Central City Railway
| Locale | Syracuse, New York |
|---|---|
| Dates of operation | 1859–1890 |
| Successor | People's Railroad which merged with Syracuse Rapid Transit Railway |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Headquarters | Syracuse, New York |
The Central City Railway was chartered on April 19, 1859, and was the first street railway company in Syracuse, New York. It began operations in August 1860, as a horse-drawn rail. The road was discussed for many years before it was actually constructed as a link between the First Ward and Erie Canal at Salina Street. The train line commenced at South Salina Street opposite the Syracuse House and terminated in the First Ward.
The road was extended to Onondaga Lake about 1872, and a branch line was constructed from North Salina Street along Court Street to Third North Street (now Driscoll Avenue) in Solvay, New York, a suburb.
During 1890, the company merged with People's Railroad which merged again into Syracuse Rapid Transit Railway in 1896.
The route was originally designated in the charter to run through Lodi Street, Lock Street and Wolf Street, but it was subsequently changed to Salina Street.
The road was built during the first half of 1860 and opened in August with a "public demonstration." The first car was a small, single truck car drawn by one horse. There were no lights and no heat in the cars and often straw was placed on the floor to keep passengers feet warm. Cars were driven by one man, who acted as both driver and conductor. The track consisted of a narrow strip of strap iron spiked to wooden stringers, and had practically no foundation and was about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) in length. Fare was only five cents and there were no transfers.
In 1862, the company business office was located in "Room No. 1" of Corinthian Hall on North Salina Street. The Syracuse terminal was situated on North Salina Street at "Church Street Crossing." Additionally, the Salina (First Ward) terminal was located on North Salina at the corner of Wolf Street. Cars departed both terminals every twenty minutes beginning every morning at 7am, with the exception of Sunday, when the first car departed at 10am.
The line was extended to Onondaga Lake about 1872 and a branch line was constructed from North Salina Street along Court Street to Third North Street (now Driscoll Avenue) in Solvay, New York, a suburb. The expansion increased the total distance covered by the road to approximately 4.5 miles (7.2 km).
During 1879, the company business offices were located in the Mechanics Bank which was located in the Syracuse Savings Bank Building at the corner of North Salina and James streets.
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