West Shore Railroad main line
The main line of the West Shore Railroad is a partially-abandoned railway line in the states of New Jersey and New York. At its fullest extent, it ran from Weehawken Terminal on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York. It runs roughly parallel to the former main line of the New York Central Railroad and was originally built as a competitor to that line, but was acquired by the New York Central Railroad and used primarily as a freight line. Much of the line has been abandoned but several sections remain in use, including most of the line on the west side of the Hudson between Weehawken and Albany.
History
Saratoga and Hudson River Railroad
The oldest part of the West Shore Railroad main line is the former main line of the Saratoga and Hudson River Railroad, later the Athens Branch of the New York Central Railroad. Daniel Drew founded the Saratoga and Hudson River Railroad in 1864 to further his steamboat interests on the Hudson River. The company completed a line between Schenectady, New York, and Athens, New York, in March 1866. The New York Central leased the company in 1867; the New York, West Shore and Buffalo Railway leased the line between Coxsackie, New York and Fullers, New York, on December 2, 1881. The company used it as a second main line track.Jersey City and Albany Railroad
The Ridgefield Park Railroad was incorporated in 1867 and began building a line between Ridgefield, New Jersey, and Tappan, New York. This line was completed by the Jersey City and Albany Railroad on July 30, 1873. The New Jersey Midland Railway, a predecessor of the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway, operated the line under contract. After a period of receivership, the line was sold to the new Jersey City and Albany Railway in 1878.Jersey City and Albany Railway
The Jersey City and Albany Railway was incorporated in 1878 to acquire the property of the Jersey City and Albany Railroad. The new company pushed the line north from Tappen to Haverstraw, New York, an additional. The extension opened on March 1, 1880.New York, West Shore and Buffalo Railway
The next and most significant expansion of the line took place under the New York, West Shore and Buffalo Railway, which was established in 1880. This new company had powerful financial backing and was developed as a competitor of the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad. The company extended its main line an additional from Haverstraw to Buffalo, New York. The line was completed in 1883. The New York Central established the West Shore Railroad in 1885 to acquire the New York, West Shore and Buffalo Railway, including its main line.West Shore Railroad
The West Shore Railroad remained the titular owner of the West Shore Railroad main line until June 20, 1952, when it, along with several other subsidiaries, was formally merged into the New York Central Railroad. The most significant change to the line during that period was realignment of the New York Central's lines through Syracuse, New York. The New York Central's main passenger line ran down the middle of Washington Street, posing a hazard to pedestrians and motorists. The West Shore line ran several blocks to the north, between Burnet and Canal. The New York Central constructed a new three-track line, elevated on an embankment, on the right-of-way of the West Shore line. This new line, including a new passenger station, opened on September 24, 1936.New York Central Railroad and Penn Central
Beginning in 1955, the New York Central gradually abandoned portions of the West Shore Railroad main line between Albany and Buffalo as it implemented centralized traffic control to consolidate through traffic on its original main line. The line ceased being a through route as the New York Central abandoned between 1955 and 1963:- New York Mills–Vernon in 1964,
- East Syracuse–Canastota in 1955,
- Amboy–Wayneport in 1959,
- Chili Junction–Byron in 1959,
- Byron–Oakfield in 1963,
- Little Falls–Canajoharie in 1973, roughly
- Little Falls–Ilion in 1974,
Conrail
The Weehawken Branch was built and owned by the Erie Railroad. It originally passed through the middle of Hoboken, but was later realigned to the west side, right next to the New Jersey Junction Railroad.
In 1989, Conrail agreed to sell line south of North Bergen Yard along with part of the former New Jersey Junction Railroad to NJ Transit for what became the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail project. NJ Transit took ownership in 1995, and Conrail abandoned service in 2000. With the breakup of Conrail in 1999, the remaining parts of the West Shore line were conveyed to CSX Transportation.
Current operations
River Subdivision
Under CSX operation, the line between North Bergen Yard and Selkirk is known as the River Subdivision. It is approximately long. At the southern end it connects with the Northern Branch in North Bergen, New Jersey. In Selkirk it connects with the Castleton Subdivision, leading east across the Hudson River or west into Selkirk Yard.The line is used for the transport of Bakken oil. The line uses rail cars that are considered inadequate and a safety hazard, calling for more regulations and oversight by the towns which The River Line passes through. In February 2016, competitive federal funding for rail improvements was not awarded to the line.