Ontario Midland Railroad

Updated on Nov 05, 2023

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Reporting mark OMID Dates of operation 1979–		Locale New York Headquarters Sodus, New York
Track gauge 4 ft 8 ⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge

The Ontario Midland Railroad (reporting mark OMID) is an American railroad company operating in western New York.

It was founded on October 5, 1979 and was created to save the former Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburg Railroad line from Oswego's West Yard to Suspension Bridge in Niagara Falls. The railroad ultimately only gained operation from Hannibal in Oswego County to Webster in Monroe County. The railroad also operates a line formerly operated by Conrail, Penn Central, Pennsylvania Railroad from Wallington to Newark to interchange with CSX's ex-Conrail Chicago Line. Early operations included runs to Sodus Point, where Genesee Beer & Ale maintained a malt house operation.

The Marion Branch (former Newark & Marion Railway) was operated to serve cold storage warehouses and packing operations in Marion. Declining traffic and poor track conditions led to the end of its operation in July 1984.

During the late 1970s, a dinner train operation was operated out of Webster using privately owned equipment and OMID crews. For a number of years until 2004, the OMID operated fall foliage excursions between Sodus and Newark in conjunction with the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum, which owns the former New York Central "Empire State Express" coach cars used for the trips.

In 1993, Ontario Midland severed its corporate partnership with the Ontario Central Railroad (ONCT). Known as the "Ontario Lines," this partnership also operated the short-lived Ontario Eastern Railroad (ONER), and the Allegheny Southern Railroad (ASRW).

Operations on the Ontario Midland use VHF radio communications at a frequency of 161.370 MHz. The OMID carries food products, lumber, fertilizer, pulpboard, and chemicals. The OMID moves about 850 cars a year and operates 56 miles of track. It operates Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (8:00-16:00).

Locomotives

The railroad's all time locomotive roster is, with the exception of #5, all Alco:

#3 is an Alco S4 built in 1953 & formerly of the Genesee & Wyoming & New York Central (NYC).

#5 was a GE 45-Tonner formerly of the US Army (USATC).

#35 is an Alco S4 built in 1959 formerly of the Genesee & Wyoming (GNWR).

#36 is an Alco RS-11 built on 1957 formerly of the Norfolk & Western (N&W).

#40, now #408, is an Alco RS-36 built in 1962 formerly of the Norfolk & Western.

#106 was an Alco S-2 built in 1948 & formerly of the Baltimore & Ohio (B&O).

#107 was an Alco S4 formerly of the N&W. Today it is at Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum in Rush, New York. It has been re-painted into the Paint scheme of its original owner: the New York, Chicago & St.Louis (Nickel Plate Road (NKP)). The N&W absorbed the NKP in 1965 & sold #107 to OMID. 107 was never owned by the Ontario Midland. It was owned by RSA Leasing of Sodus, NY (a lineside community. From 1982 to 1985 it was leased to Pennsylvania's Allegheny Southern Railroad. It was returned to Sodus in 1985. While in Pennsylvania it wore the number 17.

#4056 was an Alco RS-3 built for the Spokane, Portland & Seattle (SP&S). It was sold by SP&S successor Burlington Northern (BN).

#4085 was also an Alco RS-3 but ex-Delaware & Hudson (D&H).