Plattsburgh and Montreal Railroad
| Company type | Railroad company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founded | 1850 |
| Defunct | 1868 |
| Fate | Reorganized as the Montreal and Plattsburgh Railroad in 1868; merged into New York and Canada Railroad in 1873 |
| Headquarters | Plattsburgh , United States |
Area served | New York State, United States; Canadian frontier near Mooers |
The Plattsburgh and Montreal Railroad was a mid-19th century rail enterprise operating in New York State. In 1852, it completed a route stretching from Plattsburgh, New York to the Canadian frontier just north of Mooers. Following its reorganization as the Montreal and Plattsburgh Railroad in 1868, the company merged with two others in 1873, forming the New York and Canada Railroad. Today, the southern portion is incorporated into the Canadian Pacific Kansas City's Canadian Subdivision, whereas the northern stretch was discontinued by the Delaware and Hudson Railway in 1925.
History
Established in 1850, the Plattsburgh and Montreal Railroad played a key role in a coordinated initiative alongside the Lake St. Louis and Province Line Railway and Montreal and Lachine Railroad to create a continuous rail connection between Plattsburgh, New York and Montreal. The track from Plattsburgh to Mooers commenced operations on July 26, 1852, reaching the Canadian border by September 20 of that year. At Mooers, it linked with the Ogdensburg and Lake Champlain Railroad. During this period, no railway extended southward from Plattsburgh; instead, steamboat services on Lake Champlain facilitated transportation to Burlington, Vermont and other destinations.
On August 20, 1868, the company underwent reorganization as the Montreal and Plattsburgh Railroad. The following year, it leased the northern segment of the financially distressed Whitehall and Plattsburgh Railroad, which was developing a line southward from Plattsburgh. From 1871 to 1873, both railroads were leased by the Central Vermont Railway. After this lease ended in 1873, they consolidated with the New York and Canada Railroad, which retained its original designation.
In 1876, the New York and Canada Railroad extended its line northward to Rouses Point, New York, leading to a decline in traffic along the Mooers Branch—the former northern section. The successor entity, the Delaware and Hudson Railway, abandoned the track north of Canada Junction in 1925. The section remaining between Plattsburgh and Canada Junction continues to operate as part of Canadian Pacific Kansas City's Canadian Subdivision.
References
- Interstate Commerce Commission, Interstate Commerce Commission Reports: Decisions of the Interstate Commerce Commission of the United States. Valuation reports., U.S. Government Printing Office, 1927, vol. 116.
- Roberts, Earl and Stremes, David (eds.), Canadian Trackside Guide, Bytown Railroad Society, Ottawa, Ontario, 2023.
- Shaughnessy, Jim, The Rutland Road, Howell-North Books, Berkeley, California, 1964.