History

Among the earliest supporters of the New York and Erie Railroad were prominent Jamestown residents who lobbied for the railroad to go through their town. Unfortunately for Jamestown, after much debate, the route chosen by the railroad bypassed Jamestown by 35 miles in favor of Salamanca

Salamanca (city), New York

Salamanca is a city in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States, located inside the Allegany Indian Reservation. The population was 6,097 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...

, Dayton

Dayton, New York

Dayton is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 1,945 at the 2000 census.The Town of Dayton is on the western border of Cattaraugus County.- History :...

 and Dunkirk.

After being snubbed by the New York and Erie, a meeting was held on June 27, 1851 in Jamestown and on June 30, 1851 a petition for a charter for the Erie and New York City Railroad was published. The road was to be built from West Salamanca, through Randolph

Randolph (village), New York

Randolph is currently a village in Cattaraugus County, New York, USA. The population was 1,316 at the 2000 census.The Village of Randolph is within the Town of Randolph...

 and Jamestown, to the Pennsylvania state line. Work began on the line began in Randolph on May 19, 1853 and was abandoned on January 5, 1855 for lack of funds.

On May 7, 1859 the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad in New York was chartered with William Reynolds as its president. One of the first actions of the A&GW was to purchase the Erie and New York City Railroad in 1860. According to the "First Annual Report of The Atlantic & Great Western Railway", the A&GW assumed $14,000 of 7 percent bonds upon the purchase of the Erie and New York City and received 3 locomotives, 2 passenger cars, and 40 freight cars from the contractors building the Erie and New York City.

External links

• Western New York Railroad Archive