Ithaca
City School District, Ithaca, NY
@copyright 1997
Date of last revision: 28 April 1997
Local History Project Home Page
School Local History Home Page
School Building Home Page
Ithaca City School District - Fourth Grade Local History Project - Caroline Elementary School
Railroads in the Town of Caroline
The Ithaca and Owego Railroad started in 1834, and was the second oldest railroad in the state of New York. The main cargo was lumber. It was dawn by horses on strap-iron nailed on stringers. The stap-iron would go around the wheel and go under the wooden floors to wound the passengers about their legs and thighs. Now a days coaches are very heavy, but back in the old days coaches were so light passengers could lift them. The train ran from Ithaca to White Church. Horse dawn railroads lasted six years.
The first steamed powered engine stared in 1837 and was eventually abandoned in a creek near Candor. On July 4th 1842, Ithaca's leaders went to Owego for a celebration, and they had to get out and push when the engine failed five miles short of its destination.
Ithaca and Owego Railway had many names over the years:
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western railway
Utica, Ithaca and Elmira railway
Lehigh Valley railway
|
|
@copyright 1997 |
Date of last revision: 28 April 1997 |
|
Local History Project Home Page |
School Local History Home Page |
School Building Home Page |