New York Central Railroad Company

The New York Central Railroad first stationed business representatives in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1853, but it was not until 1870 that the railroad established a significant presence in the local railroad economy. During the 1880s-1890s, the New York Central purchased controlling interests in various railroads to secure routes into Cleveland. In the early twentieth century it built and bought lines through and around Cleveland. Yards that were key to New York Central's repair, maintenance, and storage operations in the Cleveland area included Collinwood, Linndale, and Union Depot. In 1921, the New York Central participated in financing of Cleveland Union Terminal on Public Square and eventually established a yard on that site. By 1929, the railroad had 9,963 employees in the Cleveland area, and had established one of two national offices in Cleveland. During the Depression, many yardworkers were laid off, and labor organizations had units within the yards. Many employees served in World War II, a time of unprecedented passenger and freight activity. In the 1950s-1960s, passenger traffic and freight activity declined. In 1975, the remnants of the New York Central and other railroads were consolidated under the name Conrail.

From the description of New York Central Railroad Company records, ca. 1880-1957. (Rhinelander District Library). WorldCat record id: 43350739

Railroads that comprised parts of the New York Central Railroad system began operating in 1850. The Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Lafayette line began operations in the late 1860s and was extended to Chicago in 1873 on Illinois Central trackage. During the 1940s New York Central passenger trains made six daily round trips between Indianapolis and Chicago. The line was abandoned in early 1976.

From the description of New York Central system photographs [graphic] : James Whitcomb Riley train, 1941. (Indiana Historical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 51059517

The New York Central Railroad Company was formed on April 2, 1853, by the merger of a string of nine railroads running from Albany and Troy to Buffalo and Niagara Falls. The oldest of these, the Albany & Schenectady, was incorporated as the Mohawk & Hudson in 1826. In its early years, the company was under the control of members of the old Albany Regency, notably Erastus Corning. East of Albany, the company initially relied upon the Hudson River steamers and the Western Railroad to Boston. Two railroads had been built between New York and Albany, the New York & Harlem running inland, and the Hudson River Railroad along the shore.

In 1863, the New York & Harlem came under the control of the steamboat magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, and the Hudson River Railroad soon followed. By controlling its connections to the metropolis, he was able to obtain control of the New York Central, and on November 1, 1869, the last two properties were consolidated to form the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad Company. Vanderbilt and his heirs expanded their system by absorbing western connections: the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern between Buffalo and Chicago via Cleveland in 1869, the Michigan Central via Canada and Detroit in 1869-76, and the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis (Big Four) in 1872-89. They also acquired the Boston & Albany, the former Western Railroad of Massachusetts, in 1867. The New York Central & Hudson River and the Lake Shore merged on April 29, 1914, to form the second New York Central Railroad Company.

The New York Central was the largest eastern railroad in terms of route mileage, but was second to the Pennsylvania Railroad in tonnage, assets and revenue. The Central was dominant in long-haul passenger and high-value freight traffic, while the Pennsylvania's dominance in the Northeast Corridor and the Pittsburgh district gave it the lead in total passenger volume and heavy freight. After the mid-1930s, the Central was generally the more innovative of the two, particularly after Robert R. Young ousted the last of the Vanderbilts in 1954.

Under the presidency of Young's protege Alfred E. Perlman, the Central did more than most other eastern railroads to reduce physical plant and improve marketing to cope with the shrinking demand for rail services. After failing to merge with the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway, the Central accepted the Pennsylvania's proposal for merger in 1957. After ten years of negotiations, the merger was consummated on February 1, 1968. The Pennsylvania, the surviving corporation, was renamed the Penn Central Transportation Company.

From the description of Minute books, 1847-1950 [microform]. (Hagley Museum & Library). WorldCat record id: 122370796