Buffalo and Niagara Falls Railroad
| Company type | Railroad |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founded | 1834 |
| Defunct | 1869 |
| Fate | Leased by New York Central Railroad in 1853, fully integrated by 1855 |
| Headquarters | Buffalo, New York , United States |
Area served | Buffalo to Niagara Falls, New York |
| Parent | New York Central Railroad (from 1853) |
The Buffalo and Niagara Falls Railroad functioned as a component of the New York Central Railroad network, linking Buffalo, New York with Niagara Falls. Today, it continues to serve freight operations under CSX and supports passenger travel through Amtrak.
History
Established in 1834, the Buffalo and Niagara Falls Railroad commenced its construction two years later in 1836. By 1837, the line reached Tonawanda, and by approximately 1840, it extended to Niagara Falls. Within Buffalo, its route ran alongside the Buffalo and Black Rock Railroad, a horse-drawn streetcar line that followed the Erie Canal.
The Erie Street terminal was constructed downtown Buffalo by 1852, which involved relocating tracks westward of the Erie Canal. In December 1853, the newly created New York Central Railroad took over the line under lease. Although initially disconnected from other NYC routes, the Buffalo and Niagara Falls Railroad was fully integrated into NYC by 1855.
Tonawanda emerged as a significant rail hub: in 1853, the Canandaigua and Niagara Falls Railroad established a connection there and extended service into Canada through the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge in 1854. The New York Central acquired this railroad in 1858. Additionally, the Buffalo and Lockport Railroad began operations in 1854, linking Tonawanda with Lockport.
The Junction Railroad, opened in 1871, provided a route bypassing downtown Buffalo by connecting Black Rock to the NYC main line. By 1873, a downtown link created the Buffalo Belt Line, redirecting NYC trains to the Exchange Street station. Subsequently, the Erie Street terminal was sold to the Grand Trunk Railway.
In 1874, the International Bridge was inaugurated at Black Rock, establishing a connection with Ontario, Canada.
Between 1900 and 1943, track realignment in southern Tonawanda removed a canal crossing and rerouted lines alongside those of the Erie Railroad. From 1948 until 1962, construction of a bypass around Niagara Falls took place, leading to abandonment of part of the original alignment; this former right-of-way was later converted into the LaSalle Expressway.
Ownership shifted to Penn Central in 1968 and then to Conrail in 1976 as part of its Niagara Branch. Following Conrail's division in 1998, control passed to New York Central Lines LLC, a subsidiary of CSX, which currently operates this corridor as their Niagara Subdivision. This includes connections to both the New York Central main line and Canadian crossings via the Whirlpool Rapids and Michigan Central Railway bridges.
Passenger service on this line is provided by Amtrak's Empire Service and Maple Leaf, with the latter extending service into Toronto, Ontario.
See also
- New York Central Niagara River Railroad, a brief branch located north of Black Rock
References
- Edson, William D. Railroad Names: A Directory of Common Carrier Railroads Operating in the United States 1826-1997. Fourth edition. Potomac, MD: William D. Edson, 1999. .
External links
- Articles with short description
- Predecessors of the New York Central Railroad
- Defunct New York (state) railroads
- Transportation in Buffalo, New York
- Railway companies established in 1834
- Railway companies disestablished in 1869
- American companies established in 1834
- American companies disestablished in 1869