Hancock Herald, May 6, 1880
Increasing Their Employees’ Pay
The New York & Oswego Midland, now known as the N.Y. O & W. Railroad, has voluntarily increased the pay of its employees. First-class conductors who formerly received $3.00 per day, will hereafter receive $3.30 per day; first-class engineers have been advanced from $3.00 to $3.50; brakemen, from $1.50 to $1.65; baggage masters, from $1.70 to $1.80; firemen, from $1.70 to $1.80, and second class conductors, from $2.70 to $2.90.
The advance, given as it was, without solicitation from the employees, was an agreeable surprise to the men and is duly appreciated. In this connection it may be stated that the Midland road is doing a large local trade, this spring, is paying its men promptly and making money for its owners.
Hancock Herald, May 6, 1880
The New York, Ontario and Western Railroad Company are talking of putting two first class passenger trains on their road this season. If the arrangements are fulfilled as are talked of at present, two trains will be run the entire length of the road.
The old accommodation morning train will be run from Moreston to Middletown, returning in the evening, this season as in the past. A new timetable is being made out but will not take effect until the middle of this month.
Hancock Herald, Thursday, April 24, 1928
Passenger Trains Discontinued
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It is definitely settled that the railroad company will take all passenger cars from their trains between Walton and Delhi after Sunday, April 27. The freight trains will run and carry express and the mails, but passengers will be ticketed through from New York and other stations via bus from Walton. This arrangement is a “try-out” according to well-founded reports - its permanence depending upon good service.
Hancock Herald, November 9, 1933
One of the longest crooked railroads in the United States is the New Work, Ontario and Western, which runs up through the central part of New York State and over into the anthracite coal regions of Pennsylvania.
It is believe that the road has not a single stretch of its entire length which extends straightway for as much as a mile. Much of the main line extends through crooked valleys, curving along between paralleled ranges of mountains.
In some places the rear coaches of long passenger trains makes its sinuous way along. Young’s Gap, the highest point on the main line, ,is reached by so steep a grade that coal trains requite two engines to pull and a third to push to get over the hump.
Hancock Herald, Thursday, June 3, 1948
P.S.C. Acts on Walton Trains
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No Railroad Passenger Service
on O.& W. After June 30.
After June 30 of this year regular passenger service in and out of Walton will be discontinued buy the New York, Ontario & Western Railroad. The New York State Public Service Commission has granted the railroad permission to discontinue trains Nos. 1 and 2 between Roscoe and Walton, effective July 1.
Mail which is now being carried on the two trains will after July 1 be transported between Walton and Roscoe by a star route. Trains 9 and 10, better known as the milk trains, will carry the express which has been brought in and out of Walton on Nos. 1 and 2.
The Public Service Commission order comes as a result of a hearing held in Walton in May. The Walton Chamber of Commerce appeared in opposition to discontinuance of the trains and was represented by Attorney Paul F. Eaton. Elbert N. Oakes of Middletown appeared for trustee of the railroad.
Testimony of railroad witnesses was to the effect that the railroad just effect every possible economy if it is to continue to operate. The O. & W. is giving priority to high-speed freight trains because of a greater revenue from this source. As a consequence passenger trains are delayed and have suffered from loss of patronage.
At the hearing the railroad produced figures which showed that during 1947 a total of 1,382 passengers used the trains northbound between Roscoe and Walton, or an average of 3.8 passengers per trip. There were 1,568 passengers from Walton and points north of Roscoe on the southbound trains. This was an average of 4.3 passengers per day.
Harold E. Kelley, a witness on behalf of the Walton Chamber of Commerce, testified that in his opinion the trains have lacked patronage because of the uncertain time of their arrival and departure, because they have been dirty and also that the schedule has not been arranged for the convenience fo railroad travelers.
