It reached Laurens in July 1901, Cooperstown in September 1901, Richfield Springs in the summer of 1902, and Mohawk by 1906.

A car barn, powerhouse, and dispatcher office were built in Hartwick.

Full operations continued for a year, but service to Cooperstown was ended in 1940 and in 1941, permission was granted to abandon the line from West Oneonta to Jordanville.

In January 1970, the SNY requested to close the remaining operation after the state Department of Transportation announced that a new connection road between the proposed Interstate 88 and state Route 23 would cut the line.

Freight service ended on May 7, 1970, and the ICC approved the abandonment on March 26, 1971.