ElliotCourtney
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The New York, Westchester & Boston Railroad Company was incorporated on March 20, 1872 to build from the Harlem River through the east Bronx (then still part of Westchester County) and the shoreline towns of southern Westchester to the New York-Connecticut border village of Port Chester, New York. It did not appear to want to compete with the Southern Westchester/New York, Housatonic & Northern railroads. Instead its main competitor was the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad, which it would roughly parallel. Its efforts were also stifled by the Panic of 1873.
The New York, Westchester & Boston, still a corporate entity, began quietly buying land in Westchester County and it also absorbed the New York & Portchester as well.
The New Haven Steps In
The NYW&B revival caught the attention of Charles S. Mellen, president of the powerful New York, New Haven & Hartford (the "New Haven"). The New Haven's expanding and profitable freight and long distance passenger service, as well as its suburban commuter service was clogging both its four track main line in Westchester County and even the six track, 12 mile long Harlem River branch from New Rochelle to the Harlem River in the Bronx. It would suit the New Haven's interest to lure commuters off its main line and Harlem River branch and onto a proposed commuter-only NYW&B.
Construction of the line between the Harlem River (at 132nd Street) and White Plains (Westchester Avenue) began in Mount Vernon in 1909 and it took three years to complete the all-electric, 11,000 volt overhead-powered, state of the art railway. The first day of operation was May 29, 1912, with service from East 180th Street and Morris Park Avenue in the Bronx to North Avenue in New Rochelle. By August 3rd of that year, the entire Harlem River to White Plains route was open for business.
The Port Chester branch, which largely paralleled the New Haven mainline between New Rochelle and Port Chester. The nine mile branch from North Avenue in New Rochelle to Port Chester was built between 1921 and 1929. This two-track line was built parallel to the parent New Haven's four-track mainline. It reduced commuter traffic on the New Haven's Harlem River branch between New Rochelle and the Harlem River terminal enough so that service ended on the branch on July 27, 1930. It is ironic that it took a money-losing NYW&B to help the New Haven drop a money-losing commuter service on their Harlem River branch.
Depression and Decline
The parent New Haven railroad entered into reorganization bankruptcy in October, 1935, a victim of the Great Depression. The Westchester followed suit and entered into Section 77 reorganization bankruptcy that same year. It was reported to be losing between two and three million dollars a year. The NYW&B trustee tried to raise revenues and reduce expenses to keep the railroad operating. However, active commuter groups banded together and pooled resources and hired lawyers to prevent fare increases. The railroad workers would not accept a proposed wage cut, even though steady jobs were still scarce at the time. Elected officials in the cities and towns it served demanded payment of property taxes that had not been paid due to the bankruptcy proceedings.
The New York, Westchester & Boston, still a corporate entity, began quietly buying land in Westchester County and it also absorbed the New York & Portchester as well.
The New Haven Steps In
The NYW&B revival caught the attention of Charles S. Mellen, president of the powerful New York, New Haven & Hartford (the "New Haven"). The New Haven's expanding and profitable freight and long distance passenger service, as well as its suburban commuter service was clogging both its four track main line in Westchester County and even the six track, 12 mile long Harlem River branch from New Rochelle to the Harlem River in the Bronx. It would suit the New Haven's interest to lure commuters off its main line and Harlem River branch and onto a proposed commuter-only NYW&B.
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Mamaroneck Station[/FONT]
A group of New York businessmen, including William Rockefeller (brother of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.) and Wall Street wizard J. P. Morgan bought control of the NYW&B in 1906 for $11,000,000. They then turned it over to the New Haven, which became the parent of the new road.
Mamaroneck Station[/FONT]
Construction of the line between the Harlem River (at 132nd Street) and White Plains (Westchester Avenue) began in Mount Vernon in 1909 and it took three years to complete the all-electric, 11,000 volt overhead-powered, state of the art railway. The first day of operation was May 29, 1912, with service from East 180th Street and Morris Park Avenue in the Bronx to North Avenue in New Rochelle. By August 3rd of that year, the entire Harlem River to White Plains route was open for business.
The Port Chester branch, which largely paralleled the New Haven mainline between New Rochelle and Port Chester. The nine mile branch from North Avenue in New Rochelle to Port Chester was built between 1921 and 1929. This two-track line was built parallel to the parent New Haven's four-track mainline. It reduced commuter traffic on the New Haven's Harlem River branch between New Rochelle and the Harlem River terminal enough so that service ended on the branch on July 27, 1930. It is ironic that it took a money-losing NYW&B to help the New Haven drop a money-losing commuter service on their Harlem River branch.
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Westchester Avenue, White Plains[/FONT]
Westchester Avenue, White Plains[/FONT]
Depression and Decline
The parent New Haven railroad entered into reorganization bankruptcy in October, 1935, a victim of the Great Depression. The Westchester followed suit and entered into Section 77 reorganization bankruptcy that same year. It was reported to be losing between two and three million dollars a year. The NYW&B trustee tried to raise revenues and reduce expenses to keep the railroad operating. However, active commuter groups banded together and pooled resources and hired lawyers to prevent fare increases. The railroad workers would not accept a proposed wage cut, even though steady jobs were still scarce at the time. Elected officials in the cities and towns it served demanded payment of property taxes that had not been paid due to the bankruptcy proceedings.
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Heathcote Station, Scarsdale[/FONT]
The receivers appointed on August 2, 1937 had seen and heard enough. They decided that the only hope of satisfying the creditors and bondholders was to stop the trains and scrap the entire property to raise cash. The Port Chester branch service terminated on Halloween, October 31, 1937. The last train on the "mainline" NYW&B ground to a halt a few minutes after the December 31, 1937 deadline for abandonment of service, leaving an estimated 26,000 daily riders looking for other ways to get to work in 1938. The end of any hope to run the trains again occurred on June 9, 1939 when the bankruptcy court judge approved the sale of some of the copper catenary wires to satisfy creditors. Over the next three years the entire NYW&B in Westchester County was dismantled and sold for scrap.
Heathcote Station, Scarsdale[/FONT]
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Engine 701, Westchester Avenue Yard, White Plains [/FONT]
Engine 701, Westchester Avenue Yard, White Plains [/FONT]
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Harlem River Terminal, Bronx[/FONT]
Harlem River Terminal, Bronx[/FONT]