NFTA Rail Maintenance Yard

NFTA Rail Maintenance Facility
Company type	Public transportation facility
Industry	Rail transport
Founded	1917
Headquarters	Buffalo, New York, United States
Products	Rail vehicle maintenance and storage
Owner	Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA)

NFTA Rail Maintenance Facility

Known also as "South Park Terminal," the Metro Rail Maintenance Facility functions as the primary site for upkeep and storage of Buffalo Metro Rail vehicles. Situated within Buffalo’s Cobblestone District, at the southern boundary of the Central Business District, it occupies the former terminal of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad. Originally constructed in 1917 to serve steam locomotives and steamship connections, the structure underwent transformation in 1982 following the demolition of the DL&W Terminal’s main concourse in 1979.

The facility's lower tier is dedicated to housing out-of-service rail cars, whereas the upper tier—comprising mostly unused concrete troughs and platforms—contains office spaces, a lounge for train operators, and storage areas. Various adaptive reuse concepts for this upper level have been proposed, including developments such as a casino, a farmers market, and residential loft units. Presently, renovation efforts on the lower floor aim to establish a new Metro Rail station.

An eastern extension added in 1982 introduced a contemporary rail maintenance workshop designed for fleet servicing alongside administrative offices, thereby improving operational efficiency for the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority.

History

Constructed in 1917 by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad, this terminal served as an informal union station, accommodating several railroads including the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Railway (later acquired by Baltimore & Ohio in 1932), Pere Marquette Railway (which discontinued passenger operations by 1932), New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad (commonly known as "Nickel Plate Road"), and the Wabash Railroad.

Designed to facilitate both maritime and rail transit, the three-story brownstone structure incorporated waiting areas on its first two floors connected by a grand staircase. The ground level housed a ticket counter and seating benches; meanwhile, the second floor provided space for approximately 200 passengers with amenities such as a women's parlor, smoking lounge, newsstand, telegraph and parcel offices, plus a restaurant. Administrative railroad offices occupied the third floor. The construction of the Buffalo Skyway led to demolition of track segments north of this terminal.

In 1960, Delaware, Lackawanna and Western merged with the Erie Railroad, forming the new entity known as the Erie Lackawanna Railroad ("EL").

Passenger Operations

Lackawanna Terminal served trains operated by its owner Delaware, Lackawanna & Western along with other companies. The Nickel Plate ran overnight trains to Buffalo that connected with DLW services bound for Hoboken Terminal. After Nickel Plate's merger into Norfolk & Western in 1964, these routes continued under that brand until their discontinuation in 1965. During the 1930s, Wabash provided Chicago-New York service via Buffalo with connections to DLW trains heading to Hoboken. The B&O maintained day and night train service to Pittsburgh via the BR&P line until 1955.

Passenger services available in 1964 included:

Erie Lackawanna:
- New York Mail (eastbound overnight train between Buffalo and Hoboken)
- Owl (westbound overnight train from Hoboken to Buffalo)
- Phoebe Snow (Buffalo-Hoboken route)
Norfolk & Western:
- City of Chicago (westbound overnight train from Buffalo to Chicago connecting with Phoebe Snow)
- City of Cleveland (eastbound overnight train from Chicago to Buffalo linking with New York Mail)

Following termination of overnight Owl and New York Mail services in 1968, EL ceased using the terminal. Subsequently, in 1979, the head house was demolished to facilitate construction of the Buffalo Metro Rail system.

Future

As redevelopment progresses around Canalside, LECOM Harborcenter, and KeyBank Center, there are ongoing plans to convert the building into a multi-modal transportation hub. The upper floor is slated for transformation into commercial offices, linked via a pedestrian bridge to KeyBank Center and its adjacent parking structure. Additionally, a new Metro Rail station will be installed on the lower level, offering public connectivity to the Riverwalk. This $42 million initiative, sanctioned by NFTA, also features the addition of docks along the Buffalo River, aimed at boosting both transit options and commercial development in the vicinity.

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