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Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad

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noticed recently in an Oswego paper there was some doubt as to the origin of the word 'Hojack' as applied to the R, W. & O. division of the New York Central railroad. There are a few persons on the railroad who know how the name came to be applied, but I happen to know the exact circumstances. Along in the early 70's a man named Royal and one John Tobin were employed by the R., W. & O. railroad in running trains between Lewiston and Suspension Bridge. Royal was a gruff, genial fellow and was well liked by the railroad men at the bridge. It was his habit, when after having delivered his cars at the bridge, he was ready to return, to stand at the officer door and call out to his partner in stentorian tones. 'Ho, Jack, time to be going back.' The man and the voice became inseparably connected with the railroad and when his train appeared the men would say, 'Here comes the hojack.' The name sticks to the road and the R., W. & O., is now better known among railroad men as the 'Hojack' than it is by its corporate name."
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reported, "hile the Hojack was backing down to the depot Wednesday afternoon a horse in a team attached to a wagon from the country got its foot fast between the rail and the bed of the track in a manner similar to that which a horse belonging to Thomas Cuddeback was ruined some time ago. It was with
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Many people fondly called the RW&O by its nickname, "Hojack." In the early days of the railroad, a farmer in his buckboard drawn by a bulky mule was caught on a crossing at train time. When the mule was halfway across the tracks, he stopped. The train was fast approaching and the farmer naturally
397:
Considerable mystery has always surrounded the origin of the nickname "Hojack" applied to the R. W. & O. division. Railroad men, when asked, seemed to have but a vague idea of the reason of the term. In a letter to the Oswego Bulletin, a writer who signs himself as an "Old Engineer," writes: "I
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A subsequent story in the same newspaper supports that explanation, saying "he name Hojack, which the Gazette gave to the way train leaving here for the west at 1:30 in the afternoon, sticks closer than a brother, and the train is now generally known by that name." NYC attempted to ban the name by
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In 20th century timetables for the New York Central Railroad (NYC), the line was referred to as the St. Lawrence Division. Revenue passenger service was operated from the NYC's "Water Level Route" mainline. Coach passengers for the route to Watertown, Potsdam and on to Massena changed trains at
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passengers would be able to take a continuous through-car ride. The last sleeping cars to and from New York City operated along the route in 1961, discontinued with the October schedule. The local coach service to Ogdensburg ended by October, 1961 as well. The remaining local coach service for
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originated from the engineer of the first train, who was named Jack Welch (often called "Big Jack"). Welch used to be a farmer and was more familiar with horses than steam locomotives. When he stopped the trains he would shout "Whoa Jack!". This became Hojack over
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The RW&O was nicknamed "Rotten Wood & Old Rusty Rails" due to its crumbling infrastructure. By 1878, the RW&O had been merged into the
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great difficulty that the horse Wednesday was saved from a similar fate. The foot was got out just in time to get out of the way of the train."
1465: 1143: 1455: 1475: 251: 235:). RW&O merged with the LOS in 1875; by that time the LOS was bankrupt. Branch lines reached what became resort towns along the 1291: 1260: 304: 243:
and Ogdensburg. At the first two towns, ferries were available to Ontario towns on the opposite side of the river, as well as the
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got excited and began shouting, "Ho-Jack, Ho-Jack." Amused by the incident, the trainmen began calling their line the "Ho-Jack."
