The New York Locomotive Works should not be confused with the earlier Breese, Kneeland, and Company which traded under the same name in the 1850s.
NYLW offered a robust, no frills locomotive and was well connected with banking interests that allowed sales along the "Car Trust Plan" with payments out to ten years.
Business collapsed suddenly after the death of President Noch in 1890 and the financial panic of the early 1890s dried up new orders.
The new company announced its focus would be rebuilding steam machinery and general shop work.
Rome Manufacturing built trolley cars, French designed automobiles and a line of heavy construction equipment including road graders and continued rebuilding steam locomotives into the 1920s.