongahela Railway
and the Pittsburgh, Chartiers & Youghiogheny. 		WIKIPEDIA: the free-content encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

WIKIPEDIA contains several articles of interest to the New York Central historian or fan:
New York Central Railroad
List of New York Central Railroad precursors
List of defunct United States railroads
Grand Central Terminal
List of New York railroads
List of Indiana railroads
List of Michigan railroads
List of Massachusetts railroads
List of Ohio Railroads
List of Pennsylvania railroads
List of West Virginia Railroads
Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad (Big 4)
Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad
Many of these articles have been developed by our staff researchers KC Jones and Penney Vanderbilt.

Any connection to Casey Jones....America's Railroad Legend is purely coincidental.
What's a "Chicago Bypass"?
Chicago Bypass
Why do we need a "Chicago Bypass"?

Click on any doctor above to see why. 		How did the Vanderbilts travel on the New York Central?
Some of the New York Central's "Business Cars" have been preserved.
Some are even for hire. You can charter New York Central 3
Pictured at the right is "The America", built in 1928. Find out more about New York Central "Business Cars". 		The America 1928
Adirondack Division Forum
This group covers one of the three Canadian lines that the New York Central had, the Adirondack Division/St. Lawrence & Adirondack Railway.
Penn Central New Haven Railroad New York Central Railroad 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?"
New York Central at Railroad.Net New York Central at RailFan.Net Adirondack Scenic Railroad
Short items on New York Central
Conrail has abandoned its Niles Industrial Track in Niles Michigan, effective April 24, 1996. I think this includes a portion that operated down the middle of a city street and to the south of the town. This line had been cut when a new road had been built, but used to extend to South Bend, Indiana. It was part of the Big 4 branch to Benton Harbor. In the few times I visited it, I never saw any action.

Work starts soon on rail line improvements to let Amtrak carry passengers between Detroit and Chicago at more than 100 mph. By fall, the plan is to let journalists and government officials aboard demonstration runs that will zip between Kalamazoo and Niles at 103 mph or a bit faster. The high-speed service will use existing Amtrak trains, which could hit 109 mph if signals and the track beds were upgraded. Ex-Michigan Central line.
The March 1966 issue of Railroad magazine contained this:
"The longest run for a unit train will soon start. The Aluminum Company of America will operate a weekly, 50-car train of aluminum covered hoppers between their bauxite refining works at Mobile, Ala., and their smelter at Massena, N.Y. The route is GM&O to East St. Louis and then on New York Central to destination, a 3400-mile round trip! Right now 110 new cars are being built (two 50-car trains and ten spares). Each train will haul 5,300 tons of aluminum ore."
Not including any cars (or locomotives) which were "re-marked" prior to the dissolution of Conrail into CSX and Norfolk Southern - cars re-marked were Conrail cars going to CSX, 13 cars still were listed in the October 1996 ORER carrying NYC marks. They were eleven 53' Flats in the #506000-506199 series, and two 4,700 cubic foot Covered Hoppers in the #886326-886675 series. In the January 1996 ORER, there were still 50 Boxcars, 11 RBL's, 103 Flats, 8 Gons and 27 Covered Hoppers still with NYC (original) reporting marks.
Ken Knapp on the Hudson Picture at left is Ken Knapp enjoying the Hudson River near Tarrytown, New York. He was a former Paymaster of the New York Central.

He started with the railroad when the employees were paid in cash and a pay car visited all the Central's locations. He worked with William Ingraham, John L. Burdett. and Hy Taylor.

He moved to Albany for one year, but the station did not have adequate room for the payroll department, so he went to Utica for the rest of his career. When the railroad began paying by check instead of cash, he oversaw the first computer bought by the New York Central. It took up almost a whole floor in Utica's Union Station.

A feature article on his career and his retirement appeared in the July/August issue of HEADLIGHT - the New York Central magazine. I remember meeting Norman Stone, the editor of the magazine, when the article was written. He even included a picture of my dog (with my grandfather).

In his 47-year career, he worked many years on a pay car. These cars lasted through the 1920's. At one time, the Central had five pay cars on the road. Each car had two payroll clerks and a railroad police detective. A typical car had an office, berths, a stateroom and facilities for meal preparation. Several times the pay car had several million dollars on board in a safe and in "strong boxes" hidden under the berths (but still only one detective). During World War I when the railroads were nationalized, the pay cars were under control of the Secretary of the Treasury, William McAdoo. In this period, payroll for other railroads were sometimes carried: for instance, Delaware & Hudson payroll was carried from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to Albany (other times this was sent in leather pouches by registered mail... I still have some of the mail tags addressed to New York State Bank).

He was born in 1890 and died in 1974.

See more here
New York Central Mail Tag for Pay Car

New York Central Mail Tag for Pay Car

This tag was on canvas money bags which were shipped from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in the Equitable Building to the New York State National Bank in Albany, New York. This money was destined for the account of the New York Central Rail Road.

