Cayuga and Susquehanna Railroad

Cayuga and Susquehanna Railroad

Company type	Railroad company
Industry	Rail transport
Predecessor	Ithaca and Owego Railroad
Founded	January 28, 1828 (1828-01-28)
Fate	Leased to Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad in 1855; transferred to Conrail in 1976
Headquarters	Ithaca, New York , United States
Area served	New York, United States
Products	Rail transport services
Parent	Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad (from 1855), Erie Lackawanna Railway (from 1960), Conrail (from 1976)

The Cayuga and Susquehanna Railroad operated in New York, connecting Ithaca, New York to Owego, New York. Established in 1829 and commencing service by 1834, the line was leased to the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad (Lackawanna) in 1855. Despite this lease, it functioned as a non-operating subsidiary until it was transferred to Conrail during the 1976 bankruptcy proceedings of the Erie Lackawanna Railway, which succeeded Lackawanna.

History

Originally incorporated as the Ithaca and Owego Railroad on January 28, 1828, it ranked among the earliest railroads in North America and was the longest of the initial three built. The route connected Ithaca, situated on Cayuga Lake, with Owego on the Susquehanna River, with the strategic objective of linking the Erie Canal and Great Lakes region to Pennsylvania’s coal fields and the Chesapeake Bay area.

Progress on construction was slow until 1833 when the competing Chemung Canal opened, redirecting commerce through Seneca Lake and Elmira. This competition spurred completion efforts, and by 1834, under chief engineer John Randel Jr., the railroad was finished. The approximately track featured standard gauge strap-iron rails mounted on wooden ties and incorporated two inclined planes. These inclines utilized a stationary steam engine and a horse-powered windlass to overcome elevation differences.

The railroad initially relied on horse-drawn carriages but briefly introduced a steam locomotive named "The Pioneer" in 1840. Following an accident involving this engine, operations reverted to horse power. Financial instability resulted in foreclosure in 1842; subsequently, Henry Yates and Archibald McIntyre acquired the line, reorganizing it as the Cayuga and Susquehanna Railroad and converting its rails to broad gauge.

In 1855, the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad leased the line, incorporating it into their Cayuga Division. The DL&W upgraded the infrastructure with heavier T rails and reinstated standard gauge track to facilitate connection with Erie lines at Owego. The physical railroad corridor was abandoned in 1956 and later transformed into Ithaca’s South Hill Recreation Way.

Although train service ended, the company continued as a dormant subsidiary through the 1960 merger that created Erie Lackawanna Railway. It was eventually conveyed to Conrail following Erie Lackawanna’s bankruptcy in 1976.

External links

• Development of Ithaca's Railroads in the 19th Century