Buffalo and Niagara Falls Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Buffalo and Niagara Falls Railroad was a part of the New York Central Railroad
system, connecting Buffalo, New York
to Niagara Falls. It is still used by CSX for freight and Amtrak
for passenger service.
.
The Buffalo and Niagara Falls Railroad was incorporated in 1834 to take over the Buffalo and Black Rock and extend it north and northwest to Niagara Falls. Construction began in August 1836, and included a replacement of the low-quality rails of the horse-drawn line. By 1837 the extension to Tonawanda
was completed, and around 1840 the rest of the way to Niagara Falls opened.
In or soon after 1852, the new Erie Street terminal was built in downtown Buffalo, along with a relocation of the tracks near downtown to the west side of the Erie Canal.
In 1853 the newly-formed New York Central Railroad
leased the Buffalo and Niagara Falls, which at the time did not connect to any other NYC lines. It was merged into the NYC in 1855.
Tonawanda also served as a junction with several other lines. The Canandaigua and Niagara Falls Railroad opened to Tonawanda in 1853, and in 1854 built a connection from the Niagara Falls end of the Buffalo and Niagara Falls to the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge
into Canada
. The New York Central bought the Canandaigua and Niagara Falls in 1858. The Buffalo and Lockport Railroad opened in 1854, connecting the Buffalo and Niagara Falls at Tonawanda to the NYC's Lockport and Niagara Falls Railroad at Lockport.
The Junction Railroad opened in 1871, finally connecting the Buffalo and Niagara Falls at Black Rock to the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad main line via a bypass of downtown Buffalo. In 1873 a connection was built downtown (partly using a short piece of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway
), forming a complete loop, known as the Buffalo Belt Line. The old Erie Street station was sold to the Grand Trunk Railway
, and NYC trains now used the Exchange Street station, which had been used since 1842 by the NYC's main line.
The International Bridge opened in 1874, connecting the Buffalo and Niagara Falls at Black Rock to Ontario, Canada.
Between 1900 and 1943, a realignment was made in southern Tonawanda
, eliminating a bridge over the Erie Canal
(Tonawanda Creek
). The new longer alignment turned east south of downtown, and then north parallel to the Erie Railroad
's Suspension Bridge and Erie Junction Railroad, merging with the old Canandaigua and Niagara Falls Railroad south of its bridge over the canal.
Between 1948 and 1962, a bypass of Niagara Falls was built. This left the old alignment about halfway from Tonawanda and headed north to the NYC's old Rochester, Lockport and Niagara Falls Railroad
, where trains turned west to Niagara Falls. The old alignment was abandoned, and part of it was used in 1970 for the LaSalle Expressway
.
The line passed into the hands of Penn Central in 1968 and Conrail in 1976, by then known as the Niagara Branch. The 1998 Conrail breakup assigned the Buffalo-Niagara Falls line to New York Central Lines LLC
, a subsidiary of CSX. CSX operates it, along with the old connection to the New York Central main line, and the connection to the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge
and Michigan Central Railway Bridge
(via the old Rochester, Lockport and Niagara Falls Railroad
), as their Niagara Subdivision
.
Amtrak
's Empire Service
and Maple Leaf carry passengers along the full line, the latter continuing to Toronto, Canada.
New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
system, connecting Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
to Niagara Falls. It is still used by CSX for freight and Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
for passenger service.
History
The Buffalo and Black Rock Railroad was chartered in 1833 and opened in 1834, operating a horse-powered line from downtown Buffalo north to Black Rock, now the east end of the International Bridge. The line was mostly built on state land next to the Erie CanalErie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
.
The Buffalo and Niagara Falls Railroad was incorporated in 1834 to take over the Buffalo and Black Rock and extend it north and northwest to Niagara Falls. Construction began in August 1836, and included a replacement of the low-quality rails of the horse-drawn line. By 1837 the extension to Tonawanda
Tonawanda (town), New York
Tonawanda is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a population of 78,155. The town is at the north border of the county and is the northern suburb of Buffalo...
was completed, and around 1840 the rest of the way to Niagara Falls opened.
In or soon after 1852, the new Erie Street terminal was built in downtown Buffalo, along with a relocation of the tracks near downtown to the west side of the Erie Canal.
In 1853 the newly-formed New York Central Railroad
New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
leased the Buffalo and Niagara Falls, which at the time did not connect to any other NYC lines. It was merged into the NYC in 1855.
Tonawanda also served as a junction with several other lines. The Canandaigua and Niagara Falls Railroad opened to Tonawanda in 1853, and in 1854 built a connection from the Niagara Falls end of the Buffalo and Niagara Falls to the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge
Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge
The Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge was the world's first working railway suspension bridge. It spanned and stood downstream of Niagara Falls from 1855 to 1897...
into Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The New York Central bought the Canandaigua and Niagara Falls in 1858. The Buffalo and Lockport Railroad opened in 1854, connecting the Buffalo and Niagara Falls at Tonawanda to the NYC's Lockport and Niagara Falls Railroad at Lockport.