This package cost two 20-cent stamps to ship! It was sent "insured mail", which "by direction of the post office department these articles are handled and accorded the same treatment as registered mail." 		During the First World War, all railroads in the United States were seized by the Government, which created the United States Railroad Administration. This shipment occured in March, 1918.

At Albany, the money was transferred to a New York Central "pay car" which roamed the system paying the employees in cash. Pay cars (at this time, the Central operated five) were manned by two paymasters and a railroad detective.


The "Fed" is no longer in the Equitable Building, the New York State National Bank no longer exists, the New York Central Railroad merged into Penn Central, which folded into Conrail, then was carved up by CSX and NS. Railroad workers now get paid by Direct Deposit.
New York Central Motive Power

Here are some good sources on the motive power of the New York Central System:
New York Central Diesel Roster. Box cabs and beyond!

Rolling Stock Photographic Roster.

New York Central Lines Steam Locomotives

Richard Leonard's steam locomotive archive

New York Central Motive Power
 First Generation Diesel Power 1945-1957

PDF images of NYC classification and dimensions books 		New York Central Museum in Elkhart, Indiana

These pictures are from the New York Central Museum
in Elkhart, Indiana.

New York Central Museum in Elkhart, Indiana
Berkshire Hills Route Railroaddata.com
New York Central Museum New York & Western

The prototype for this excellent scale model railroad embodies many of the great aspects of railroading that we write about: the New York Central System, New York City, "Alphabet Routes", Long Island, car ferries, and more. 		RailLinks
Whitewater Valley Railroad
Elgin County Railway Museum Medina Railroad Museum
Timeline of Railroads in the Adirondacks

See the Railroads of the Adirondacks too!!! 		Interesting New York Central links


John Stewart's Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad
Railroad and Adirondack art of Robert B. Partridge
Flying Scotsman Hobbies in Poughkeepsie, New York
Lake Shore Line, Toledo West Air Line
Fitz's New Railfan Page
The Central New York Model Railroad Club
The Model Railroad Club of Buffalo
The Canadian Southern Railway
The Fort Wayne Railfan
Saint Joe Valley Model Railroad Club
NJ, NY & CT Railroad Page
Central Indiana Railroad Information Network
The New York Railroad Enthusiasts
Tom's Site about South Bend, Indiana
Chip Syme's Railroad Page
Lake Shore Railway Historical Society
New York Central Photographic Roster
"Big Train" Video
New York Central at the Joe Korner
About the Central from Southern New York Railway
All about the New York Central System
A great e-book!
New York Central Float Operations
GCT 1 at Danbury

This picture from the Danbury Rail Museum
shows "GCT 1", a wrecking crane that ran inside
New York's Grand Central Terminal. 		Many of my articles were published in the CALLBOARD of the Mohawk and Hudson Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society.
and in the BRIDGE LINE BULLETIN of the Bridge Line Historical Society
More New York Central
Continuing an earlier discussion of New York Central's cross country connections, the April 1954 NYC Passenger Time Table (Form 1001) lists the 20th Century (except Sat.) or Commodore Vanderbilt (Sat.) to the Super Chief. It arrived at Chicago (La Salle St. Sta) at 7:45 and left Chicago (Dearborn Sta) at 19:00. Thru cars were one 4-4-2 and one 10-6 sleeper. The Chicagoan to the City of Los Angeles arrived Chicago (La Salle St. Sta) at 14:25 and left Chicago (CNW station) at 19:15. Thru car was a 10-6 sleeper. (The eastward version of this used the Commodore Vanderbilt). The Wolverine to the Sante Fe Overland arrived at La Salle at 11:20 and left CNW Station at 16:00 using a 10-6 sleeper. The Lake Shore Ltd. to California Zephyr arrived at La Salle at 11:00 and left Union Station at 15:00. Equipment was a 10-6 sleeper. Passengers could ride the through equipment.
Railroad Roman lettering on engines began to be replaced with Gothic (sans-serif) about 1940.

Open platforms on observation cars began to be replaced about 1935, but some remained at least until the end of WW II.

Although the NYC replaced six wheel trucks with four wheel trucks under some coaches when they were air conditioned in the mid 1930s, others kept six wheel trucks.


What ever happened to my Penn Central stock? 		Penn Central gobbled up the stock of New York Central, Pennsylvania and New Haven Railroads. But what ever happened to the company and the stock? Is it worth anything?

Ever hear of American Premier Underwriters?


