Tuesday, September 22, 2020

Central Square Station - Yesterday and Today

                                                                                       Richard Palmer collection



Fire destroyed depot and Hamilton House on October 23, 1908. A temporary depot and combine served until a new depot was built the following year. 
                       Richard Palmer collection

Other Views of Central Square 
[CNYNRHS collection]


     The second or present station 



                      By the late Art McLeod and Richard Palmer

   The railroad station in Central Square, N.Y. was jointly used by the New York Central and the New York, Ontario & Western railroads. The station was built by the NYO&W but operating costs were shared by the two lines. The switching tower (now demolished) was built by the Central. 

    After looking through the histories of the village of Central Square and Oswego County, I can find little information about the station and very little about the railroads. The  original Central Square Station was built about 1869. The first Midland train passed through Central Square on October 1, 1869. Regular passenger service commenced between Norwich and Oswego on November 25, 1869. The Syracuse Northern between Syracuse and Sandy Creek opened with a grand excursion on November 6, 1871. Mail was first carried on January 1, 1872.

  The depot has always been located on what is still called Railroad Avenue. The original building design was a standard station, built along the Northern Division-batten and board, with large eaves and slate roof. Similar stations were built at Caughdenoy, West Monroe, Pennelville etc. In some stations, living quarters were provided for the depot agent on the second floor. A good example of this is the Wicks family in Caughdenoy. 

   The original station stood until early on the morning Oct. 23, 1908 when sparks from a locomotive on a passing freight train started a grass fire that quickly spread. In short order flames destroyed the depot and freight house and the adjacent Hamilton House hotel and barns. The loss on the Hamilton House alone was placed at $5,000, with $2,500 insurance. The loss on the railroad buildings was not estimated. The household goods of the hotel, owned by Mrs. John Hamilton, were saved, but there was no way of fighting the fire.

   The Hamilton House Hotel was located just north of the depot. The Hamilton family enjoyed the close proximity to the station as they were able to meet many interesting travelers. To them it was exciting to meet snowbound passengers, like the time the train was stalled in 1880 between the station and the crossing. It was patronized by traveling salesmen. Many would spend a week here, rent a buggy and call on stores and other businesses in the area.

These people were known as “drummers.” Celia Hamilton built a house on the approximate site, which is still an attractive home today. The loss of the Hamilton House was a sad day for travelers as it provided refuge for passengers stuck in the snow, particularly near the old Dry Bridge cut. By trudging up to the Hamilton House they were able to find warmth, good food and accomodations.

    As mentioned, the station was used by both lines. The O&W was built in 1869 as the New York & Oswego Midland. The north-south line, the Syracuse & Northern, the north-south line, was completed to Sandy Creek in 1871. The lines cross on a diamond protected by signals. Interchange and sidings were built east and north of the station. Freight houses were built on this location as well as oil bulk plants. The Syracuse Northern became the Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg, later New York Central, Penn Central, Conrail and now CSX. We referred to them as Central and the O & W. Both railroads had frequent passenger service. The railroads provided frequent passenger service.

 The station was the center of travel and communication for the village. In view of the vital service, it seems that more was not recorded about the activities with the railroads and the station.    

    Lillian Watson, in her 80’s said she came to Central Square from Pierrepont Manor in 1916. Her father, Mr. Pitkins, worked on the Central as a section foreman from Morris, through Central Square to Brewerton. A five man crew was required. She recalled the name of Levy and Burdick as crew members. Lillian said that her family liked to fish at the dam in Caughdenoy and by borrowing a railroad velocipede from one of the tower operators , the family would spend a day or a few hours along the banks of the Oneida River. Local children loitered around the station and in the winter skated on a nearby pond, where the Catholic Church Parish now stands. 

    Frequent train service on the Central to Syracuse allowed Lillian to do the family shopping. By taking the 3  p.m. train to the city she was able to buy fresh vegetables and other grocery items at the Mohican Market, do other errands, then return to Central Square on the 6 p.m. train. Morning trains to Syracuse at 7, 9 and 11 A.M. and afternoon trains at 3, 4:12, and 6 and 9 p.m.  The service was good and it was free as she had a pass.

   Lillian remembered two tower men named Boyke and Phillips. Since the kids lived near the station and spent a lot of time there the operators and section men were like family.

