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The Finger Lakes Railway
Still Chugs Along
After 166 years of Serving the Finger Lakes
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For all too long,railroads have done everything possible to discourage
the passenger business. In the 1950s and 1960s, before the advent of Amtrak,
timetables became thinner and thinner until they disappeared altogether.
A combination of factors caused this including the automobile, improved
highways, and an unprogressive and indifferent railroad management.
But the Finger Lakes Scenic Railway, the passenger division of Finger
Lakes Railway, is doing everything it can to lure people back to the rail
travel. With gas prices steadily rising, they even foresee the time when
regularly scheduled passenger service between Syracuse and Geneva, via
Auburn, Seneca Falls and Waterloo, might actually become a reality.
System Map
But for now the railroad, which took over a group of branchlines from
Conrail in 1995, is promoting excursion trains on assorted segments of
the line. While many excursions over the past few years have been chartered
by various groups, the railroad itself is sponsoring trips.
Promoting this is the job of events coordinator Deborah Murphy, who comes
from a railroad family. Her husband, Kraig, is a conductor on the Finger
Lakes Railway. His grandfather worked on the New York Central Railroad.
"The response to our excursions has far exceeded our expectations," she
said. Passenger excursions on the Finger Lakes Railway began in October,
2001, using locomotives and coaches repainted in the two-tone gray "lightning
stripe" livery similar to the New York Central of the 1940s and 1950s.
The coaches were purchased from VIA Rail of Canada.
Since then, more rolling stock has been added and numerous excursions
have been held in conjunction with corporate meetings, dinner and wedding
parties, birthdays, and special events such as Memorial Day in Waterloo.
A dining car is being added. There are special holiday trains, and a new
feature will be a wine tasting excursion from Geneva to Kendaia. Also
coming up is a mystery trip called "Orient on the Murder Express." The
railroad also plans to run excursions from Geneva to Solvay the first
weekend in November in conjunction with the annual model train show.
But the Finger Lakes Railway's main business is hauling freight, which
it has done well with for the first decade of its existence. The railroad
is handling about 16,000 carloads annually, which had drifted downward
to less than 5,000 a year under Conrail ownership. The new operator has
lured customers back to the rails. In some cases, firms have decided to
stay in various communities because of the excellent service provided
by the railroad.
Companies served by Finger Lakes Railway include Solvay Paperboard, Guardian
Industries, International Paper, Nucore Steel, Owens Brockway, Pactiv,
Seneca Foods, Southern Container, Cargill Salt and Canandaigua Wine. Most
of the rail line has been rejuvenated with new ties, welded rail, stone
ballast and resurfacing / realignment.
But the management of the railroad also has a strong interest in improving
the public image and perception of railroads by offering a wide array
of passenger train excursions. All trips are reasonably priced. For further
information call the 315-781-1234, or Deborah Murphy at 585-737-8647.
Fall foliage excursion passes through Waterloo
A Little History
The original segment was the Auburn & Syracuse which was opened between
those two places in 1838. For more than a year, until locomotives were
available, the line was operated by Col. John M. Sherwood of Auburn. For
decades he had operated the local stagecoach lines. He entered into a
contract to furnish horses to pull the trains until such time as locomotives
could be procured. The first steam train operated in June, 1839.
The Auburn & Rochester Railroad was completed between those two points
in 1841. The two railroads were consoldated in 1850 to form the Rochester
& Syracuse Railroad Company, which in turn became a segment of the New
York Central in 1853.
The Auburn Road was a busy rail line for more than a century, having
been double track for many miles, and what remains continues to be very
active under the management of the Geneva-based Finger Lakes Railway.
The New York Central operated passenger trains on the line until May 18,
1958, which was followed by a long and steady decline.
It was abandoned Victor to Pittsford in 1960; Canandaigua to Victor in
1978, and Pittsford to Rochester in 1982. It was operated by Penn Central
from 1967 to 1976 and by Conrail, April 1, 1976 to July 1, 1995, after
being purchased by Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca and Ontario counties, and
turned over to the Finger Lakes Railway, which began operation on July
23, 1995. The entire system includes 118 miles of trackage. Since initial
startup the payroll has gone from six to 30 employees. It has 10 locomotives
and is essentially a seven-day-a-week operation.
Trackage also incudes a 15-mile segment of Lehigh Valley mainline from
Geneva to Kendaia. An isolated segment is the former Pennsylvania Sodus
Bay line between Watkins Glen and Penn Yan. Norfolk Southern owns the
former "Fall Brook" line between Geneva and Corning, while CSX owns the
same line from Geneva to Lyons. Much of the success of the railroad goes
to Michael Smith, the general manager, who spends much of his time generating
new business.
As a sidelight, the City of Geneva has approved a proposal for construction
of a new railway station with offices for the Finger Lakes Railway, along
with a 60 to 70 room hotel and a public park between Exchange Street and
Routes 5 and 20, and north of Canal street.
Illustrations provided by Finger Lakes Railway.
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