As with many railroad routes, the Northern Central Railway began as a collection of smaller railroads which merged and consolidated over time. The history of the portion of the line in New York State revolves around four segments: the route from Sodus Point to Stanley, the route from Canandaigua to Watkins (via Stanley), the segment from Watkins to Elmira, and the route from Elmira to Williamsport, PA.
The lines of the Northern Central Railway in New York State became the Elmira Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad.
Sodus to Stanley
The Sodus Point and Southern Railroad was chartered in 1852. In 1872 the line was completed from Sodus Point on Lake Ontario to Phelps, NY where it had a connection with the Auburn Branch of the New York Central. In 1873 it reached Stanley, NY where it connected to the Elmira, Jefferson and Canandaigua Railway.
The line was sold at foreclosure on September 21, 1875 and reorganized in November 1875 as the Ontario Southern Railroad Company. The Ontario Southern merged with the Geneva, Hornellsville and Pine Creek Railway Company (a “paper railroad” that operated no track) on December 17, 1879 to form the Lake Ontario Southern Railway Company. This company was sold at foreclosure on September 4, 1882, and reorganized on November 5th of the same year as the Sodus Bay and Southern Railroad Company.
On December 31, 1886 the Sodus Bay and Southern Railroad, the Elmira, Jefferson and Canandaigua Rail Road, and the Chemung Railroad were consolidated as the Elmira and Lake Ontario Railroad.
Canandaigua to Watkins via Stanley
The Canandaigua and Corning Railroad was chartered on May 14, 1845 and on March 8, 1850 the company changed its name to the Canandaigua and Elmira Railroad. By September 1851 the railroad had completed a 47-mile line from Canandaigua to Watkins (then known as “Jefferson”). The railroad was sometimes referred to in the press as the “Canandaigua and Jefferson railroad” since it ran between those two cities.
The Canandaigua and Elmira was sold at foreclosure on April 23, 1857 and reorganized on May 2 of that year as the Elmira, Canandaigua and Niagara Falls Rail Road. This company was also sold at foreclosure and on February 18, 1859 was reorganized as the Elmira, Jefferson and Canandaigua Rail Road.
At the time it built the line, the Canandiagua and Elmira was owned and operated in conjunction with the New York and Erie Railroad, one of the predecessors of the Erie Railroad, and was a wide-gauge (six feet) railroad. The Erie continued to operate the line until 1866 when the Northern Central leased the railroad and changed the line to standard gauge.
On December 31, 1886 the Sodus Bay and Southern Railroad, the Elmira, Jefferson and Canandaigua Rail Road, and the Chemung Railroad were consolidated as the Elmira and Lake Ontario Railroad.
Watkins to Elmira
The Chemung Railroad was chartered on May 14, 1845 and by approximately 1850 had constructed a 17-mile line from Elmira north to Jefferson (now known as Watkins).
On December 31, 1886 the Sodus Bay and Southern Railroad, the Elmira, Jefferson and Canandaigua Rail Road, and the Chemung Railroad were consolidated as the Elmira and Lake Ontario Railroad.
Elmira to Williamsport, Pennsylvania
The Williamsport and Elmira Railroad extended 78 miles north from Williamsport, PA to just south of Elmira, New York. On April 15, 1863 the company was leased to the Northern Central Railway.
Consolidation
The Northern Central Railway was formed by the consolidation of many smaller railroads extending from Baltimore north to Elmira, New York. By 1861 the company was controlled by the Pennsylvania Railroad, but was operated as a separate company.
On May 9, 1872 the Northern Central purchased the entire stock of the Elmira, Jefferson and Canandaigua Rail Road and the Chemung Railroad. The company also reached an agreement to operate over four miles of the Erie Railroad to connect the Chemung Railroad with the northern end of the Williamsport and Elmira Railroad. On July 1, 1884 the Northern Central purchased all the stock of the Sodus Bay and Southern Railroad, completing a line from Baltimore north to Sodus Bay.
On December 31, 1886 the Sodus Bay and Southern Railroad, the Elmira, Jefferson and Canandaigua Rail Road, and the Chemung Railroad were consolidated as the Elmira and Lake Ontario Railroad.
On July 21, 1887 the Canandaigua Lake Railroad Company was incorporated to build a one and a half mile line from downtown Canandaigua to a pier on Canandaigua Lake. The company was merged into the Elmira and Lake Ontario Railroad on December 27, 1888.
The Elmira and Lake Ontario retained its corporate identity until July 31, 1956 when it was formally merged into the Northern Central railroad. The Northern Central was fully controlled by the Pennsylvania Railroad, but retained its corporate independence until the PRR collapsed in 1968.
Stations
The following were the stations on the main line of the New York section of the line (from north to south):
Sodus Point * Wallington * Sodus Center * Calciana * Zurich * Fairville * Newark Station * Newark * Outlet * Phelps Junction * Orleans * Seneca Castle * Flint * Stanley * Hall * Bellona * Benton * Penn Yan * Milo * Himrod Junction * Starkey * Lakemont * Glenora * Rock Stream * Watkins * Montour Falls * Millport * Pine Valley * Horseheads * Elmira Heights * Elmira * Southport Junction * Southport * State Line
Canandaigua Branch
Canandaigua * Lewis * Stanley
Passenger Trains to/from Western New York
The Northern Central advertised through trains from Cities like Niagara Falls, Buffalo and Rochester that were not on their line in conjunction with other railroads. The trains to/from Niagara Falls and Buffalo, for example, were operated by both the Erie and the New York Central Railroads.
Clippings
Timetables
Passes, etc.
Learn More
- Hall, Clayton Colman. 1912. Baltimore, Its History and Its People. Lewis Historical Publishing Co: Baltimore, MD.
- Wikipedia. “Elmira and Lake Ontario Railroad“.
- Wikipedia. “Northern Central Railway“.
- Wilson, William Bender. 1895. History of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company.