End of Sodus Bay Railroad Line Planned

Passenger Service to Be With drawn on July 20, Officials Announce

Stanley, July 5. - Notices have been posted in the waiting rooms at stations on the Sodus Bay branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad announcing that, effective July 20, passenger service between this village and Sodus Point will be withdrawn on trains 8428, leaving Sodus Point in the morning and arriving at the local station at 8 A.M., and train 8425 leaving at 2:20 P.M. for Sodus Point.    

Sunday trains 8402 and 8411 between Elmira and Williamsport also will be withdrawn on this date, effective July 19, the time of Train 8405 for Canandaigua will be advanced 13 minutes, making the time here 7:15 P.M. This train will arrive in Canandaigua at  7:37 instead of 7:50 o’clock.

Since 1924 a gasoline car was substituted for steam train service but has been operated at a loss of more than $4,000 per year. Four trains operated over the branch until about a year ago, making two round trips between Sodus Point and this village, but this service was cut down to one round trip about a year ago.

It is not decided yet how mail for the towns on the branch will be handled, which include the towns of Seneca Castle and Orleans, but it is believed that a star route will be operated from some nearby post office to service this town.

Old time residents here today related how a quarter of a century ago four passenger trains were operated over the Sodus Bay and during the summer months many excursions were run in order to accommodate the many patrons who visited the summer resort of Sodus Point. The individual-owned automobile is blamed for the loss in passenger revenue. The “Toonerville,” as it is familiarly known, will sing its swan song when it leaves the local passenger station on Saturday, July 18, with “Joe” Harris at the throttle and Clarence Mason as conductor.

References