TIMELINE
LAND TRANSPORTATION POST CARDS

Half a million years ago

• A gigantic sand bar started to form in an ancient lake. Extending 150 miles from Sodus to Lewiston it formed a ridge that the Indians would follow as a primary east-west trail. Stagecoach lines followed this ridge from 1818 to 1848. Today's NY Route 104, or Ridge Road follows this same geologic formation.

• Seneca Indian trails cross the area. They were eventually built into today's main roads:
• The trail from the west became Brooks Ave.
• From the south, we now have Scottsville Rd.
• The northern approach to the city has become Plymouth Ave. and Genesee St.

• Canandaigua merchants widen Indian trail to form ox-cart road to mouth of Genesee (Merchants Rd)

• East Ave. cut through the woods, four miles from Orringh Stone's Tavern to the river

• First public transportation, an ox cart goes from Rochesterville to Indian Landing, twice a week.

• Stage coach line to Canandaigua.
• Mail arrives three times a week.
• Buffalo Road extended to Batavia.

• First sidewalks.

• Stage fare from Rochester to Lewiston: $3.25, by way of Ridge Road.

• Two mile, horse drawn railroad between Carthage and east end of canal aqueduct replaces corduroy road. Consists of several stage coaches and flat cars drawn by a tandem hitch of horses.
• Rochester was serviced by 16 stage coach lines with as many as 800 passengers per day.

• First steam drawn train reaches area, Tonawanda Railroad.

• Tonawanda Railroad opens, connecting Rochester with Tonawanda to the west. First three locomotives brought to Rochester by canal.

• A wooden train shed for the Auburn Railroad is built at Mill St. New track finally connects Rochester with east, connecting Canandaigua, Geneva and Auburn, and transferring there to Syracuse. Their first engine 'Young Lion' also arrives in Rochester by canal.

• Trip from Albany to Buffalo is possible, but requires use of nine separate railroad companies.

• State ban on railroads carrying freight is lifted, allowing competition with Erie Canal. Previously railroads could only carry freight in winter, when the canal was closed.

• New York Central & Hudson Railroad forms, consolidating the states small rail lines. The RR builds their depot on site of the Auburn Railroad train shed. It occupies this location until 1882.
• Charlotte Branch of the New York Central extends to the Lake.

• Four years required to replace existing wooden bridges over the canal with Whipple arch with cast iron top chord.

•  Runaway freight train crashes into NYC station

• Coaches, sleeping cars and dining cars introduced on railroads.

• President-elect Lincoln speaks to a large crowd from the rear platform of his railcar at the New York Central Railroad Station.

• First horse drawn streetcar runs from State Street to McCracken Street (Driving Park Avenue) The line had a turntabe at McCracken Street and the single track provided two-way traffic by the use of  'switches' at irregular intervals along the line.

• Lincoln's funeral train passes through city.
• New York Central Bridge lost to the flood of '65

• Street car turntable built at Four Corners.

• George Selden applies for a patent on his gas compression engine he invented for his Selden Automobile.

 

• The Lake Avenue horsecar line expands. A second  track is laid and ten new cars are added.

• Lake Ontario Shore Railroad builds swing bridge over river at Charlotte. One man with a pole could move the bridge.
• Swing bridges built over the canal at Exchange Street and West Ave. (West Main Street)

• Rome, Watertown, and Odgensburgh Railroad built. (Hojack Line)

• Rochester & Lake Ontario RR (The Dummy Line) starts operation. Station and roundhouse for steam engines are located at Portland Ave. and Bay St. Line runs to the lake, where they purchase land and build Sea Breeze Park.

• Windsor Beach RR runs along the east bank of river to Windsor Beach and Summerville. The terminal named 'Brinker Station', after the line owner, was at the location of the old Bausch & Lomb plant, at the Platt St. Bridge. On it's way to the lake, the train made stops at a racetrack, and picnic grounds, also owned by Brinker.
• Rochester Bicycle Club formed. 15,000 protest at Genesee Valley Park against poor road conditions that caused accidents. A twenty-five cent tax on bicycles was raised to provide cinder paths, and the road conditions improved.

• Maude S. breaks world record for the mile at The Driving Park on Aug. 11. The 2:10 1/2 time will stand for six years.
• The Genesee Valley Canal Railroad Co uses Genesee Valley Canal bed. Eventually the line becomes part of the Pennsylvania RR. Track on the east side of the river becomes the Erie RR.

• State pays to elevate New York Central railroad tracks in the city.
• Street Railway Co. operates busses from Four Corners to the City Line on East Ave.

• New York Central St. Paul St. Station built.

• Buffalo St. has it's name changed to Main St.
• First mounted police.
• New York Central & Hudson River Railroad build boardwalk and at Ontario Beach Park. The steam train ride from the St. Paul St. Station cost a 5¢. Land leased to Lake Ontario Beach Improvement Co., They run attractions consisting of: a carousel, mild roller coaster, shooting gallery, bath house, and a camera obscura. This is a darkened room with a lens built into a wall that projects an image of the outside onto the opposite wall. Performers were also a major attraction for the park. The included tintype makers, fortune tellers, high diving from ladders & balloons, and swimming elephants. 

