The R. S & E. reaches Lyons
By Shelden S. King
The Rochester, Syracuse & Eastern R.R. was the conception of Charles Lux of the well known Lux family of Clyde. The Lux family businesses were cooperage and coal. Charles ('Charlie' as he was known to friends and associates) was a visionary who saw the incorporation of the Rochester, Syracuse & Eastern R.R. on November 7, 1901.
Several franchises were secured in the communities between Rochester and Syracuse. Lux's vision was not to come to fruition until he secured the backing of Clifford D. Beebe, a Syracuse financier, who was also a visionary, as far as the future of electric interurban railways was concerned. Construction of the east end of the lines, from Rochester to Lyons, was carried out between 1904 and 1906. The formal opening occurred Saturday, June 23 1906, when members of the Garlock Club of Palmyra traveled in two cars to the Gardenier Hotel in Newark for a sumptuous repast. During the spring of 1906, construction of the line between Newark and Lyons was completed. The concrete abutment, piers and pedestals to support the foot north truss bridge and 176 foot south truss bridge and 600 foot trestle were built by J. G White Co. of New York. S.N. Andrew was resident engineer. This work was completed early in April 1906. The United Construction Co. was in charge of erecting the steel work and trestle. This company was a sub contractor of the American Bridge Co., which supplied the steel work.
A problem occurred during construction of the sharp curve at the northeast end of the bridge, where track curved onto Water Street; but, it was corrected.
On Friday, August 18, 1906, Rochester, Syracuse & Eastern car 114, new from the Kuhlman Car Co. near Cleveland, clattered across the trestle and bridge; screeched around the sharp curve onto Water Street, and stopped at the Congress Hall Hotel, where a photo was made.
The power house was located along the New York Central R.R. at the east end of Lyons, just east of the Clyde River, later used as the route of the Erie Barge Canal. In this coal fired plant, power was generated as alternating current, and carried to substations along the line, where it was converted to direct current for operation of the electric railway. The switchboard was of marble, 15 feet by 60 feet, with its accompanying equipment, all brass and copper. The 250 foot tall chimney (Smokestack) made a landmark.
On September 14, 1906, the Rochester, Syracuse & Eastern reached Culver Road in Rochester. Lyons was the eastern terminus. In 1907, trackage rights were secured over the existing car lines of Rochester Railway Co., permitting operation into downtown Rochester. Lyons remained the eastern terminus until Clyde was reached on September 1, 1907. Port Byron became end of the line on July 23, 1908. Connection at Port Byron with the Auburn with the Auburn & Syracuse Electric R.R. permitted one to travel, by changing cars, from Rochester to Syracuse.
Finally, on Saturday, December 18, 1909, Rochester, Syracuse and Eastern opened its line to Syracuse. From Lakeshore Junction, just north of the State Fairgrounds, by trackage rights of the Syracuse, Lakeshore & Northern, cars ran into downtown Syracuse. Financier Beebe gained control of several electric railway in central and western New York, as well as the Newark & Marion Railway and steamboat lines on Skaneateles and Oneida Lakes. These companies comprised the Beebe Syndicate. Beebe brought the Rochester, Syracuse & Eastern, the Auburn & Northern (to Port Byron) and the Syracuse, Lakeshore and Northern (to Oswego) together as Empire United Railway on February 18, 1913. This consolidation was not successful. Receivership resulted on November 1, 1915. Empire United Railways, and other components of the Beebe Syndicated, were broken apart. The Rochester and Syracuse Railroad was organized on September 19, 1917 to operate the former Rochester, Syracuse & Eastern. Empire State Railroad was organized to operate the Auburn- Port Byron and Syracuse-Oswego Lines. With a new beginning, the Rochester & Syracuse R.R. made a profit in 1921. During 1922, it relocated its line in Lyons from William and Canal Streets to the abandoned bed of the relocated Erie Canal. In 1927, seven of its cars were rebuilt as deluxe chair cars, with 2-1 seating (two seats in one side if the aisle; on seat on the opposite side) in the main passenger compartment. Each of the rebuilt cars was given the name of one of the communities through which the line passed. (Car 110 was named Lyons). Deficits began to appear in 1927, as private auto use hurt ridership. The Great Depression dealt the death blow. Rochester and Syracuse Railroad entered receivership May 12, 1930, with T. C. Cherry as receiver. By the time service ended on Saturday, June 27, 1931, losses were averaging $9000 a month.
top of
page
return to history
index
Copyright
© 2006
Newark Courier-Gazette
All Rights Reserved