2011 Road Trip – Railroad Depots (#4) NY

As we moved north through the center of New York State, we kept our eyes open for current and former railroad depots… My collection of depot photos is growing with each trip that we take.

Nice conversion!  This is the former Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railway Depot in Red Creek New York.  It’s now a private residence in this town of just over 500 people.  Red Creek was first settled in 1811 but it was originally named Jacksonville.  The name was changed after the chemicals used by a tannery washed into the creek, coloring it red.

Here’s a postcard photo of the Red Creek Depot when it was still in use with the RW&O railroad.  Later on, the New York Central Railroad took over the RW&O, building a new depot.  By 1971, the town was serviced by 3 trains per day in each direction…

This is the original Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Depot in Oswego New York.  It is the oldest surviving DL&W Depot, having been built in 1848.  It may look a little rough around the edges but I found another photo on line that showed the roof partially caved in…

Here’s another view of the DL&W Depot.  The windows are boarded up but this 163 year old building has at least been preserved for now.  The Oswego area on Lake Ontario was first settled in the early 1700’s.  A series of forts were established, the town developed and in 1829, the Oswego Canal was opened.  It was an extension of the Erie Canal. 

This was the New York Central Railroad’s Depot in Oswego.  It’s now been converted to ‘Paul’s Big M Food Depot’.  The Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg railroad first came to Oswego in 1843.  The original depot was located in a big 4-story downtown hotel.  The railroad had to build a bridge over the river and a tunnel under the courthouse in order to connect with the Lake Ontario Shore Railroad…which the RWO bought out.  Construction of the bridge and tunnel was completed in 1876, just before the market crash of 1877.

Taken from another postcard, this is the New York Central Depot as it appeared shortly after it was completed.  Oswego was also the home of major railroad repair and maintenance shops.  By 1885, 5 trains in each direction stopped in town.

For more information about Oswego, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oswego,_New_York.  For additional information about the Rome, Waterstown and Ogdensburg Railroad, go to http://www.rworr.net/. 

Just click on any photo to enlarge it…

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave