Nostalgia & History > NYO&W operations ended 60 years ago today

It was 60 years ago today that the 544 mile long New York, Ontario & Western Railway shut down in 1957 in New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

1. O&W F-3 # 822AB at Middletown, NY on 7-16-49. Paul Prescott photo
2. FT # 804AB on Ferndale trsetle in the Catskills in the 1950's - David Connor photo

Gone but not forgotten
 

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Map of the O&W

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Northbound Train #9 crossing the Unadilla River north of Sidney, NY on March 23, 1957 with FT 806AB, just six days before the end on the way to Norwich.

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The end wasn't as dramatic as one would think.  Most of the employees thought there was going to be a buyout/cash infusion and that they would be back to work in a few weeks.  That call never came and very little of the O&W's trackage ever saw use again.

Did NYO&W have its own yard in Jersey City,or di it use someone else's ?

mopacrr Wrote:
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> Did NYO&W have its own yard in Jersey City,or di
> it use someone else's ?

O&W had trackage rights on the West Shore (New York Central) to Weehawken, NJ.  They used the NYC's facilities there, including ferry service to NYC.

In ancient history O&W predecessor New York & Oswego Midland reached the PRR's Jersey City terminal via the New Jersey Midland - today's NYS&W.

Tim

Excellent post.  Thank-you.

KG

Photo two is absolutely beautiful.
Bob

I became a huge NYO&W fan as a result of Jim Shaughnessy's Trains magazine article detailing the final days of the line, which it appeared later in 1957.  So I never knew the O&W in life, but sure became fascinated in life.

Art House

Does anyone know where the trestle was located in photo 2 - and if so, does it still exist?  I have very little knowledge of the route and area, but became interested in the NYO&W some years ago after finding a former station in my travels.

​Thanks for any info!

​Rob H.
​Keymar, MD

yhandf Wrote:
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> Does anyone know where the trestle was located in
> photo 2 - and if so, does it still exist?  I have
> very little knowledge of the route and area, but
> became interested in the NYO&W some years ago
> after finding a former station in my travels.
>
> ​Thanks for any info!
>
> ​Rob H.
> ​Keymar, MD

Looks like the trestle over the Mongaup River near Ferndale.  Nearly everything O&W has been erased save a few structures here and there.  But conclusively this bridge is gone.  The station I believe still exists:
https://binged.it/2ofbeFm      Neat post, too young to have ever seen this road in person, but man have I explored to row once even via snowmobile. 

Can never see enough photos of this road, expecially this good. Sincere thanks. I visited southern NY last fall and you can only see traces of the row etc. and you definitely have to know what your looking for and where to look.
It's indeed been largely erased, except around Middletown and what's left there is well, depressing.

It was abandoned the year I was born...that was also the last year of New York Central steam. I always found it an interesting railroad but IMO the logo was rather weak and it was not one of EMD's best paint schemes. . But that's just my opinion.

Victor A. Baird
​http://www.erstwhilepublications.com