From Horsecars to Interurbans - Oneida Railway Company
By John Taibi
(Digital Book)
This book examines the New York Central’s involvement with the intruding electric trolleys line throughout central New York, and how it set about acquiring the lines – along with power generation systems – for its monopolistic benefit. More specifically, it is an in-depth examination of the ORCo, that began life as a 1.5 mile long horse drawn trolley line in Oneida, NY, and how it became – under direction of NYCRR vice-president Horace Andrews – the corporate entity charged with constructing and operating a 3rd rail, under-running, line utilizing the former West Shore Railroad’s right-of-way between (South) Utica and (Eastwood) Syracuse. Historically, this change of propulsion from steam to electricity began what had been hoped for the complete electrification of the WSRR (in central New York).
It additionally was the prototype development for the downstate electric zone that would be built in a similar fashion north from Grand Central Terminal. For a brief period of time, the Utica to Syracuse third rail operation – that had been developed and patented by Frank Sprague and William Wilgus – was the longest such operation for the NYCRR. Later, of course, the Electric Zone became the larger operation many times over the Utica-Syracuse 44 mile line.
This book details the need for, development, operation, and diminished need for the service. The NYCRR was very savvy in “participating” in this 3rd rail operation and the other overhead electric lines in central New York as it was a means for developing revenue that had been siphoned off mainline passenger service by the previous privately owned trolley lines. The NYCRR went all in; and cast them aside during the 1930s when their revenue producing capability greatly diminished.
Released on
3.0 USB Flash Drives in Jewel Cases
(This form of presentation is the wave of the future replacing DVDs as computer manufacturers are no
longer providing DVD drives with their new computers)
The train artifacts that surround John Taibi's life have inspired him
on an endless search for information about local train lines, giving Taibi the
motivation to write 12 books on area train history. His latest, titled “The
Oneida Railway Company - from Horsecars to Interurbans,” looks at the Oneida
Railway Company and its electrified third rail interurban line that went from
Utica to Syracuse. This railroad played a unique roll in the electrification of portions of the NYC in the early 1900s. Don't miss this interesting story about a part of the NYC railroad's history.
Unlike his previous volumes, his new book will be available
from the NYCSHS only in a PDF format that readers can explore on their home computers
and print themselves or take to the local print shop. He said he chose that
format because a printed hardcover version of the 285-page illustrated book
would likely be very expensive and the PDF version is much more affordable and useable.
“I want my work to be available to the people who want to
read it,” he said. “This is a real bargain basement price, and I want people to
be able to have access to all of the information I’ve learned over the six or
seven years I spent researching it. Plus it seems appropriate to have a book
about Central New York’s unique electric railroad produced in an electronic
form.”
MSRP $37.50 NYCSHS Member Price $30.00 and that is 20% off MSRP.
Sale Price $24.99
Shipping is free for US buyers and Ohio residents must pay 8% Ohio sales tax.
Non-US buyers pay actual shipping costs.
Posted 12/4/19
