Oswego Palladium Times
Friday, June 28, 1929
Gasoline Car on O. & W. Discontinued*
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But One Train a Day Each Way to be Operated
Starting Friday the gasoline motor car, operating between Norwich, Oneida and Oswego and return will be discontinued by the New York, Ontario and Western railroad.
Discontinuance of the train leaves but one each way, daily and Sunday.
The milk train for the south carrying passengers will leave at 6:50 a.m. daily and arrive at 9:22 a.m. daily. Trains discontinued left at 1:40 p.m. daily except Sunday and arrived at 6 p.m. daily except Sunday.
Whether the railroad company will restore the trains in the fall has not been determined. Increasing use of automobiles has worked havoc with patronage of steam trains in the last few years. The decrease was especially noticeable this spring.
A few years ago, the O. & W. had three trains each way, including specials to Sylvan Beach. Gradually the patronage dwindled. he specials were removed, later the passenger and milk trains were combined.
*Gasoline car #801 put in service between Norwich and Oswego on Trains #41 and #42, June 25, 1925. Shuttle from Oneida Castle to Sylvan Beach discontinued August 18, 1926.
Oswego Palladium Times
Tuesday, December 15, 1931
O. & W. Railroad Abandons Trains Without Notice
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Council Will Probably Make Complaint to
Public Service Commission
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Without giving any advance notice of its intention, the New York, Ontario & Western Railroad will end passenger service in and out of Oswego Tuesday night. Company representatives see call the discontinuance of this service “temporary” but it is probable the Common Council at its meeting next Monday night will seek more information and will vote to lodge a protest with the Public Service Commission against the discontinuance of the trains and elimination of all passenger traffic in and out of Oswego, without notification to the city authorities.
One train each way is now in operation, leaving Oswego at 8:25 a.m. an arriving back at 7:32 p.m. The last train out left Tuesday morning and the last train in will arrive tonight. The equipment will be run back to Oneida Wednesday morning and the train will be continued in and out of Oneida to points south of that city.
Former Mayor John Fitzgibbons , legislative representative of the Brotherhood of Local Trainmen, announced today he would call attention of the Common Council to discontinuance of the trains without notice at its next meeting and would ask that a protest would be lodged with the Public Service Commission.
“The railroad companies are paving the way for mergers by stopping trains and train crews,” Mr. Fitzgibbons said. “When mergers were first discussed Daniel Willard, representing the the railroads, declared that all the men employed at the time of the mergers would be continued in their positions but that as they retired and died their places would be filled. So the railroads are taking steps to reduce their personnel to a minimum before the mergers are effective.
“The Boston & Maine recently decided to abandon big freight yards at Rotterdam Junction which has a population of about 1,000, all dependent upon the railroad for a livelihood. Rotterdam has its schools, churches and other community projects but the railroad by abandoning the yards will practically wipe the settlement out of existence. This issue is to be made a subject of Congressional action through a resolution of inquiry to be introduced by Representative Thomas H. Cullen of New York.
“The discontinuance of trains without notice throwing men out of work, should not be countenanced and an investigation should be ordered by the Public Service Commission.”
Oswego Palladium-Times
Tuesday, December 22, 1931
Aldermen Make Protest Against Train Service
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Protest to the Public Service Commission against the action of the New York, Ontario & Western Railway to discontinue passenger service between Oswego and Oneida was contained in a resolution offered at Monday evening’s Common Council meeting by Alderman John T. Collins of the Fifth Ward. The resolution asks the commission to hold a hearing in this city on the matter.
In presenting the resolution, Alderman Collins asserted he did not believe the N.Y.O. & W. has treated Oswego fairly by pulling off he train and throwing men out of work. His resolution which was unanimously adopted, read as follows:
Whereas, the New York, Ontario and Western Railroad Company having discontinued the operation of its milk and passenger trains between the cities of Oswego and Oneida, N.Y., a distance of approximately 58 miles, on December 15, 1931, without notice to the City of Oswego and, as we are informed, without permission of the Public Service Commission of the State of New York, and
Whereas the Common Council of the City of Oswego, N.Y., believes a great injustice has been done our city and its citizens by the removal of the only means of traveling between the cities of Oswego and Oneida, N.Y., therefore be it
Resolved, That the Common Council of the City of Oswego, N.Y., at a regular meeting held in the Common Council chambers in said city on the 21st day of December, 1931, protest against the action of the New York, Ontario and Western Railroad Company causing to be removed this the only train carrying passengers between the Cities of Oswego and Oneida, N.Y., and be it further,
Resolved, That the Common Council of the City of Oswego, N.Y., requests the Public Service Commission of the State of New York to issue an order compelling the New York, Ontario and Western Railroad Company to provide a train carrying passengers from Oswego to Oneida and points south; and it is also requested that the said Public Service Commission of the State of New York hold a public hearing in the City of Oswego, N.Y., in order that all parties may have an opportunity to be heard. Resolved, That a certified copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Public Service of the State of New York at Albany, N.Y. City Clerk Fred M. Riley said Mayor Conway had already protested to the N.Y.O.& W. Com and to the Public Service Commission in the matter.
Oswego Palladium Times
Monday, January 11, 1932
Public Service Examiner Here to Hear Protest
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Taking Testimony In Complaint Against
O. & W. Dropping Trains
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Protests from the cities of Oswego and Fulton, and other communities along the New York, Ontario & Western Railway between Oswego and Oneida were presented Monday afternoon in the Common Council Chambers, City Hall, Oswego. before F. H. Cleveland, chief engineer of the Public Service Commission against abandonment of Trains 9 and 10 on that railroad, which took place December 16, 1931.