The Junction Railroad opened in 1871, finally connecting the Buffalo and Niagara Falls at Black Rock to the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad main line via a bypass of downtown Buffalo. In 1873 a connection was built downtown (partly using a short piece of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway
Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway
The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway, sometimes referred to as the Lake Shore, was a major part of the New York Central Railroad's Water Level Route from Buffalo, NY to Chicago, primarily along the south shore of Lake Erie and across northern Indiana...
), forming a complete loop, known as the Buffalo Belt Line. The old Erie Street station was sold to the Grand Trunk Railway
Grand Trunk Railway
The Grand Trunk Railway was a railway system which operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, as well as the American states of Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The railway was operated from headquarters in Montreal, Quebec; however, corporate...
, and NYC trains now used the Exchange Street station, which had been used since 1842 by the NYC's main line.
The International Bridge opened in 1874, connecting the Buffalo and Niagara Falls at Black Rock to Ontario, Canada.
Between 1900 and 1943, a realignment was made in southern Tonawanda
Tonawanda (town), New York
Tonawanda is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a population of 78,155. The town is at the north border of the county and is the northern suburb of Buffalo...
, eliminating a bridge over the Erie Canal
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
(Tonawanda Creek
Tonawanda Creek
Tonawanda Creek is a small river in Western New York, in the United States. William Bright says the best that can be said of the name is that it is "probably from an Iroquoian source, but of unclear derivation".-Description:...
). The new longer alignment turned east south of downtown, and then north parallel to the Erie Railroad
Erie Railroad
The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, originally connecting New York City with Lake Erie...
's Suspension Bridge and Erie Junction Railroad, merging with the old Canandaigua and Niagara Falls Railroad south of its bridge over the canal.
Between 1948 and 1962, a bypass of Niagara Falls was built. This left the old alignment about halfway from Tonawanda and headed north to the NYC's old Rochester, Lockport and Niagara Falls Railroad
Rochester, Lockport and Niagara Falls Railroad
Incorporated December 14, 1850. This company rebuilt and opened in July 1852, the road originally incorporated April 24, 1834, as the Lockport and Niagara Falls Railroad. The original line was opened in 1838 and sold June 2, 1850. Consolidated into the New York Central Railroad under the act of 1853....
, where trains turned west to Niagara Falls. The old alignment was abandoned, and part of it was used in 1970 for the LaSalle Expressway
LaSalle Expressway
The LaSalle Expressway is a long limited-access highway in Niagara County, New York, United States. It begins near the North Grand Island Bridge at an interchange with Interstate 190 in Niagara Falls and ends just south of the Niagara Falls International Airport at Williams Road in Wheatfield...
.
The line passed into the hands of Penn Central in 1968 and Conrail in 1976, by then known as the Niagara Branch. The 1998 Conrail breakup assigned the Buffalo-Niagara Falls line to New York Central Lines LLC
Limited liability company
A limited liability company is a flexible form of enterprise that blends elements of partnership and corporate structures. It is a legal form of company that provides limited liability to its owners in the vast majority of United States jurisdictions...
, a subsidiary of CSX. CSX operates it, along with the old connection to the New York Central main line, and the connection to the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge
Whirlpool Rapids Bridge
The Whirlpool Rapids Bridge, commonly called the Whirlpool Bridge, and until 1937, known as the Lower Steel Arch Bridge, is a spandrel braced, riveted, two-hinged arch bridge. It crosses the international border between Canada and the United States, connecting the commercial downtown districts of...
and Michigan Central Railway Bridge
Michigan Central Railway Bridge
The Michigan Central Railway Bridge is a steel arch bridge spanning the Niagara Gorge between Niagara Falls, Ontario and Niagara Falls, New York. The bridge was designed by William Perry Taylor, Chief Engineer J.L. Delming and consulting Norwegian-born engineer Olaf Hoff.Construction on the bridge...
(via the old Rochester, Lockport and Niagara Falls Railroad
Rochester, Lockport and Niagara Falls Railroad
Incorporated December 14, 1850. This company rebuilt and opened in July 1852, the road originally incorporated April 24, 1834, as the Lockport and Niagara Falls Railroad. The original line was opened in 1838 and sold June 2, 1850. Consolidated into the New York Central Railroad under the act of 1853....
), as their Niagara Subdivision
Niagara Subdivision
The Niagara Subdivision is a railroad line owned and operated by CSX Transportation in the U.S. state of New York. The line runs from Buffalo north and west to Niagara Falls along a former New York Central Railroad line. Its south end is at the Buffalo Terminal Subdivision; its north end is near...
.
Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
's Empire Service
Empire Service (Amtrak)
The Empire Service is a train service operated by Amtrak within the state of New York in the United States. Trains on the line provide frequent daily service along the 460-mile Empire Corridor between New York City and Niagara Falls, New York...
and Maple Leaf carry passengers along the full line, the latter continuing to Toronto, Canada.
See also
- New York Central Niagara River Railroad, a short branch north of Black Rock