Nov 22, 1967 was a historic day in New York History as it was the final day of the original Trans Hudson Ferry service which began some three hundred years earlier and became an extension of railroad service connecting New York City. On that day , at 5:45 , Elmira whistled off and departed eastbound from Hoboken to Barclay Street in Manhattan. At the same time, Lackawanna left Barclay street westbound for Hoboken. Lackawanna was an original Delaware Lackawanna and Western boat , the oldest in the fleet having been built in 1895. At 6pm that day , Elmira whistled off at Barclay street for the last time and proceeded westbound for Hoboken. It was the last run of a railroad ferry on the Hudson.
After world war two, Railroad ferries on the Hudson were operated by the Central Railroad of New Jersey, The Pennsylvania railroad, the Erie Railroad, the New York Central Railroad and the Lackawanna railroad. The PRR was the first to end operations to exchange place from Cortland st about 1950. New York Central operated the longest Hudson Route from Cortland st to Weehawken being more than 20 minutes at sea so to speak. New York Central also operated a 42nd st run to Weehawken perhaps better known than the Cortland st run. They ended in the late 1950s. The Erie service was consolidated with the Lackawanna in the late 1950s and eventually merged as the Erie-Lackawanna in 1960. The Jersey Central service went on into the mid 1960s . Thus the Erie Lackawanna operation was the last making the last run 50 years ago . Ferry service has been revitalized on the Hudson and East Rivers in recent years but is a different sort of operation than in the era of the railroad ferries.
Here is the New York Centrals Niagara making the Cortlandt street run.
a modern photo of the Lackawanna's New York City Barclay street terminal. This photo was made before the Erie Lackawana merger but consolidation of ferry services already in place with Erie boats using Lackawanna terminals.
Lackawann also had terminal a little further up the river at Christopher street. It lasted into the postwar period . This is a turn of the century photo. Lackawanna boats also once served a terminal at 23rd street. I believe those services were gone before World war 2.
and across river was the Lackawanna Hoboken terminal. You can see the ERIE sigh added above Lackawanna and the stacks have the EL herald on them on the boats. The terminal still exists and is used for NJDOT;s trains and PATH trains terminating in Hoboken. .Believe the modern service on the river may operate from here as well.
The Lackawanna's POCONO on the crossing between Hoboken and Barclay Street
The BINGHAMTON on the crossing. Doesn't look too crowded in this photo. BINGHAMTON became a restaurant on the Hudson after its ferry days for some time. It had been closed in recent years looking for a pan to save her. Hurricane Sandy did her in in 2012.
Lackawanna getting ready to depart on an evening rush hour trip. Who remembers the New York Telegram newspaper? This is what it looked like when she made her last run from Barclay street in 1967.
on board the LACKAWANNA . It had a grand feeling to be on board in the cabin.
ELMIRA made the last crossing in 1967. She was tied up in Edison NJ for some time . She was visible from the Northbound New Jersey Turnpike. She also fell on hard times and became derelict itself.