• Charlotte Boulevard tollgate removed.

• Rome, Watertown & Ogdensburg RR buy the Windsor Beach RR. They extend the route to State St., and build a new Passenger and Freight Station there.

• Rochester Railway Company incorporated. Replacing horse drawn cars with electric trolleys powered by over head lines, they provided service to Brighton, Irondequoit, Sea Breeze, Manitou Beach and Ontario Beach Park.

• Electric Trolley line extends down Broadway (Lake Ave.) from Ridge Rd. to Ontario Beach Park. NYC RR loses passengers to trolley, so builds fence around park and charges 10¢ admission. Train passengers are let off inside the park, with no need to pay.
• Glen Haven RR builds a 3' steam line from East Main St. and Culver Rd. to Glen Haven, on the eastern bluffs overlooking Irondequoit Bay.

• Horse Trolleys replaced by electrified cars.
• 40,000 bicycles in Monroe County

• Grandview Beach and Manitou Railroad opens.
• Street cars first offer transfers, first ever used. Idea of Harry Stedman.
• Empire State Express route passes through city.

• 'Grand Union' built at 'Four Corners' (Main St. East & West, Exchange & State St.) for Rochester and Sodus Bay and Rochester and Eastern Interurbans. First 12-way rail crossing in the world.
• Police force has 175 members, includes a bicycle squad to stop speeders.

• Mile posts are erected on St. Paul Blvd. so that bicyclists can measure their speeds and distances.

• Glen Haven RR sold to Irondequoit Park Railway. They rebuild the entire line to standard gage (4'8") and change motive power to electric.

• Improved design lift bridges were built at Emerson Street, Plymouth Ave., West Ave., and other locations.

• State roads. First paved road not in city: Hudson Ave.

•  Accident on the Dummy Line results in bankruptcy and the Rochester & Suburban Railway acquires route for it's electric equipment.
• Glen Haven Park opened. Park had carnival booths, Midway, a high Ferris wheel, and roller coaster. This was a miniature railroad that ran around the grounds at a high rate of speed.  

• Plans developed to re-route canal around Rochester. The southern route would pass through Genesee Valley Park, and the northern route which would pass over the river on an aqueduct 200 feet high and a thousand feet long. The southern route was selected in 1905.
• Rochester & Lake Ontario RR (The Dummy Line) and the Rochester & Suburban Railway merge to form the Rochester & Suburban Co.
• Train Stations for five different railroads are located in Rochester.

• George Selden's patent for compression gas engine for automobiles confirmed.
• Irondequoit Park Railway line leased to Rochester & Sodus Bay RR for 999 years, at $5,000 per year.

• Irondequoit Park Railway and Rochester & Sodus Bay RR void their lease deal, and merge to become the Sodus Bay Railroad, and then they lease the rights to Rochester Railway Co.

• New York State Railroad takes control of the Rochester & Suburban Co.

• New York State Railroad takes control of the Sodus Bay Railroad

• First successful flight in Rochester made by John J. Frisbie.

• New York Central Railroad Station is said to be the finest structure ever built in the county. Designed by noted local architect Claude Bragdon. Was extremely graceful for such a large structure, and noted for its imaginative decoration. Was demolished to make room for a parking lot.

• New York Central RR opens new Station at N. Clinton and Central Ave.

• City buys abandoned canal lands from state for $1.5 million.

• Plans submitted to rebuild canal bed as subway.

• City interurbans diverted to new subway tracks at Lyell Ave. on Feb. 4th. Line runs from Lyell Ave. to the Oak Street Loop. (Service on this line was discontinued April 30, 1931)
• Rochester and Syracuse cars  were diverted onto the subway on April 16th. Operating from Winton Road to the Oak Street Loop. In July the route was extended westward to Driving Park. (Service on this line was discontinued April 30, 1931)
• Rochester Eastern cars running between Rowlands Loop and the Oak Street Loop were diverted onto the subway on Dec. 1, 1927 (Service on this line was discontinued July 31, 1930)

LAND TRANSPORTATION POST CARDS

    Horse Car No. 130, Rochester, New York
    "A Country Landscape". Along the route of the Rochester and Eastern Rapid Railway.
    Erie Depot, Rochester, NY
    Erie Railroad Station, Rochester, NY
    Lehigh Valley RR, Passenger Station, Rochester, NY
    Lehigh Valley RR, Engine 2102
    NY Central & Hudson depot on State Street
    New York Central Station, Rochester, NY
    N. Y. Central R. R. Station, Rochester, NY
    New York Central Station, Rochester, NY
    NYC lines 1917, depot & 17 tracks
   Trestle at Braddock's Bay, Manitou Beach, Rochester, NY
    Electricity Versus Steam
    Rochester & Sea Breeze Trolley Car 602
    Rochester, Syracuse & Eastern #111; 1906 by Niles Co.
    Lehigh Valley Railroad Black Diamond Express, between New York, Philadelphia, and Buffalo.
    New Subway and Bridge across Genesee River, Rochester, NY
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