Auburn and Northern Electric Railroad
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founded | 1904 |
| Fate | Merged into Empire United Railways (1913); entered receivership (1928); operations discontinued (1931) |
| Headquarters | Auburn, New York , United States |
Area served | New York state |
| Parent | Beebe Syndicate (until 1917) |
Chartered in 1904 by the Beebe Syndicate, the Auburn and Northern Electric Railroad established a connection between Auburn, New York, and the Rochester, Syracuse and Eastern Railroad at Port Byron. In 1905, the New York Board of Railroad Commissioners approved the construction and authorized a $1 million mortgage to lay roughly 12 miles of track linking Auburn with Port Byron. By May 1907, a lease arrangement was secured with the Auburn and Syracuse Electric Railroad.
During construction, the Lehigh Valley Railroad opposed the project, sparking a dispute known as a frog war over crossing rights. Despite this, the A&N obtained an injunction allowing work to continue. The line commenced operations in 1908. However, the Lehigh Valley Railroad persisted in challenging the crossing, resulting in a 1909 mandate that required the A&N to install and maintain derails at that location.
In 1913, the A&N merged with the RS&E and the Syracuse, Lake Shore and Northern Railroad to create Empire United Railways. This consolidation sought to enhance interurban network connectivity within the region but proved short-lived due to financial instability. By 1916, the RS&E restructured as the Rochester and Syracuse Railroad (interurban), while in 1917, following the end of Beebe Syndicate control, the A&N and SLS&N combined to form the Empire State Railway.
The Auburn and Northern entered receivership in 1928. Starting in 1931, the Rochester and Syracuse Railroad leased the former A&N route until all operations were discontinued in June of that year.