Mayor John F. Otis of Oswego was the first witness, and cited his use of the train as a matter of convenience when highways were blocked with snow and ice, but stated he preferred to travel whenever possible by automobile. He’d could not give accurate data, he said, on the number of passengers using the trains. He was cross-examined by Elbert N. Oakes, general attorney of the railroad company, Middletown, N.Y. President J. H. Nuelle, Division Superintendent W. H. Woods; F. H. Knickerbocker, general agent; and F. H. Huydenthal, chief engineer, and other officials of the company were present.
City Attorney Thomas L. McKay conducted the presentation of the case for the city and for the plaintiffs.
City Attorney Don Carlos Buell, of Fulton, representing Fulton and appearing for the mayor of that city who was unable to be present, was the next witness and told of using the railroad to go to and from Constantia in the winter time, stating the used the trains seven or eight times last year.
On cross examination he said that he did not know of a bus line between Oneida and Cleveland, although he was shown a timetable by Mr. Oakes. He said there was no means of public conveyance between Oneida Lake villages and Fulton and Oswego except the railroad company, and that is his believe, the discontinuance of the trains worked a hardship on residents in these places. He admitted that he used automobiles for short distance travel when possible, and that highways paralleled the railroad line.
He said that the state highways are not always entirely cleared from snow. Mayor Otis had brought out that the winter was an exceptionally mild one and that there was not the use of the trains that there would be in usual conditions in winter time, and Mr. Buell continued this line of testimony. He would not state definitely the number of passengers on trains, or use of them.
Charles H. Glynn, salesman, Oswego, the next witness testified he traveled on trains several times in 1931, but did not have accurate figures, but said he found the trains a convenience and at times when highways were snow blocked, a necessity. On cross-examination he said he could not give any accurate figures.
F. J. Reed, a retired storekeeper of Constantia, the next witness said that wile the loss of the passenger service was felt, what was more severely felt by him and his neighbors was loss of the express service, as now there is no public conveyance into or out of Constantia, and express shipments have to be made at Central Square over the New York Central, a distance of eight miles from Constantia, to New York. He also told the use of the railroad trains, and said on cross examination he used automobiles, bit that the express business lost was the more serious.
There were a number of residents of Cleveland, Constantia and other points along the line to be sworn, and officials of the company had much in the way of data and exhibits to sow that the two trains lost the company $333w per day with the greatest revenue in any one day less than $42. On a number of days there were no passengers carried, and over a period of several years the passenger traffic did not warrant any kid of service, thy state, The trains were combination milk trains and this business has fallen off to the vanishing point, so that the company was running the trains at an almost total loss, Mr. Nuelle said and could not afford to carry on further.
Mr. Reed, in his testimony said that the village had just completed paying for the bonds that were issued when the railroad was built and residents felt they were entitled to service. Mr.Oakes on cross examination pointed out that the bonds wee those of the Midland Company and not the O. & W. The hearing continued.
Oswego Palladium-Times
Tuesday, January 12, 1932
Reserve Decision After Hearing on Train Reduction
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O&W President Testifies
Revenue Loss Raised Abandonment
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Reduction of revenues to the point where Trains Nos. 9 and 10 were being operated at a serious loss between Oswego and Oneida, necessitated the New York, Ontario & Western Railway Company in removing the trains from the company’s schedule, J. H. Nuelle, president of the company, testified ago a public hear Monday afternoon in the Common Council Chambers at city hall.
He testified that formerly the company shipped about 20 cans of milk daily from Pennellville and this, with the express business along the route, enabled the company to keep the combination trains in service without too serious losses. The milk business has been lost, and the express business is negligible, he said, the company’s revenue therefrom between November 1 and December 16, 1931, being $84, while in the same period revenue from sales of tickets to passengers was $139.77. The cost of operating the trains amounted to $1 per mile.
Mr. Nuelle cited a number of figures to show the drop in revenues of the company, and said that not only are passenger trains suffering, but bus companies as well, through the competition of the privately owned automobile, and a gasoline car or other service, in his belief, would offer no remedy for the situation, as there was not enough business on the line between Oswego and Oneida, under existing conditions to warrant any kind of passenger service.
City Attorney Thomas L. McKay at the close of the taking of testimony moved that the Public Service Commission issue an order directing restoration of train service by the company of a basis of a demand indicated for the service through testimony taken at the hearing. Chief Engineer Cleveland of the commission, who presided, reserved decision, and a reasonable period, he said m will be granted both sides to present additional evidence in support of their stands without the necessity of calling another hearing.
Allan W. Davis, Oswego produce merchant, testified Monday afternoon on use of the O. & W. service in shipment of produce, etc., and Miss Aura M. Coe of Constantia, fourth district superintendent of the schools, also testified on the need for passenger service on the railroad in carrying out her official duties.
Mr. Nuelle and officials of the company, who arrived by special train, returned Monday evening to Middletown at 6:30 p.m.
Middletown Times Herald
Thursday January 14, 1932
Nuelle Witness at Public Service Hearing
on Discontinuance at Oswego
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OSWEGO - Decision has been reserved by the Public Service Commission in an application of the o. & W. to discontinue operating fifty-eight miles of main line between Oneida and Oswego. The last passenger train was operated December 16th, some time before that the mail service was discontinued, and milk has been transported by trucks.
A hearing was held Monday at Oswego before Engineer Cleveland of the Public Service Commission. J. H. Nuelle, president of the railroad, testified that passenger revenue on the line discontinued was $115 on two trains for one month, while the cost of operating the two trains was $116 a day.
Objection to removal of the passenger service and trains was made by representatives of the Oswego Common Council and several of the communities along the line. Mayor Otis and a representative of the Railroad Trainman’s Association were principal witnesses against the removal of the trains. Watts, Oakes & Bright of Middletown appeared for the railroad.
