Buffalo and Rochester Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Buffalo and Rochester Railroad, like many others of its day, was a short line that lasted a short time.
and Livingston
Counties in New York. Farmers and merchants in the area proposed a route along the Cohocton
and Genesee river
valleys up to Avon. The route would thence go west to the Tonawanda Railroad
at Batavia
. This would have been an alternative to the Erie Railroad
's plan to end its line at Dunkirk. The Erie declined, and the projected line became the Buffalo and Cohocton Valley Railroad. The side line from Avon to Batavia, however, became part of the Buffalo and Rochester Railroad.
and the Attica and Buffalo Railroad.
The primary accomplishment of the railroad was the construction of a new route between Buffalo
and Batavia
. The original route went from Rochester
to Batavia to Attica
and then to Buffalo. In April 1852, the railroad opened a new line from Buffalo to Batavia. This shortened the distance between the two cities and became part of the New York Central Railroad
's famed "Water Level Route". The Buffalo and Rochester sold its line between Attica and Depew
(east of Buffalo) to the Buffalo and New York City Railroad, part of the New York and Erie Railroad system. The new owners converted the line to their six-foot gauge
.
.
The gist of the idea
Initially, the germ of the idea for this line came from the perceived need for a rail line to serve SteubenSteuben County, New York
Steuben County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 98,990. Its name is in honor of Baron von Steuben, a German general who fought on the American side in the American Revolutionary War, though it is not pronounced the same...
and Livingston
Livingston County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 64,328 people, 22,150 households, and 15,349 families residing in the county. The population density was 102 people per square mile . There were 24,023 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile...
Counties in New York. Farmers and merchants in the area proposed a route along the Cohocton
Cohocton River
The Cohocton River is a tributary of the Chemung River in western New York in the United States. Via the Chemung River, it is part of the Susquehanna River watershed, flowing to Chesapeake Bay...
and Genesee river
Genesee River
The Genesee River is a North American river flowing northward through the Twin Tiers of Pennsylvania and New York. The river provided the original power for the Rochester area's 19th century mills and still provides hydroelectric power for downtown Rochester....
valleys up to Avon. The route would thence go west to the Tonawanda Railroad
Tonawanda Railroad
Yet another of the bewildering array of small and impermanent rail companies of the nineteenth century, the Tonawanda Railroad was Rochester's first...
at Batavia
Batavia (city), New York
Batavia is a city in Genesee County, Western New York, USA, located near the middle of Genesee County, entirely within the Town of Batavia. Its population as of the 2000 census was 16,256...
. This would have been an alternative 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 plan to end its line at Dunkirk. The Erie declined, and the projected line became the Buffalo and Cohocton Valley Railroad. The side line from Avon to Batavia, however, became part of the Buffalo and Rochester Railroad.
The actuality
The Buffalo and Rochester Railroad was formed on December 7, 1850 by the merger of the Tonawanda RailroadTonawanda Railroad
Yet another of the bewildering array of small and impermanent rail companies of the nineteenth century, the Tonawanda Railroad was Rochester's first...
and the Attica and Buffalo Railroad.
The primary accomplishment of the railroad was the construction of a new route between Buffalo
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...
and Batavia
Batavia (city), New York
Batavia is a city in Genesee County, Western New York, USA, located near the middle of Genesee County, entirely within the Town of Batavia. Its population as of the 2000 census was 16,256...
. The original route went from Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
to Batavia to Attica
Attica (village), New York
Attica is a village in Wyoming County, New York in the USA. The population was 2,597 at the 2000 census. It is named after a region in Greece.The Village of Attica is on the northern border of Wyoming County...
and then to Buffalo. In April 1852, the railroad opened a new line from Buffalo to Batavia. This shortened the distance between the two cities and became part of the 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...
's famed "Water Level Route". The Buffalo and Rochester sold its line between Attica and Depew
Depew, New York
Depew is a village in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 16,629 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area...
(east of Buffalo) to the Buffalo and New York City Railroad, part of the New York and Erie Railroad system. The new owners converted the line to their six-foot gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
.
The end of the line
The railroad was one of ten that merged on 17 May 1853 to form the New York Central RailroadNew 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...
.