Rome & Osceola RR (Tug Hill, NY)?

[ferrology]

I have been looking for information on this railroad for some time, about the only thing I can find is from obituaries or marriages in the 1909-1914 period? A friend of mine has some rail has father picked up from the vicinity of Rt 69 (between Walmart and the former KMart) where it came off the main line by the tie plant (they are trying to launch a federal cleanup of the tie plant site, but most of that is under the Rite Aid wharehouse). There was a mason named Tuttle up there who only had a big thumb on his right hand because the fingers were still under a rail when the rest of the track crew dropped it. I'm told they had a graded bed as far as Lee Center (mostly sand yet?) and then graded some on the upper end at Osceola, I can only guess the backers were involved with timber tracts or sawmills there. At anyrate, it never got far and may never actually had any buildings or rolling stock? In fact there appears to be no photos. There are some remains of the tie plant, which may have been a propectful customer for the R&O, such as the loading area.

[RussNelson]

I'm interested as well. Please contact me at nelson@crynwr.com or russnelson@gmail.com, thanks.

[railroader9731]

im not sure if this has any link to that railroad but the NYO&W had lease to the Rome & Clinton rr and there was the Rome,Watertown & Ogdensburg rr. im not sure if these are any help or maybe what you need to start a reseach???

[Ralph]

Hopefully some currently active members will have more information. The original post by ferrology is three years old and he hasn't been back since March of 2005.

Ralph

[RussNelson]

Originally Posted by railroader9731

im not sure if this has any link to that railroad but the NYO&W had lease to the Rome & Clinton rr and there was the Rome,Watertown & Ogdensburg rr. im not sure if these are any help or maybe what you need to start a reseach???

Yeah, I know about the RW&O and the NYO&W. The Rome & Osceola is much more obscure than those two. It's not even listed here: List of New York railroads - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[logicman]

The Rome & Osceola is much more obscure than those two. It's not even listed here:

(wikipedia)

Yes, but it is listed here:
Unfinished Railroads of New York State

[RussNelson]

Yes, it's very annoying to Google for information only to find out that you're already listed as the best source.

[logicman]

Yes, it's very annoying to Google for information only to find out that you're already listed as the best source.

Yes, I noticed the links earlier, which is why I didn't post until this popped up in the 'new posts' list again.

I use google earth a lot to trace old rail and tram routes. Osceola's traces had already been found and posted in those links. That's all there is to find about the Osceola, really.

Now, the 'Sheppey Light Railway' is another story entirely - the permanent way bed is laid on clay with a water-resistant layer. That's why it's still visible from space 50 years after they ripped it up - it's neatly outlined with bushes and trees.

The relevance of the 'Sheppey Light' to the Osceola is this: competition.
Over-competition in railroad and tramway construction, together with the newfangled omnibuses left duplicated routes and branch lines out on a limb. Globally, many hundreds of railroad companies folded, some even before a single crosstie/sleeper had been laid.

Still, it keeps industrial archaeology buffs busy!

Footnote:
Here in the UK, most railroads were subject to planning laws, so there are lots of records to be found in archives. Would there not be similar documents to be found in a 'city hall' somewhere in NY? Surveys, property purchases, newspaper archives, that sort of thing?

[RussNelson]

Originally Posted by logicman

I use google earth a lot to trace old rail and tram routes. Osceola's traces had already been found and posted in those links. That's all there is to find about the Osceola, really.

Oh, please don't be misled by my traces on the Unfinished Railroads page. I'm just guessing, and guessing boldy, as to the route of the Rome & Osceola, and it's just from staring at aerial photos and topographic maps. I'm still wanting to find an official record of the route, e.g. the map that was sold on E*Bay a couple of years ago.

Here in the UK, most railroads were subject to planning laws, so there are lots of records to be found in archives. Would there not be similar documents to be found in a 'city hall' somewhere in NY? Surveys, property purchases, newspaper archives, that sort of thing?

The county clerk will likely have some records of the railroad. There's probably a map section which has a copy of the route map. Even if not, they weren't grading the railroad without an easement or outright property purchase, so there will be a record in the text of the deeds, or the property lines. That requires a trip to Oneida County during a weekday when the office is open. Eventually ... eventually....

[logicman]

That requires a trip to Oneida County during a weekday when the office is open. Eventually ... eventually....

As long as you phone first - and as long as you're not dealing with a jobsworth*.

*For international audience: I can't let you do that - it's more than my job's worth.

[RussNelson]

yeah, I ran into a jobsworth a year ago in the Franklin County Clerk's real property office. I'd driven an hour to get there, and ... they closed at 4PM. "No, I can't let you stay even one more minute. Security is here to lock up the door." jobsworth.

[logicman]

Originally Posted by RussNelson

yeah, I ran into a jobsworth a year ago in the Franklin County Clerk's real property office. I'd driven an hour to get there, and ... they closed at 4PM. "No, I can't let you stay even one more minute. Security is here to lock up the door." jobsworth.

Jobsworths:
We could start a whole new forum - just on this one topic.