The following is an inspection report for the Central New York and Western Railroad done by the New York State Railroad Commissioners and included in their 1899 report. I have made a few changes (breaking one long paragraph into smaller ones) but the text is all original.
CENTRAL NEW YORK AND WESTERN RAILROAD.
(Inspected June 13, 1899.)
The Central New York and Western Railroad extends from Hornellsville to Hornellsville Junction , a distance of 10.13 miles, and from Angelica to Wayland, on the line of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad, a distance of 34.61 miles. The road is single track, standard gauge, and is laid with 56-pound steel rail, connected by angle plates 20 inches in length, with 4 bolts. The ties are 6 x 8 inches and 8 feet in length ; about one-half of them are oak, the balance chestnut and hemlock. Quite a proportion of the cuts are narrow, with steep slopes and poor ditches. The embankments are generally of good width and slope. No sub-drainage is used. The ties in that portion of the road from Hornellsville to Hornellsville Junction, and from Swains to Wayland, are in fair condition. Some decayed ones will require renewal, amounting to about 10 percent. of the entire number in track. The ties in that portion of the road from Angelica to Swains are in very poor condition, and at least 25 per cent. of them should be renewed. The rail is in fair condition . Angle plates are full bolted and nuts generally screwed up tight. The joints, line and surface, on all except the portion of the line from Angelica to Swains, are very good ; on the portion from Angelica to Swains it is poor. Gravel and sand ballast is used in limited quantity. The switches are all point ; switch stands rigid , with few exceptions. They all have targets and are well painted. Frogs and guard rails are not blocked. Very few shims were found in track. The fences are in fair condition. Trees, brush and weeds are cut, and the right of way is generally clean. Condition of sidings and yards is fair.
The bridges, trestles and culverts on all, excepting the line from Angelica to Swains, are generally in good condition. The Stony Brook viaduct, 701 feet long and 239 feet high, has two cracked foundation piers, which should be repaired or re-built . This structure is badly rusted, and should be cleaned and thoroughly painted to prevent further injury. Many of the trestles and bridges on the line from Angelica to Swains are in very bad condition, much of the timber badly decayed. The trestle at Swains, about 1,500 feet in length, has much rotten timber, and should be very extensively repaired, rebuilt or filled at once. Your Inspector does not consider this trestle safe to operate over. A large proportion of the other trestles on this line are in little better condition ; in fact, nearly all of them have reached the point where further repairs seems hardly advisable, and entire renewal, where they cannot be filled, appears to be the only remedy.
The stations are neat and clean ; a sign is on each, giving the name. The principal ones are furnished with drinking water. Time tables are posted. The agents can furnish checks to points where they sell tickets ; they are also furnished with lanterns and flags. They wear cap and badge, but are not otherwise uniformed. The station grounds are fairly clean ; platforms are planked and generally in good condition.
Road crossings are well planked and approaches properly made. Crossing signs are at all highways ; they are diamond shape, with 8 and 9 inch letters. There are no whistle or mile posts erected. Whistle posts are being made and distributed for erection .
The coaches are in good condition. Drinking water is provided. Tools are in center of cars . The cars are equipped with automatic couplers , heated by steam and lighted with oil .
The sections are 10 miles long and have one foreman and five men to each. Section men are provided with flags and lanterns . No regular track walker is employed. The carpenter force on the entire road consists of 1 foreman and 4 men.
Your Inspector would recommend that foundations at the Stony Brook viaduct be given attention, and that the metal work be thoroughly cleaned and painted . The trestle at Swains should be rebuilt, filled or abandoned. Also the trestles on the balance of the line, from Angelica to Swains, should be rebuilt or very extensively repaired . Narrow cuts should be widened and proper ditches made.
Narrow Gauge Division.
(Inspected June 14, 1899.)