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Author Richard Palmer attributes it to a slang term for a slow local passenger train or way freight. The
347: 228: 193: 1383: 244: 212: 185: 130: 26: 1342: 1270: 1235: 1113: 307:. Several disconnected sections of the former line have also been converted to trails, including the 197: 64: 864: 859: 363: 355: 343: 300: 201: 1413: 1230: 464: 232: 162: 275: 1209: 970: 958: 894: 351: 308: 200:(NYC). The Potsdam & Watertown Railroad was formed at this time to link Watertown with 134: 113: 8: 1301: 1097: 1082: 324: 315:, Maple City Trail in Ogdensburg, Harbor Rail Trail in Oswego and additional sections in 312: 267: 1418: 331: 296: 279: 236: 146: 1163: 1076: 987: 941: 906: 240: 216: 138: 1393: 1062: 320: 316: 220: 169: 158: 142: 46: 117:
Bond of the Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburgh Rail Road Company, issued 1. July 1874
1439: 339: 1008: 1090: 459: 335: 215:) to Ogdensburg was later built. In 1864, the RW&O constructed a line from 189: 126: 104: 1449: 259: 254:(DL&W). DL&W built the Ontario Secondary in 1882 (Beebee line) from 283: 263: 154: 418: 153:, commonly known as "The Hojack Line", operated along the south shore of 76: 882: 1071: 184:
began in 1842 as the Watertown & Rome Railroad (W&R) to link
231:(LOS) was chartered from Oswego to Suspension Bridge, New York (now 172:
in 1913, the RW&O line was known as the St. Lawrence Division.
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for example: June 1928 New York Central timetable, Tables 35, 36
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Syracuse. Passengers for the branch splitting off the route at
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The RW&O had terminals in Suspension Bridge, Rochester,
1049:"Edict Against Hojack". Syracuse Post Standard. 1906-01-12. 1112: 422:
Rome, Watertown & Ogdensburg Railroad system map, 1889
141:. The original Rome and Watertown Railroad terminated in 1072:
The Story of the Rome, Watertown, and Ogdensburg RailRoad
971:
http://www.canadasouthern.com/caso/ptt/images/tt-0464.pdf
959:
http://www.canadasouthern.com/caso/ptt/images/tt-1061.pdf
926:(7). National Railway Publication Company. December 1954. 895:
http://www.canadasouthern.com/caso/ptt/images/tt-0628.pdf
986:. Footprint Press. pp. 38–44, 80–83, 101, 107–109. 287:
Massena was dropped from the timetable by April, 1964.
208:. In 1861, these two railroads merged as the RW&O. 1501:
Former buildings and structures in Watertown, New York
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Rome, Watertown & Ogdensburg Railroad (RW&O)
984:Take Your Bike: Family Rides in the Rochester Area 957:October 1961 New York Central timetable, Table 18 907:http://streamlinermemories.info/NYC/NYC47-12TT.pdf 1039:The Port Jervis Evening Gazette, February 5, 1880 1030:The Port Jervis Evening Gazette, October 28, 1879 1447: 940:, Johns Hopkins University Press, 1989, p. 41. 381:, but its origins have multiple explanations. 239:at the end of the 19th century: Cape Vincent, 1496:Subdivisions of the New York Central Railroad 1486:Railroads controlled by the Vanderbilt family 1461:Predecessors of the New York Central Railroad 1098: 252:Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad 1105: 1091: 125:was a railroad that grew, in stages, from 905:December 1947 New York Central Timetable 211:A branch line from DeKalb Junction (near 1471:Railway companies disestablished in 1913 1021:Rome Daily Sentinel March 1, 1904 page 5 417: 305:Mohawk, Adirondack and Northern Railroad 295:Former RW&O trackage is operated by 112: 1481:1861 establishments in New York (state) 1333:Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad 1006: 981: 918:"New York Central Railroad, Table 60". 151:Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad 123:Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad 20:Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad 1491:American companies established in 1861 1448: 969:April 1964 New York Central timetable 1466:Railway companies established in 1861 1086: 196:, later consolidated as part of the 13: 1456:Defunct New York (state) railroads 426: 410:way of an edict released in 1906. 369: 14: 1512: 1056: 1476:Transportation in Rome, New York 1432: 1241:Spuyten Duyvil & Port Morris 225:Syracuse & Northern Railroad 25: 1042: 1033: 1024: 1015: 1007:Batzing, Dick (20 March 2018). 377:The RW&O was nicknamed the 1189:Niagara Bridge and Canandaigua 1000: 982:Freeman, Rich and Sue (2003). 975: 963: 951: 930: 920:Official Guide of the Railways 911: 899: 887: 876: 1: 870: 413: 194:Syracuse & Utica Railroad 168:After it was merged into the 16:Railroad in New York (state) 7: 883:Webville & Hypertext RR 853: 403:Port Jervis Evening Gazette 229:Lake Ontario Shore Railroad 10: 1517: 1384:Boston and Albany Railroad 1179:Rochester and Lake Ontario 278:for Ogdensburg changed at 175: 1371: 1343:Mohawk and Malone Railway 1320: 1279: 1218: 1197: 1174:Buffalo and Niagara Falls 1121: 1114:New York Central Railroad 290: 198:New York Central Railroad 75: 70: 65:New York Central Railroad 60: 52: 42: 37: 33: 24: 865:Ontario Eastern Railroad 860:Ontario Midland Railroad 301:Ontario Midland Railroad 1414:New York State Railways 1009:"The Hojack Line Story" 233:Niagara Falls, New York 163:Niagara Falls, New York 1139:Albany and Schenectady 423: 276:Philadelphia, New York 118: 421: 116: 1154:Buffalo and Lockport 1149:Schenectady and Troy 309:Webster Hojack Trail 223:and merged with the 135:Ogdensburg, New York 1404:New York and Ottawa 433: 325:Rochester, New York 313:Cayuga Hojack Trail 268:Rochester, New York 256:Charlotte, New York 206:St. Lawrence County 21: 1419:Pine Creek Railway 586:Richland Junction 431: 424: 237:St. Lawrence River 149:. A branch of the 147:St. Lawrence River 119: 53:Dates of operation 19: 1427: 1426: 1077:Project Gutenberg 851: 850: 826:Norwood Junction 781:De Kalb Junction 631:Pierrepont Manor 202:Potsdam, New York 139:Massena, New York 111: 110: 1508: 1442: 1437: 1436: 1435: 1271:Geneva and Lyons 1236:Michigan Central 1107: 1100: 1093: 1084: 1083: 1079: 1051: 1050: 1046: 1040: 1037: 1031: 1028: 1022: 1019: 1013: 1012: 1004: 998: 997: 979: 973: 967: 961: 955: 949: 934: 928: 927: 915: 909: 903: 897: 891: 885: 880: 841:Massena Springs 434: 430: 245:Thousand Islands 213:Canton, New York 170:New York Central 159:Oswego, New York 143:Cape Vincent, NY 107: 101: 97: 95: 94: 90: 87: 29: 22: 18: 1516: 1515: 1511: 1510: 1509: 1507: 1506: 1505: 1446: 1445: 1440:Railways portal 1438: 1433: 1431: 1428: 1423: 1367: 1316: 1275: 1231:Canada Southern 1214: 1193: 1117: 1111: 1069: 1059: 1054: 1048: 1047: 1043: 1038: 1034: 1029: 1025: 1020: 1016: 1005: 1001: 994: 980: 976: 968: 964: 956: 952: 936:Maiken, Peter. 