New York, Ontario &
Western Passenger Station
Liberty, New York
1892
The
station was 29 feet x 60 feet with a Port Cochere that was 16 feet x 17 feet.
It also had covered platforms that were 7,500 square feet and two baggage
rooms that were 12 feet x 19 feet at each end of the platforms. The
station including plumbing and steam heat cost less than $9,900 to build.
Three
years after being built, on October 17, 1896, the station caught fire and
nothing remained. The O&W quickly rebuilt the station to its original
design. After passenger service declined in 1953, the station still
served as an order station. With the end of double track, after WWII,
and the subsequent installation of Centralized Traffic Control, there were
no longer the crossovers north of the station that required the attention
and attendance of a qualified operator.
After
the railroad no longer needed the station, it was used as a tavern.
Soon after, the South baggage room and canopy were completely removed.
The North end of the station was truncated and the canopy was cut off,
leaving two bays in place. The North room was demolished and the
remnant of the North canopy was quite inexpertly boarded in with sheets of
plywood.
According to local newspaper records there was a minor fire in the station
on October 22, 1967, but after repairs the tavern enterprise was able to
continue. A later fire on July 18, 1980 saw the final demise and complete
destruction of the remaining station structure. While a new modern building,
operating as the Liberty Pet Center, was erected on the station site, there
is now little left in place to recall this elegant station that once served
the Village of Liberty. A few shards of former railroad glory still remain,
however.
Special
thanks to contributor: Ronald J. Vassallo
Sources of interest are shown at the
bottom
of this page.
Just click on a thumbnail image below to open the corresponding picture.
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