An excerpt from the Annual Report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners of the State of New York for the fiscal year ended September 30, 1883, Volume 1 of an inspection on the Sodus Bay and Southern Railroad, which later became part of the Northern Central Railroad.
SODUS BAY AND SOUTHERN RAILROAD.
Organized in 1852 as the Sodus Point and Southern railroad, and in 1872 opened for public travel between Sodus Point and Phelps, where junction is made with the Auburn branch of the New York Central railroad. In 1873 the line was completed to Stanleys, Ontario county, its present terminus, and where connection is made with the Northern Central division of the Pennsylvania railroad system. The length of line operated is thirty-three and six-tenths, all single track. The property, proving a losing venture, was sold under a receivership, reorganized as the Ontario Southern, and at a later date passed into the hands of the present owners, who operate the line under the name given at the head of this report.
The general width of land appropriated for roadway, outside of station grounds, is sixty-six feet, and the fencing so far as maintained is of usual post and board, or barbed-wire construction. The fences were found in poor condition ; no positive attempt is made to maintain them, except opposite fields where cattle are allowed to graze . This is a defect that should be remedied ; the whole line should be properly inclosed with suitable fencing, and bars or gates maintained at all farm crossings.
The roadway is partly clean from old ties and other debris, and cleared of underbrush the entire width, but the noxious weeds were not cut at the proper time, suffered to seed, and are now being removed to prevent the spread of fire. The line of location is well laid, curvature light, one or two only of the maximum of four degrees being introduced. Generally the curves are of half-mile radius and proportion of curve to tangent inconsiderable. The grades are well maintained, except at the crossing of the Canandaigua outlet, where the most serious depression occurs, and consequent difficulty of haul ; the maximum grade of seventy feet is at this point. The maximum grade against the traffic is about forty feet. The road -bed is of the usual width of single-track roads, and no narrow embankments of moment ; cuttings full width , and at exposed points snow-fenced. An increased attention to ditching would be economy, both in maintenance of way and equipment. The mechanical structures are in small part of masonry substructure, but the larger proportion is of timber support, either piling, or framed bents resting upon piles or mud sills. Commencing at Sodus Point, the first crossing of Salmon creek is a structure thirty-two feet clear span , double track stringers, straining beam underneath, with braces resting against the abutments. The braces were found much decayed and considerably out of direct line of thrust . Timber noticed at hand to rebuild entire structure. At the second crossing of same creek, masonry abutments, stringers old, unsound ; and shored with intermediate bent supports. New timber also delivered at this point to reconstruct. Several pile bridges and minor structures follow, that have been in part or wholly rebuilt. At the crossing over the New York Central railroad near the village of Newark, there is a one hundred-foot span Howe truss bridge, resting upon oak pile abutments, and timber trestle approaches on the north of one thousand and on the south of seven hundred feet in length. The truss bridge over the Central road is entirely new. The under side of lower chords are covered with tin to protect from fire ; the flooring has no protection. The trestle approaches have considerable of the original timber in them ; the pile foundations for sills of bents are to a great extent decayed, and mud sills or blocking is used. This construction is faulty, as little care is exercised to secure bents against movement by frost. A few of the sills of bents found unsound ; generally the perpendicular and brace posts are in good condition , also the caps of bents. The bays are eleven feet, center to center ; stringers of pine timber, double, seven by fourteen inches in size, twenty-two feet in length, breaking joints over caps, in the usual way. Many of them are unsound and considerable of the strength gone ; they are being renewed with new timber, and should be, until entirely reconstructed . Ties of oak, six by six inches section, quite old, spread two feet in clear, secure in place, with a ribbon piece insufficient in size for a proper guard timber. Hemlock ties now being laid, but not sufficiently near each other, and the guard rail is too small. Vertical sway braces at pile abutments only, scarcely none on bents, some of which are twenty feet in height. Should all have good and sufficient vertical sway braces, well secured to each side of bent where the height exceeds ten feet. At the crossing of a mill pond, immediately south of the last structure, is another trestle of similar construction and condition, also the trestle approaches to the iron bridge over the Erie canal in Newark ; the timber for a thorough renewal is delivered and being put in place.