The Narrow Gauge Division of the Central New York and Western Railroad extends from Olean to Bolivar, a distance of 18 miles. The road is single track, 3- foot gauge, and laid with steel rail 56 pounds to the yard, and iron rail 25, 30 and 35 pounds to the yard. The 56-pound rail is connected by angle plates 21 inches in length, with 4 bolts ; the 25, 30 and 35 pound rail is connected by fish plates 14 and 15 inches in length, with 4 bolts. There are about 5 miles of the track laid with the 56- pound steel rail; it is laid principally on curves, and the lighter iron rail is laid upon tangents and in sidings and yards. The ties in main track are largely chestnut and cedar, a few oak and some hemlock; they are 6 x 8 inches and mostly 8 feet in length ; a few are 6 feet in length . The ties in sidings and yards are hemlock, chestnut and cedar, and are of same dimensions as those used in main track. Fifteen ties are used to a 30 -foot rail . The maximum curve is 28 degrees. The maximum grade, 110 feet per mile. The cuts are nearly all full width and slope ; a few are narrow.
The embankments are of fair width and slope. Some ditches are nearly filled, and ditching generally is deficient ; no sub-drainage in use.
The ties are in poor condition ; about 25 per cent. should be renewed this season, and in many places new ties should be put in at once, in order to make the track reasonably safe . The ties are full spiked , but many ties are so rotten that the spikes do not hold . The switch ties are also bad, and many entirely new sets are needed .
The 56- pound steel rail is in fair condition for the rate of speed maintained (about 20 miles per hour) ; the lighter iron rail is much worn and badly bent ; this rail should be replaced , as it is too far gone to be fit for further use in track. Angle and fish plates are full bolted ; some bolts have nuts loose. The joints, line and surfacing are poor. Curves are properly elevated for moderate speed. Gravel ballast in very limited quantity is used .
The switches are stub. Frogs are rigid . Switch stands have targets and are well painted. The frogs and guard rails are not blocked .
The Western New York and Pennsylvania Railroad is crossed at grade at “White House.” Movement of trains over crossing is controlled by cross -board on high pole located at the crossing. When the board is in a horizontal position, train on the Western New York and Pennsylvania Railroad has right to cross ; when the board is in a diagonal position, train on the Central New York and Western Railroad has right to cross . All trains on Central New York and Western Railroad come to full stop before going upon the crossing, and then proceed when the signal is in position giving them the right to cross. Trains on the Western New York and Pennsylvania are reported as not stopping.
The right of way is not all fenced. Where stock is pastured fences are fair, but opposite grain fields and meadow lands the fences are poor and, in some cases, entirely lacking. Trees, brush and weeds are cut and the right of way fairly clean. The condition of yards is medium.
Bridges, trestles and open culverts require many repairs ; they are principally constructed from hemlock timber, and some poor or decayed timber was found in many of them. New timbers are being put in in place of those needing most repairs, and arrangements are made for repairing others . The superintendent and his employees appear to thoroughly understand what is needed and are doing what they can , with their limited means, to keep all repaired . There are no cattle guards.
The stations are in fair condition, are clean and tidy. There is a sign on each giving name of same. All are small stations. Agents are not uniformed, but wear a badge. Station grounds are fairly clean . Station platforms are plank and are in fair condition . There are no mile or whistle posts.
The equipment consists of two locomotives, weighing about 25 tons each, 4 coaches, 2 baggage and about 35 box and flat cars. The passenger cars are in good condition ; they have automatic couplers, are heated by stoves and lighted by oil lamps. The freight cars have pin and link couplers and hand brakes.
The length of each section is 9 miles, and a foreman and 5 men are regularly employed upon each. At the present time the force is increased 3 men to each section. Section men are provided with flags and lanterns.
The highways are generally well planked. The crossing signs are boards, with 6-inch letters . An overhead bridge in Olean yard has but 18 feet clearance above the rail, and no warning signals are placed to notify trainmen of danger.
Recommendations : That extensive tie renewals be promptly made; that the worn and bent iron rail in main track be replaced by new rail ; that all decayed timber in bridges and trestles be taken out and new put in its place ; that crossing signs be made legal as to lettering, etc .; that warning signals be placed each side of the low overhead bridge at Olean.