Go to big cities such as New York or Chicago, and you’ll easily find elevated railways over some streets and neighborhoods.

At one time, tiny Sidney Center had that big city neighborhood feel to it, as a long railroad trestle spanned the entire width of the hamlet from the early 1870s until 1961. It was a trestle for the former New York, Ontario and Western Railroad, or the O&W.

The railroad began construction in 1868, and connected Weehawken, N.J., and Oswego, or the Atlantic with Lake Ontario. Part of the route passed through Delaware and Chenango counties.

Originally known as the New York & Oswego Midland Railroad, the route meandered to the many towns that helped finance the construction. It was described by some as built "at right angles to the mountains," requiring steep grades, high bridges and enormous fills. Construction costs far exceeded estimates, and within a month of completion the Midland was bankrupt. The railroad reorganized in 1880 as the O&W.

The Sidney Center trestle hadn’t helped matters, as far as the bankruptcy. The trestle was quite an accomplishment in engineering. Construction of the O&W had reached this point on July 1, 1870.

Sidney Center is found in the junction of three valleys, and gave the railroad the problem of crossing two valleys and a hill that separated them before it continued north. The first trestle over the village was nearly 1,400 feet in length and 100 feet high. At the northern end of the trestle, the line passed over a small hill, and then approached a second trestle, nearly 470 feet long and 40 feet high. It took the line over a smaller valley and the road that led to the depot and creamery, home of today’s Maywood Historical Group.

This stop on the railroad was originally known as Sidney Center, but to avoid having two communities on line with the same or similar names, the railroad designated Sidney Center as Maywood or Maywood Station in June 1897.

The larger trestle was originally built of iron, while the smaller one was wooden. Completion of the two was made by Oct. 4, 1871. Both had to be replaced over time, with a steel structure completed for the large trestle in 1895.

The first engines to chug across the bridges were woodburning types. A wood yard was maintained at Sidney Center for refueling. Similar stations were found every few miles along the railroad’s course. Many a nearby hillside was clear-cut for fuel.

Generations of Sidney Center residents could recall the many trains passing overhead with passengers peering down into backyards. During World War I, a detachment of soldiers was placed just above the small trestle. They patrolled both trestles 24 hours a day. Guarding the Northfield Tunnel near Walton was also their responsibility.

The railroad hit hard times during the 1930s. In February 1937, the O&W entered a voluntary bankruptcy from which it would never emerge. Despite numerous attempts to do so, the railroad finally ceased operations on March 29, 1957. That same July, the 544-mile railroad was auctioned off piecemeal for $10 million.

The landmark large trestle became a memory in May 1961. Dismantling began the week of May 22 and lasted about two weeks. Mike Wilcox of Roscoe, the contractor for the razing operation, told The Oneonta Star that the 1895 structure had withstood the test of time and was as sound at present as when it was first built. All the metal was sold as scrap for export purposes.

On Monday: We’ll stop by Pete’s in Delhi for some ice cream and pick up some candy.

City Historian Mark Simonson’s column appears twice weekly. On Saturdays, his column focuses on the area during the Depression and before. His Monday columns address local history after the Depression. If you have feedback or ideas about the column, write to him at The Daily Star, or e-mail him at simmark@stny.rr.com. His website is www.oneontahistorian.com.