Delaware & Hudson Canal

Established in 1880, the New York, Ontario & Western Railway ran from Oswego, N.Y. on Lake Ontario to Weehawken, New Jersey, which is located across the Hudson River from New York City. On its way south, the O&W linked upstate towns and villages previously accessible only by horse and wagon. More significantly, it opened the scenic beauty of the Catskills, particularly Sullivan County, to people living in New York City, and helped develop a resort industry that still thrives. To attract tourists, the O&W stocked Catskill streams with trout and offered to transport construction materials free for anyone who would build a vacation cabin or resort hotel along the railroad route. These inducements worked so well that the rail line had to add many trains per day during summer months to accommodate all the people who wanted to visit the Catskills. At the turn of the last century, the O&W was a major shipper of milk from Catskill farms and coal from Pennsylvania fields to New York City markets, thus competing with the canal. Eventually the growth of the automobile and highway system, and the development of new heating fuels such as gas and oil greatly depleted the railroad's importance. In 1957, the O&W ceased operations, the first major American railroad to do so.
The knoll across the highway from where you are now standing is the



site of the New York, Ontario & Western Summitville Depot, an active train station until 1957. The development of local rail lines in general, and the O&W line in particular, put Sullivan County on the map as a resort destination in the late 1890's. The railroads of the time brought vacationers from New York City, transported goods from upstate farms and businesses, and provided connections between local communities. So busy was this hub of railroad activity that it was referred to as "Grand Central Station."
The Summitville train station was so busy that it needed more than one track to handle the rail traffic that passed through. To allow many trains to enter and leave this bustling depot a Y-turn was added to the track system. This early bit of railroad technology, one of the first of its kind, allowed trains coming from upstate to move along the main tracks to New York City or to switch off to the valley line and continue to Ellenville and Kingston. The Y-turn also allowed service to such local communities as Mountaindale, Fallsburgh, Hurleyville, Ferndale, Liberty, Livingston Manor, and Roscoe.
(additional photo captions) · O&W steam engine · Abandoned Summitville Station sits amidst weeds

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The Canal & the Railroad
History of the Canal
Towpath
Locks
Waste Weirs
Canal Basin & Sluiceway
Lock No. 50
Dry Docks
Ending at Rondout
Demise of the Canal

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