The main line of the West Shore Railroad is a partially-abandoned railway line in the states of New Jersey and New York. At its fullest extent, it ran from Weehawken Terminal on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York. It runs roughly parallel to the former main line of the New York Central Railroad and was originally built as a competitor to that line, but was acquired by the New York Central Railroad and used primarily as a freight line. Much of the line has been abandoned but several sections remain in use, including most of the line on the west side of the Hudson between Weehawken and Albany.
The Jersey City and Albany Railway was incorporated in 1878 to acquire the property of the Jersey City and Albany Railroad.[5] The new company pushed the line north from Tappen to Haverstraw, New York, an additional 13.1 miles (21.1km). The extension opened on March 1, 1880.[6]
The next and most significant expansion of the line took place under the New York, West Shore and Buffalo Railway, which was established in 1880. This new company had powerful financial backing and was developed as a competitor of the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad.[7] The company extended its main line an additional 391.6 miles (630.2km) from Haverstraw to Buffalo, New York. The line was completed in 1883.[8] The New York Central established the West Shore Railroad in 1885 to acquire the New York, West Shore and Buffalo Railway, including its main line.[9]
The West Shore Railroad remained the titular owner of the West Shore Railroad main line until June 20, 1952, when it, along with several other subsidiaries, was formally merged into the New York Central Railroad.[10] The most significant change to the line during that period was realignment of the New York Central's lines through Syracuse, New York. The New York Central's main passenger line ran down the middle of Washington Street, posing a hazard to pedestrians and motorists. The West Shore line ran several blocks to the north, between Burnet and Canal. The New York Central constructed a new three-track line, elevated on an embankment, on the right-of-way of the West Shore line. This new line, including a new passenger station, opened on September 24, 1936.[11]
New York Central Railroad and Penn Central
Beginning in 1955, the New York Central gradually abandoned portions of the West Shore Railroad main line between Albany and Buffalo as it implemented centralized traffic control (CTC) to consolidate through traffic (freight and passenger) on its original main line.[12] The line ceased being a through route as the New York Central abandoned 114 miles (183km) between 1955 and 1963:[13][14]
In addition, the New York Central sold the elevated right-of-way through Syracuse, built in 1936, to the state of New York in 1962 for the construction of Interstate 690.[15] The New York Central merged with the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1968 to form the Penn Central Transportation Company. The new company entered bankruptcy two years later, eventually leading to the creation of Conrail in 1976. Before that happened, Penn Central abandoned two more parts of the line:[16]
Most–but not all–of the remaining line was conveyed to Conrail in 1976. This included the entire line between Weehawken and Selkirk Yard, now known as the River Line. West of Albany, sections between Selkirk and Rotterdam Junction, Ilion and New York Mills, Vernon and Canastota, Wayneport and Chili Junction, and Oakfield and Buffalo were also included.[17][18] The line between Rotterdam Junction and South Fort Plain was not conveyed but Conrail operated it under subsidy from the state of New York.[19][20] This line was abandoned in 1981.[21] Conrail abandoned the section between Ilion and Utica in 1982, and between Oakfield and Buffalo, the Oakfield Secondary, in 1984.[22][21]
Under CSX operation, the line between North Bergen Yard and Selkirk is known as the River Subdivision. It is approximately 130 miles (210km) long. At the southern end it connects with the Northern Branch in North Bergen, New Jersey. In Selkirk it connects with the Castleton Subdivision, leading east across the Hudson River or west into Selkirk Yard.[25]
The line is used for the transport of Bakken oil.[26][27][28] The line uses rail cars that are considered inadequate and a safety hazard, calling for more regulations and oversight by the towns which The River Line passes through.[29][30] In February 2016, competitive federal funding for rail improvements was not awarded to the line.[31]
Selkirk Subdivision
Under CSX operation, the line between Selkirk and Hoffmans is known as the Selkirk Subdivision. West of Hoffmans, the subdivision also includes part of the former New York Central Railroad main line between Hoffmans and Kellogg's Yard, east of Amsterdam. It is approximately 34 miles (55km) long. At its southeastern end it connects with the Castleton Subdivision at the west end of Selkirk Yard. It connects with the Carman Subdivision in Rotterdam before crossing the Mohawk River at Hoffmans, where it meets the Hudson Subdivision coming up from Schenectady. The line proceeds west along the north side of the Mohawk before reaching Kellogg's Yard, outside Amsterdam, where it becomes the Mohawk Subdivision.[32]Amtrak's Empire Service, Lake Shore Limited, and Maple Leaf trains operate over the Selkirk Subdivision northwest of Hoffmans.[33]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
