Rockton Wye; Another Amsterdam World War II casualty

By Bob Cudmore, Focus on Histoy

     A column about the Rockton Wye section of Amsterdam prompted this response from Paul Larner, an Amtrak engineer and railroad historian, “Are you aware of the origin of the name Rockton Wye?”

A native of Gloversville, Larner has written about the Fonda, Johnstown & Gloversville Railroad (F.J. & G.).

The Rockton Wye in Ansterdam was the intersection of Clizbe Avenue, Lyon Street, Hewitt Street and Northern Boulevard.  A “wye” in railroad terms is a track configuration resembling a triangle with each point leading to a different route.

The F.J. & G. was a railroad linking the cities in its name along with branch lines to Broadalbin, Schenectady and Northville. In the 1890s, the railroad established electric trolley lines in Johnstown and Gloversville.

The electric trolley car came to the Carpet City with the Amsterdam Street Railway Company in 1890. By 1901, the line expanded to Rockton and some pictures show trolleys with the name Amsterdam & Rockton Street Railway. In 1902, the line was extended to Hagaman. Also in 1902, the Amsterdam trolley company was acquired by the F.J. & G.

Starting in 1911, the three way intersection known as the Rockton Wye was built to connect the F.J. & G. trolley lines that went from the Rockton Wye to Hagaman, plus to Vrooman Avenue and Market Street in the city.

Larner wrote, “The track configuration at that point permitted the trolleys to run direct to and from Hagaman via either the original line up Market Street Hill or via Vrooman Avenue and also, by a connecting track, directly around the city, hence the term "belt" line.”

Stockholders of the railroad had interests in electric power, real estate and industry besides providing transportation. Trolleys ran both directions around the "belt" offering the residents of that area a convenient means of getting to Main Street, their employment, local recreation areas and the world via the New York Central Railroad.

Larner said there were problems with trolleys that had to climb the severe grade on Vrooman Avenue.

“One was never quite sure when the car wouldn't be able to make the turn at East Main Street descending, or, equally as dangerous, when the car wouldn't be able to get up Vrooman hill, sliding back to East Main, “ Larner said.  

Men were employed to place sand on the rails when conditions required additional traction.

By relocating the junction with East Main Street west to Lark Street and using Forbes Street to avoid part of Vrooman hill, much of the danger was eliminated..

The Vrooman Avenue line was abandoned in 1928. All F.J. & G. trolley service ended in 1938, supplanted by bus transportation.

NOSTALGIA NEIGHBORHOOD

     Thanks to reader Kelly Durocher for providing information on another World War II casualty with ties to Amsterdam.

Charles Chu Sun was drafted while living with his parents where they operated a laundry on Market Street in Amsterdam. According to a newspaper account, Chu Sun may have been the first Chinese American in the area to be drafted.

Chu Sun told the Albany Knickerbocker News  he hoped to continue his education after the war. He said he was patient and determined.

To pay for his education Chu Sun had waited on tables, did window washing and even snow shoveling.  “All I care for is my education,” he said.

He died after being wounded in September 1944 when his unit assaulted the Siegfried Line in Germany. He was 28 when he died, an Army technical sergeant.

Durocher volunteers for the Glenville War Memorial and has found 3500 World War II casualties in the Capital District.

Bob Cudmore is a freelance writer.

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