Find the answer and find out a lot of interesting facts.
Wake Up Wal*Mart Tioga Central
Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad (Big 4)

The Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway(from the Wiki)

System Track Chart (circa 1950)

Cleveland District Employee Timetable (1930)

See a great history of the Big Four 		History of the Evansville Indianapolis and Terre Haute Railroad
The E.I.& T.H.RR was the Evansville, Indianaplis & Terre Haute division of the New York Central. They purchased the line in 1920 and operated it as the NYC till the time of the merger with the PRR and then was operated as the Penn Central. The line is now operated by the Indiana Southern from Evansville to Elnora with trackage rights from Elnora to Beehunter over the Canadian Pacific, then over the old I&V division of the PRR to Indianapolis.
Buy a book about this railroad written by Kenneth L and Mary Lou Reed 		Railroads of Madison County - Big Four Depot Andersonville

Roger Hensley's
Railroads of Madison County
Click on the picture of the restored Andersonville depot to see this site.
Indianapolis 1916 Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad (Big 4) Indianapolis 1916 at left

At right, Louisville Big Four Bridge, built 1929 over the Ohio River between Louisville, Kentucky and Jeffersonville, Indiana. The Louisville and Jeffersonville Bridge & Railroad Company was formed in 1887 to construct the bridge. Construction began in 1888 and after the loss of 37 lives building it the bridge opened in 1895. Company had several USRA 0-8-0's, lettered for L&JB&RR, but supplied by NYC or Big Four. Due to the increasing weight of the rail traffic, contracts were finalized in June 1928 to build a bigger bridge. The bridge fell into disuse after the Big Four Railroad's parent company, New York Central Railroad, was merged into Penn Central in 1968. 		Louisville Big Four Bridge
Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad (Big 4)

* Cairo, Vincennes and Chicago Railway
Cairo and Vincennes Railroad
* Central Railroad of Indianapolis
* Central Union Depot and Railway Company of Cincinnati
* Chicago, Indianapolis and St. Louis Short Line Railway
* Cincinnati and Michigan Railroad
* Cincinnati and Southern Ohio River Railway
* Cincinnati and Springfield Railway
* Cincinnati Northern Railroad
Cincinnati, Jackson and Mackinaw Railway
Cincinnati, Van Wert and Michigan Railroad
Celina, Van Wert and State Line
Columbus and Northwestern Railway
Michigan and Ohio Railroad
Allegan and Southeastern Railroad
* Cincinnati, Hamilton, Middletown and Toledo
* Cincinnati, Indianapolis, St. Louis and Chicago Railway
* Cincinnati, Sandusky and Cleveland Railroad
Cincinnati, Dayton and Eastern Railroad
* Cincinnati, Wabash and Michigan Railway
Cincinnati, Wabash and Michigan Railroad
* Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Indianapolis Railway
Bellefontaine Railway
Bellefontaine and Indiana Railroad
Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati Railroad
Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati Railway
* Cleveland, Indianapolis, St. Louis and Chicago Railway
* Columbus, Hope and Greensburg Railroad
* Columbus, Indianapolis and Western
* Columbus, Springfield and Cincinnati Railroad
* Mount Gilead Short Line Railway
Mount Gilead Short Line Railroad
The Louisville and Jeffersonville Bridge & Railroad Company
Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway

MICHIGAN SOUTHERN AND NORTHERN INDIANA RAILROAD COMPANY
LAKE SHORE RAILWAY COMPANY
BUFFALO AND ERIE RAILROAD COMPANY
DETROIT MONROE AND TOLEDO RAILROAD COMPANY
KALAMAZOO AND WHITE PIGEON RAILROAD COMPANY
KALAMAZOO ALLEGAN AND GRAND RAPIDS RAILROAD COMPANY
NORTHERN CENTRAL MICHIGAN RAILROAD COMPANY
MAHONING COAL RAILROAD COMPANY
DETROIT HILLSDALE AND SOUTHWESTERN RAILROAD COMPANY
FORT WAYNE AND JACKSON RAILROAD COMPANY
DETROIT AND CHICAGO RAILROAD COMPANY
STURGIS GOSHEN AND ST LOUIS RAILWAY COMPANY
BATTLE CREEK AND STURGIS RAILWAY COMPANY
SILVER CREEK AND DUNKIRK RAILWAY COMPANY
ELKHART AND WESTERN RAILROAD COMPANY
DETROIT TOLEDO AND MILWAUKEE RAILROAD COMPANY
LAKE ERIE ALLIANCE AND WHEELING RAILROAD COMPANY
SWAN CREEK RAILWAY COMPANY
JAMESTOWN FRANKLIN AND CLEARFIELD RAILROAD COMPANY
CLEVELAND SHORT LINE RAILWAY COMPANY
LAKE ERIE AND PITTSBURG RAILWAY COMPANY
Railroads in New York State All-time list of railroad names in New York State Some interesting things about New York State Railroads, mostly New York Central Railroad Home to everything you ever wanted to know about railroad history West of the Hudson and Around New York State railroad, history in Chicago and the Midwest. Links to many railroad resources. New York Central railroad history. Railroad history of the New Haven Railroad and New England. Of interest to the railroad manager, railfans, advocates of super railroads, railroad historians. The one source to go to for railroad history. Even more great railroad links.


Rail industry news from Railpace Magazine. Click on logo to see. Hot News from Railpace Magazine