Southern Tier Interurbans

Maps and Details on the Interurbans Systems in New York

In the southern tier, growing cities extended their street cars lines to nearby towns. Binghamton, Cortland, Elmira and even tiny Hornell and Penn Yan had interurbans. Geneva was well connected to Syracuse and the east/west interurban thoroughfare developing across the state.

IWhat About Ithaca?
Ithaca’s local streetcar system: the Ithaca Street Railway, provided trolley service from 1884 until 1935. Despite the tough terrain, streetcars traversed it’s deep gorges on picturesque bridges and connected the surrounding populated hillsides to downtown.

Sadly, the interurban route up to to Auburn did not fare so well. Throughout its short life, the Short Line (as it was known to residents) faced stiff competition from Lehigh Valley's Ithaca & Auburn Branch as well as struggling with Ithaca’s steep hills and harsh upstate winters. The last run on the main line was made in 1923 and it was formally abandoned in 1924. That’s why it appears as a dotted line on the map.

Southern Tier Area Map

Pan and zoom in and out on the map below for a detailed understanding of the various trolley companies in service in 1924.

Interurban Timelines - Predecessors/Mergers/End of Life

Further Details

Did You Know?
Ithaca was the third city in New York State to use trolleys, after Brooklyn and Binghamton.

• Hornell Traction Company
• Auburn and Northern Railroad
• Binghamton - City Street Map (Street Cars)
• New York, Auburn and Lansing Railroad
• Auburn and Syracuse Electric Railroad
• Elmira, Corning and Waverly Railway
• Geneva Seneca Falls and Auburn
• WAY BACK WHEN IN YATES COUNTY: Trolley, steamboat connected Branchport, PA

Source/Credits

The Electric Interurban Railways in America by George Woodman Hilton, ‎John Fitzgerald

David Rumsey Historical Map Collection

• 1924 New York State
  (eastern Section)
• 1924 New York State
  (western and northern sections)

 back to interactive New York State map