The New York, West Shore and Buffalo railroad is crossed overhead with a through plate girder truss, about fifty -six feet span, and resting upon substantial masonry of sufficient length to provide for a second track. The Erie canal is crossed with an iron pin-connected truss , eighty-six feet span, and the outlet of Canandaigua lake is crossed with an iron trestle , spanned with Fink truss girders between bents, which rest upon stone piers , all in good condition. At the south end of the iron trestle is a timber trestle about four hundred feet in length. Bents, twenty-two feet center to center ; straining beam under stringer, with end braces abutting each other at the perpendicular posts of bents. No walling pieces at toe of braces, the thrust passing to adjoining spans. This trestle is about twenty-five feet in height, and no vertical braces on bents. These additions to the trusses and bents would add largely to the strength of the structure, and are desirable, as the timber is rapidly losing vitality ; a few of the timbers now show decay , Flint creek trestle is of same construction and condition. The remaining structures between Newark and Stanley are of recent build and in reasonably fair condition. The floor system on all the bridges is not up to the modern standard now generally adopted. The ties are spread too widely, and no guard rails proper in use. In case of derailment this would prove a serious defect. The cattle-guards and a few of the waterways from five to twelve feet span have no flooring ; the rail is laid directly upon the track stringers. This is dangerous, and although years ago accepted as good construction, later experience condemns it, and a floor system of sufficient strength to carry derailed trucks entirely across openings is deemed imperative for safety.
It is contemplated to fill some other trestles the coming season, and for that reason a more thorough renewal of old timber in some of these trestles has not been made this year.
The ballasting of the road was never thoroughly done, very little under the ties for a greater portion of the line. Where this is properly done the superstructure is in good surface and alignment workmanlike.
There are two rail grade crossings, one at Wallington, at the crossing of the Lake Ontario Shore division of the Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburgh railroad, and the other at Phelps, where the Auburn branch of the New York Central railroad is crossed. A signal is provided, and a watchman stationed night and day at each crossing.
The rail is mostly the original iron, fifty-six pounds per yard, very much worn, and will require large renewals next season. A mile or more of new rail is laid on the grade out of Sodus Point, all fastened at joints with the fish bar splice, and about one-quarter mile of sixty-pound steel is laid near Stanley, secured at joints with angle plates, and laid with broken suspended joints. Ties to the number of twenty-five thousand have been renewed in the past two years, and yet the condition of them is too low, a larger volume of renewal is necessary. Owing to many poor ties, the worn rail, and little ballast, the superstructure generally is very rough and low joints predominate. The ties are spaced two feet from center to center, making twenty-six hundred and forty per mile, and mostly hemlock and cedar ; ash, oak and chestnut also used. The stub switch rail and solid rail frog in use. Warning signs at all highway crossings are in place, and there are no low overhead bridges.
At Sodus Point the company have extensive pockets for the transfer of coal from rail to water transportation ; also an elevator for transfer of grain from water to rail use.
The station buildings generally are suitable and convenient for public At Sodus Point and Newark good accommodation for passengers is provided. The buildings are neat, comfortable and convenient and have waiting rooms for ladies and gentlemen separate. The other stations are smaller with single waiting rooms; not all supplied with comfortable sittings, nor are they as cleanly as could be desired. More attention to the convenience and comforts of the public at some of the smaller stations would undoubtedly be appreciated, and something beside benches should be provided for waiting passengers. At least settees with inclined backs and sufficient sittings should be placed in all stations where now hard benches are in use. Attention is paid to plat- forms, making of them sound and secure. The passenger equipment is clean, but old and worn to considerable extent. The cars are being overhauled as opportunity offers. Hand brakes and link connections are used on all trains. The motive power is in apparent good order and effective in handling the traffic of the line.
Generally good and intelligent management is shown, and everything done to insure safety and dispatch ; and so far as material and labor is furnished the most is made of it. Another year will probably show increased efficiency and better condition in all departments of the road.