Niagara was on her way from New York to Albany when a steam component gave way about north of the city, causing an explosion that reportedly killed two of the boat's engineers and scalded several passengers. The steamboats Roger Williams and Thomas Powell were quickly on the scene, the former taking most of the passengers aboard, including some with milder injuries, for completion of their journey to Albany. Thomas Powell in the meantime towed the stricken Niagara to shore, before taking two more seriously injured passengers aboard in order to return them to New York City for medical treatment. Piermont and Poughkeepsie service, 1849–1850 By early 1849, the New York and Erie Railroad had completed its line between Port Jervis and Piermont, New York, creating a demand for a more frequent steamboat service between Piermont and New York City. Thomas Powell & Co., which had a financial interest in the railroad, consequently decided to sell Thomas Powell to the line to help meet this demand, with the steamboat Roger Williams taking the Powells place on the Newburgh route. Thomas Powell was subsequently placed on a schedule of two round trips per day between the city and Piermont, leaving the former at 7 am and 4 pm daily. The steamboat Erie (formerly Iron Witch) was also acquired by the railroad for the service. Passenger baggage was placed in barges towed by the steamers. Thomas Powell continued in this service for two seasons. By 1851, passenger travel on the river had declined due to the completion of the Hudson River Railroad to Albany, and on May 12 of that year, the steamer was sold to Thomas Hulse, who placed her on a route between New York City and Poughkeepsie. She remained in this service for only a few weeks however before being sold to the Newcastle and Frenchtown Turnpike & Railroad Company for service on the Delaware River. Philadelphia to Cape May service, 1851–1856 After acquiring Thomas Powell, the Newcastle and Frenchtown Turnpike & Railroad Company placed the steamer, along with the steamboat General McDonald, on the route between Philadelphia and Cape May, New Jersey, on the Delaware Bay, in opposition to the old steamboats Ohio and Morris. In addition to her regular trips on this route, Thomas Powell was also employed occasionally during this period as an excursion steamer. The steamer continued in this service until September 1855, when she was