Just what exactly was the New York, Ontario & Western Railroad? Well, it had passenger service and milk business that extended up into the Catskill Mountain resort areas and up into northern and western New York state. It's southern terminus was at Weehawken, NJ where it had access to the New York City market and Lower Hudson River waterfront. It also hauled coal, a main source of freight revenue. But it wasn't enough to compete with such competition as the New York State Thruway, the shift away from small manufacturing towns, and the decreasing use of coal as a heating source. All passenger service stopped in 1953 and the road shut down for good in 1957. Here is a look back at the NYO&W in postcards coving a span of 50 years. Let's start with the earliest postcard in my collection and the only one that I know of that was issued by the railroad itself. This is a view of the short Haverstraw tunnel on the west side of the Hudson River, circa 1905. Note the 'W in O' herald on the bottom of the card and the interesting artistic effect of the layout of the image.
This view of the yards at Middletown shows the large coal storage facility and the arched coal distribution machines in the background. Note the cabooses in the foreground.
It's train time in Roscoe, NY! Roscoe is located halfway between Kingston, on the Hudson River, and Binghamton to the West. This circa 1919 view gives the station a real 'down home' feel.
This last look at the O&W is of a set of freight diesels taken in the mid-50s not long before the end of the line.
For more information on this interesting railroad, click here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York,_Ontario_and_Western_Railway