935: 931: 917: 916: 912: 904: 900: 892: 888: 881: 877: 873: 856: 429: 427:Station listing 416: 375: 303:(OMID) and the 293: 227:. In 1858, the 178: 103: 99: 92: 88: 85: 83: 82:4 ft  81: 56:1842–1891 17: 12: 11: 5: 1514: 1504: 1503: 1498: 1493: 1488: 1483: 1478: 1473: 1468: 1463: 1458: 1444: 1443: 1425: 1424: 1422: 1421: 1416: 1411: 1406: 1401: 1396: 1391: 1386: 1381: 1375: 1373: 1369: 1368: 1366: 1365: 1360: 1355: 1350: 1345: 1340: 1335: 1330: 1324: 1322: 1318: 1317: 1315: 1314: 1312:Big Four Route 1309: 1304: 1299: 1294: 1289: 1283: 1281: 1277: 1276: 1274: 1273: 1268: 1263: 1258: 1253: 1248: 1243: 1238: 1233: 1228: 1222: 1220: 1216: 1215: 1213: 1212: 1207: 1201: 1199: 1195: 1194: 1192: 1191: 1186: 1181: 1176: 1171: 1166: 1161: 1156: 1151: 1146: 1141: 1136: 1131: 1125: 1123: 1119: 1118: 1110: 1109: 1102: 1095: 1087: 1081: 1080: 1066: 1065: 1058: 1057:External links 1055: 1053: 1052: 1041: 1032: 1023: 1014: 999: 992: 974: 962: 950: 929: 910: 898: 886: 874: 872: 869: 868: 867: 862: 855: 852: 849: 848: 846: 844: 842: 839: 837: 834: 833: 831: 829: 827: 824: 822: 819: 818: 816: 814: 812: 809: 807: 804: 803: 801: 799: 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889: 878: 526:West Camden 440:Town / City 408: 402: 400: 396: 385: 378: 376: 370: 360:Cape Vincent 329: 294: 284:Sleeping car 272: 264:Lake Ontario 249: 210: 181: 179: 167: 155:Lake Ontario 150: 133:and then to 122: 120: 1363:Gardenville 1134:Auburn Road 691:Evans Mill 616:Mannsville 262:flows into 258:(where the 77:Track gauge 1450:Categories 1302:West Shore 1261:Lake Shore 1144:Falls Road 871:References 766:Richville 751:Gouveneur 676:Watertown 432:Main Line 414:System map 352:Ogdensburg 481:Humaston 452:Position 437:Milepost 186:Watertown 131:Watertown 71:Technical 61:Successor 1256:ca. 1877 1164:Lewiston 854:See also 811:Potsdam 721:Antwerp 443:Station 373:nickname 332:Syracuse 299:(CSXT), 280:Syracuse 96: in 47:New York 38:Overview 1394:Rutland 796:Canton 736:Keenes 601:Lacona 571:Albion 556:Kasoag 511:Camden 496:Taberg 356:Clayton 348:Massena 241:Clayton 217:Pulaski 192:on the 176:History 157:, from 145:on the 91:⁄ 1353:Putnam 1251:Harlem 990:  944:  646:Adams 449:Notes 446:Image 386:Hojack 379:Hojack 371:Hojack 321:Hilton 317:Hamlin 291:Legacy 221:Oswego 43:Locale 1372:1900s 1321:1890s 1280:1880s 1219:1870s 1198:1860s 1122:1850s 389:time. 340:Utica 266:) to 188:with 1409:1909 1399:1905 1389:1904 1379:1900 1358:1898 1348:1894 1338:1893 1328:1891 1307:1889 1297:1885 1287:1882 1266:1878 1246:1873 1226:1871 1205:1869 1184:1858 1169:1855 1159:1854 1129:1853 988:ISBN 942:ISBN 465:Rome 460:Rome 362:and 336:Rome 323:and 180:The 137:and 121:The 1075:at 327:. 297:CSX 219:to 204:in 161:to 129:to 1452:: 924:87 922:. 366:. 358:, 354:, 350:, 346:, 342:, 338:, 334:, 319:, 311:, 282:. 247:. 165:. 102:) 1106:e 1099:t 1092:v 1011:. 996:. 948:. 98:( 93:2 89:1 86:+ 84:8

Index


New York
New York Central Railroad
Track gauge
standard gauge

Rome, New York
Watertown
Ogdensburg, New York
Massena, New York
Cape Vincent, NY
St. Lawrence River
Lake Ontario
Oswego, New York
Niagara Falls, New York
New York Central
Watertown
Rome, New York
Syracuse & Utica Railroad
New York Central Railroad
Potsdam, New York
St. Lawrence County
Canton, New York
Pulaski
Oswego
Syracuse & Northern Railroad
Lake Ontario Shore Railroad
Niagara Falls, New York
St. Lawrence River
Clayton

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