Reporting mark ONCT Dates of operation 1979– Date of operation 1979 | Locale New York Headquarters Victor Parent organization Finger Lakes Railway | |
Track gauge 4 ft 8 ⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge | ||
The Ontario Central Railroad (reporting mark ONCT) is an American class III railroad company operating in Ontario County, New York. As of 2007, the ONCT has been under the ownership of the Finger Lakes Railway.
The ONCT was formed from an approximate 13 mile section of the Lehigh Valley mainline from Shortsville, New York to Victor, NY as well as a short section of the New York Central's Auburn Road in Victor. This trackage was saved by the actions of the communities it serves. The plan for forming Conrail involved the abandonment of all the trackage that became the ONCT; but several rail customers wanted to keep rail service. With the building of a short connection from the LV to NYC trackage in Victor and an interchange in Shortsville, the ONCT began operating the rail lines in 1979; before which Conrail was obligated to do so as the designated operator.
Throughout the years, the ONCT has had a number of customers; but Victor Insulator Company has been there from the beginning and still receives service as of 2011. Other customers include, or have been, Ryan Homes, Iron City Sash & Door and others. The sole interchange for the ONCT has been in Shortsville, where Conrail constructed an interchange with the former Auburn Road of the NYC.
From the beginning the ONCT was a member of the "Ontario Lines" family of shorts lines in New York State until 1993. Other members included the OMID and the Ontario Eastern. In 1998, the Livonia, Avon and Lakeville Railroad bought a controlling interest in the ONCT. Then, in October 2007, the LAL sold the ONCT to the Finger Lakes Railway.