    Mr. Earl Getman recalled a section foreman on the O&W by the name of John Bowen. Earl's father, Arthur, was the station agent for 30 years. Earl recalled the name of the tower men: Ray Geersworth, Ed Wands, Cleon Marks, and Howard Riker. Earl said that sleighs and carriages met the trains to take travelers up to the village center, which was about three quarters of a mile. Vernon Goettel remembered the railroad station very well as he was down there every day to pick up newspapers. He had a paper route. Later as a business man, he owned and operated a lumber yard and feed mill. He was in constant touch with the railroads for delivery information on cars of lumber or feed.

  Vernon was a great help to the Central New York Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society on how the station looked when it was in operation. Vernon also mentioned the importance of the rail lines were to development of markets for agricultural products such as milk, strawberries, hay, onions, etc. He pointed out that most every village had a milk plant or receiving station. Central Square had a good size milk plant and in Pennelville, the Borden's plant. The Borden plant manufactured powdered milk and a Variety of lactic concentrates.    A New York, Ontario & Western public timetable dated November 24, 1912 shows trains stopping at Central Square, northbound, at 10:14 a.m., 4:42 p.m. and 7:16 p.m.; southbound at 7:29 a.m., 9:50 a.m. and 3:35 p.m. Rail motor car service to Oswego through Central Square had ended on June 22, 1929.  The last of the regular passenger service on this line, trains #9 and #10, were discontinued on December 15, 1931. 

Last passenger service to Oswego on New York, Ontario & Western Railway


Public Timetable, April 28, 1929

Train 1-9 Daily (Discontinued December 15, 1931)

Leave Sidney 2:33 p.m.

Train 10-2 Daily

Leave Oswego 6:50 a.m.

Arrive Sidney 1:28 p.m.


Train #41 Motor Car (Cut back to Randallsville, June 27, 1929)

Leave Norwich 9:01 a.m.

Arrive Oswego 11:55 a.m.

Train #42 Motor Car

Leave Oswego 1:40 p.m.

Arrive Norwich 6 p.m. 


Middletown Times Herald

January 14, 1932



Subsequent employee timetables show no scheduled  trains to Oswego except the New York Central's two passenger trains between Fulton and Oswego. The only milk train running on the Northern Division shown is running between Sidney and Oneida. 


  Utica Daily Press, December 16, 1931

    Passenger Service is Discontinue

                     ____

    Oneida, Dec. 15 - Beginning Wednesday, all passenger service between Oneida and Oswego will be discontinued. After that date trains numbers 9 and 10 will be made up and their runs at Oneida, rather than Oswego as has been the case ever since the opening of this railroad.

    Persons who wish transportation north of Oneida after this date will either have to go to Syracuse, Utica or use bus service.

    The mails formerly carried by these trains will now be carried out of Oneida by star carrier routes. 


Official Railway Guide, October, 1936 

(Timetable dated October 25, 1936 - no service north of Oneida - Trains #9 and #10 run between Sidney and Oneida. Note on side states "Passenger service discontinued" Oneida to Oswego.    

  In 1912 the New York Central operated four daily trains in each direction. Northbound they stopped in Central Square at 6:57 a.m., 9:49 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. Southbound, 8:46 a.m., 11:33 a.m., 3:49 p.m. and 8:56 p.m. After 1952, passenger trains only stopped on signal at Central Square. All passenger service on this line ended with the last run of a rail diesel car (RDC) between Syracuse and Massena on February 16, 1964.  In 1929 C. D. Chichester was freight and ticket agent for the New York Central.  Among the station agents over the years were Frank Hamilton, Arthur Getman, Carl Best, C. D. Chichester, George Bennett, Charles and Byron Bonneau. E. Covell was the last agent. Parker Davis was telegraph operator. Ward Barret carried the mail between the depot and post office. 

   After the abandonment of the N.Y.O.& W. railroad on March 29, 1957, the State of New York took over the O&W right of way and station property. The tower was torn down when the interchange  and crossover tracks were removed. The station for a time was rented to a youth group and later to the SOVAC ambulance service. Later, SOVAC  built a new facility and the depot became vacant. Eventually it became the property of the Central New York Chapter. 

