An Analysis of OnTrack Passenger Rail in Syracuse, NY

The School of Architecture
and Planning
An Analysis of OnTrack
Passenger Rail in Syracuse, NY
A study on the Transit System’s Founding, Failure, & chance for Revival
Eric Ennis --- Department of Regional Planning
Advisor: Professor Daniel Hess, Ph.D.
Abstract
The OnTrack Rail System was a unique
transportation option for Syracuse,
serving some of the cities largest
attractions, before closing in 2008.
The goal of this project is to analyze
how the transit system functioned,
understand what lead to its failure, &
research how a new passenger rail
system would prosper in its place.
History of OnTrack
Beginning in 1994 through an agreement
between the NYS&W Railroad &
Onondaga County, OnTrack provided
transit service to several major Syracuse
destinations: Carousel Center, Armory
Square & the Syracuse University
Campus. The trains provided 3 main
services: passenger rail 6 days a week,
Orange Express for SU athletic games in
the Carrier Dome, & weekend excursion
trips. OnTrack ridership started strong &
exceeded expectations, however
decreased over several years before only
servicing 75 riders a day in 2008, the year
in which the system was shut down.
Research Methods
Information was collected through
various sources including personal
interviews, historic newspaper articles,
conducted site visits, & administrative
data to compare successes & failures.
Before
A Plan for a New
OnTrack System
By taking lessons learned from the
failed OnTrack line, implementing
new ideas & outlining new rail
stations, a new passenger transit
system could operate in Syracuse.
This map lays out strategic stops for
a new train within the city that
would connect passengers, offer a
new mode of transportation & spur
economic development.
After
Syracuse in Transition
Legend
Existing Rail Line / Infrastructure
Phase l: Orange Express
Since the closure of OnTrack in 2008,
Syracuse has continued to experience a
revival: Downtown has seen the
construction of new hotels, offices, &
residential spaces. Carousel Center has
expanded into Destiny USA, becoming
the 6th largest mall in the United States.
SU & ESF have focused on expansion
through the Connective Corridor &
Campus West initiatives. Neighborhoods
are coming back. Overall, the region has
turned its attention to the city core,
creating new life & an urban renaissance.
Phase ll: Addition of Commuter
Service & new stops
Phase lll: Continued expansion,
new stops & T.O.D.
Conclusions
A lack of commitment from the NYS&W as
well as Onondaga County led to the demise
of OnTrack. The Park Street Bridge was not
built, hindering the system from connecting
to new stops. These challenges must be
addressed, but all of the infrastructure
remains, allowing passenger rail to return
to Syracuse again in a successful manner.
Informational
Sources
The Post-Standard http://www.syracuse.com
Onondaga County Public Library
Centro, CNYRTA
New York State Department of Transportation
Syracuse Metropolitan Transportation Council
The Daily Orange, University Newspaper
Finger Lakes Railroad
Transit Capacity & Quality of Service Manual
City-Data.com
United States Census Bureau & Data
Google Maps, Earth, & SketchUp
Photo Credits: Post-Standard, Syracuse
University, & personal collection