New York Railroad Archive

Genesee Valley Canal Railroad

The Genesee Valley Canal Railroad built the line between Rochester and Hinsdale, NY that became the core of the Pennsylvania Railroad Rochester line.

History

The Genesee Valley Canal Railroad was chartered by New York State on July 7, 1880 to build a railroad along the route of the abandoned Genesee Valley Canal. On November 6th of that year the state sold the canal property was sold to the railroad. The route ran from the point where the Genesee Valley Canal intersected the Erie Canal, in Rochester and ran to Mill Grove, near Olean. The entire line was about 114 miles long.

Work on the railroad began in January 1881 and the first train ran in October 1882. Initially, the railroad was only built from Rochester to Hinsdale, a distance of 98 miles. On November 2, 1882 the railroad was granted an extension of three years to build the line from Hinsdale to Olean.

The Genesee Valley Canal Railroad was leased on December 8, 1881 by the Buffalo, New York and Philadelphia Railway and was referred to as the Rochester Division of that company.

The Genesee Valley Terminal Railroad was chartered in August 1882 to build a 2.5 mile line from the northern terminus of the Genesee Valley Canal Railroad to a connection with the New York Central at Lincoln Park in Rochester. This allowed passenger trains to get to the New York Central station in Rochester. The company was immediately leased by the Buffalo, New York and Philadelphia Railroad.

One point of contention of the routing of the line near Nunda, NY. The canal ran through the village, but the railroad decided to bypass the village as this would be a flatter route. The people of Nunda complained loudly and brought a lawsuit to compel the railroad to follow the route of the canal, but in the end the suit was dismissed and the railroad followed its planned route.

Stations

Rochester * Rapids * Genesee Junction * Whites * Severence * Scottsville * Wadsworth Junction * NYC Crossing * Avon * Fowlerville * York * Retsof Junction * Piffard * Cuylerville * NYLE&W Crossing * DL&W Junction * Mount Morris * Sonyea * Tuscarora * Junction * Nunda * Rosses * Swains * West Nunda * Oakland * Lewis * Portage Park * Portage * Ambluco * Wiscoy/Rossburg * Fillmore * Houghton/Houghton Creek * Caneadea * Oramel * Belfast * Rockville * Black Creek * Cuba * Hinsdale * Olean

Operations

The Genesee Valley Canal Railroad was leased before it completed laying the track and never ran any of its own trains. Until 1884 timetables in the newspaper referred to the line as the “Genesee Valley Canal Railroad.”

The route of the Genesee Valley Canal Railroad was operated by the following companies:

  • Buffalo, New York and Philadelphia Railway / Railroad (1882 – 1887)
  • Western New York and Pennsylvania Railway / Railroad (1887 to 1900)
  • Pennsylvania Railroad (1900 to 1963)

Clippings

Timetables

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