       

                             

          The "new" Central Square station. Richard Palmer collection

                     Central Square Station Today

                         By Richard Palmer
In 1991, Robert Townsend of Central Square, N.Y.,  a member of the Central New York Chapter, National Railway Historical Society, spawned the idea of establishing a railroad museum in Central Square. At the time the local ambulance corps was looking for a new home and the former New York, Ontario & Western depot would become available. Bob brought this to the attention of the chapter’s board of directors.  
In January, 1991, the chapter sent a letter to the New York State Department of Transportation, owners of the building, expressing interest in leasing the property. The DOT approved the Chapter's plans drawn up by  Townsend and a lease was consummated. The plans included restoring the station to its original appearance which included replacing garage doors with windows, repairing the floors and installing a new set of stairs to the entrance. Bob and his wife, Judy, created a handmade wooden sign featuring the Chapter logo. Bob did much of the interior work.  He was assisted by Bob Kline.
As the project progressed people donated original artifacts from the station. Several offered technical advice.   Eventually the station and grounds were purchased from the state.
By August, 1991 a new floor had been installed and the former ticket booth was reconstructed. Work continued to progress. A new concrete wall on the north side was installed to correct a water problem. Then Assemblyman Michael Bragman donated a 4 x 6 foot American flag. Bragman was always a proponent of historic preservation. Assisting Bob and Judy from the beginning were Gerrit and Maria Vanderwerff, Peter Hammes,  Art McLeod, Vern Tart, Leon Rutkowski, Don Herb, Bob and Thelma Klein, Charlie Abbott, Gene Graffoulier and others. 
Bob and Judy and other volunteers also represented the museum art many public events. Jim Bonneau, the last station agent, donated several interior photographs that greatly assisted in restoration. Ray and Debbie Pelow donated an antique stove. The depot's original typewriter and telephone were donated by Babette Deur of Pennellville.  Her father at one time was station agent there. A concrete O&W milepost came from Bill Phillips of Virginia.
The big day came on July 4, 1992 when the station was formally dedicated with an open house. Subsequently sidings were constructed to display an array of small locomotives and rolling stock. The station was painted a light green with buff trim and clapboards were replaced along with all new plumbing, electrical wiring and an alarm system. Ultimately two small locomotives once used at the stone quarry in Jamesville made their way to Central Square, and the collection of rolling stock continued to grow.
Over the years restoration and operation of the Central Square station has been featured in newspaper and magazine articles and TV specials. The first annual Christmas open house was held in December, 1992 with more than 400 visitors. It was an annual event for many years. That same month the Heritage Foundation of Oswego presented the Chapter with a Certificate of Achievement Award for restoration of the station.
In 1993 Bob and Judy traveled to Akron, Ohio to pick up the original Central Square station sign from a collector. Several railroad artifacts were donated by the New York, Ontario & Western Railroad Historical Society. Someday, somehow, it seemed that everything that was ever in the station returned "home." For several years the annual Chapter picnic was held at Central Square that always had good attendance. 
Added to the rolling stock display was a Brill gas electric "doodlebug" car that for years was at the Rail City Museum at Sandy Pond. Bob and others worked together to cosmetically restore it. One of the last trolley cars to operate in Syracuse was donated by the Plank Road Historical Society of North Syracuse. A small 0-4-0 tank engine from General Crushed Stone in LeRoy, N.Y. 
Another feature is a former passenger coach that was donated by the family of the late Arthur T. Brown of Mallory. His plan was to create a circus train but he died before his dream was fulfilled. It has numerous interior displays. A small diesel switcher once used at the Wickwire factory in Cortland was donated by John Blair. Other railroad equipment includes a former Pennsylvania Railroad caboose and a track speeder. The station itself has numerous railroad-oriented exhibits.

Bob and Judy Townsend and Harvey Harke have been ever vigilant in maintaining this fine railroad museum and it is hoped others will step up to continue in their footsteps in the future. 



"Keepers" of the Central Square Station Museum are, from left, Harvey Harkey, Bob and Judy Townsend.


                            Interior Views of the Museum




                             Feature Pieces of Rolling Stock


One of the show pieces is this restored 1929-vintage gas electric car built by Brill for the Pennsylvania Railroad. It was later used on the Huntington & Broad Top Mountain Railroad and for many years was at the now-defunct Rail City Museum at Sandy Pond, N.Y.


 

This small engine, built in 1941, was formerly used at Wickwire Brothers plant in Cortland. It has been repainted in the New York, Ontario & Western diesel color scheme of the 1950s.



              This was the last trolley car to operate in the city of Syracuse in 1941.