Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad
| Company type | Railroad |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Predecessor | Watertown & Rome Railroad, Potsdam & Watertown Railroad |
| Founded | 1861 |
| Defunct | 1913 |
| Fate | Merged into New York Central Railroad |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | Northern New York |
| Products | Rail transport services |
The Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad extended its lines from Rome, New York to Watertown, continuing onward to Ogdensburg, New York and Massena, New York. Initially, its route ended at Cape Vincent, NY on the St. Lawrence River. A prominent branch, referred to as "The Hojack Line," ran along the southern shore of Lake Ontario between Oswego, New York and Niagara Falls, New York.
Following its incorporation into the New York Central system in 1913, the RW&O route was designated as the St. Lawrence Division.
History
The Rome, Watertown & Ogdensburg Railroad (RW&O) began in 1842 under the name Watertown & Rome Railroad (W&R), establishing a connection between Watertown and Rome, New York on the Syracuse & Utica Railroad, which later became part of the New York Central Railroad (NYC). At the same time, the Potsdam & Watertown Railroad linked Watertown with Potsdam. These two lines merged to form RW&O in 1861.
The RW&O expanded by constructing a branch from DeKalb Junction near Canton to Ogdensburg. In 1864, it extended a line from Pulaski to Oswego, which merged with the Syracuse & Northern Railroad. The financially troubled Lake Ontario Shore Railroad (LOS), chartered in 1858 to run from Oswego to Suspension Bridge (present-day Niagara Falls, New York), was absorbed into RW&O in 1875. By the end of the 19th century, branch lines served resort destinations along the St. Lawrence River—including Cape Vincent, Clayton, and Ogdensburg—with ferry links to Ontario and the Thousand Islands region.
Despite its growth, RW&O gained an unfavorable reputation as "Rotten Wood & Old Rusty Rails" due to aging infrastructure. In 1878, it merged into the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad (DL&W), which constructed the Ontario Secondary line from Charlotte to Rochester in 1882. By 1891, RW&O became a subsidiary of NYC and was officially merged into NYC on April 12, 1913.
Throughout much of the mid-20th century, NYC timetables identified this route as the St. Lawrence Division. Passenger trains connected through Syracuse to serve destinations such as Watertown, Potsdam, Massena, and Ogdensburg. Continuous sleeping car service operated until its discontinuation in 1961; local passenger operations ceased by 1964.
Legacy
Segments of the former RW&O railway are currently operated by CSX (CSXT), the Ontario Midland Railroad (OMID), and the Mohawk, Adirondack and Northern Railroad. Various disconnected stretches have been repurposed into recreational trails like the Webster Hojack Trail, Cayuga Hojack Trail, Maple City Trail in Ogdensburg, Harbor Rail Trail in Oswego, as well as portions located in Hamlin, Hilton, and Rochester, New York.
The RW&O operated terminals at several locations including Suspension Bridge, Rochester, Syracuse, Rome, Utica, Natural Bridge, Massena, Ogdensburg, Clayton, Cape Vincent, and Sackets Harbor.
Hojack Moniker
The RW&O earned the nickname Hojack, a term whose origins are tied to multiple anecdotes connected to the railroad's corporate history and local influence.
One version attributes the name to engineer Jack Welch, known as "Big Jack," who reportedly exclaimed "Whoa Jack!" when halting trains, which gradually transformed into "Hojack." Another story involves a farmer stranded on the tracks who called out "Ho-Jack" to his mule, a phrase that train crews later adopted to refer to the line.
An "Old Engineer" recounted that employees Royal and John Tobin used the call "Ho, Jack" as a signal when preparing to depart from Suspension Bridge; this expression became closely associated with the train and eventually evolved into its nickname among railroad personnel.
According to author Richard Palmer, "Hojack" was slang for a slow-moving local passenger or way freight train. Historical articles in the Port Jervis Evening Gazette mention incidents involving horses trapped on the tracks, which were linked to this term. The Gazette also documented that the nickname remained in use for a westbound way train scheduled at 1:30 p.m.
Although widely embraced, the New York Central Railroad issued a directive in 1906 aiming to prohibit the use of Hojack, reflecting an effort to manage corporate image and public relations.
Station listing
| Milepost | Town / City | Station | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rome | Rome | ||
| Humaston | |||
| Taberg | |||
| Camden | |||
| West Camden | |||
| Williamstown | |||
| Kasoag | |||
| Albion | |||
| Richland Junction | |||
| Lacona | |||
| Mannsville | |||
| Pierrepont Manor | |||
| Adams | |||
| Adams Center | |||
| Watertown | |||
| Evans Mill | |||
| Philadelphia | |||
| Antwerp | |||
| Keenes | |||
| Gouveneur | |||
| Richville | |||
| De Kalb Junction | |||
|
Canton |
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|
Potsdam |
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|
Norwood Junction |
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|
Massena Springs |