On the erie railroad, has become probably the largest shipping station for a town of its size in western new york, in potatoes, hay, cattle, etc. Buffalo heritage press is committed to telling the stories of buffalo, new york, one beautiful book at a time. On october 31, 1857, thirtyone miles of the road were sold to the buffalo, new york and erie railroad company, and the name changed to buffalo, new york and erie railroad. The pictures give an excellent overview of the location of the railroads in buffalo, although there were a few pictures that werent of the best quality. The western new york railway historical society, wnyrhs, is striving to preserve western new yorks rich railroad heritage and history. Buffalo railroads, new york images of rail series by. It is still used by csx for freight and amtrak for passenger service history.
On november 1, 1869 he merged the nyc with his hudson river railroad into the new york central and hudson river railroad. Readers will discover that the west shore was not a branch line. Nyc railroad history new york central system historical. Buffalo railroads certainly passes muster in that respect. The vanderbilt era began in 1867 with the merger of his hudson river railroad. The buffalo news is proud to announce a beautiful, hardcover historic retrospective of buffalo. Access to an abundant supply of fresh water led to a thriving farming industry, provided a means of transportation, and powered mills and factories. It eventually became a part of the modern new york central system. It covers everything from a world record back in 1862 to all the milestones involving the bills, sabres, bisons, bandits and braves. Check out some pictures of the line when she was a new york central branch line.
Buffalo, new york postcard history series until the opening of the erie canal in 1825, buffalo was a sleepy town. The nyc bought the new york, west shore and buffalo railway on november 24, 1885 and reorganized their new acquisition as the west shore railroad on december 5, leasing it for 475 years from january 1, 1886. The buffalo and black rock railroad was chartered in 1833 and opened in 1834, operating a horsepowered line from downtown buffalo north to black rock, now the east end of the. The collection includes monographs relating to western new york history. With the closing of the erie station at andover tuesday january 19th 1954 another epoch of andover history. How to survive alone in the wilderness for 1 week eastern woodlands duration. In many sections, the ws ran on a straighter path than the. In late jiune of 2016, bigs began processing this collection into the library. A bibliography no booklength history of the ugrr in buffalo has ever been published. Originating around 1789 as a small trading community inhabited by the neutral nation near the mouth of buffalo creek, the city, then a town, grew quickly after the opening. It features images from the archives of the buffalo news, the buffalo history museum and readers.
It also offers further proof of the existence of, support for, and operation of the underground railroad in western new york. Four major class i railroads operate within new york csx, cn, cp, ns as well as about 40 smaller roads. Web edition articles 07212017 to current genealogy bank. Theres raw physical courage, a daunting natural obstacle, last minute heroics and the triumph of good over evil. With the closing of the erie station at andover tuesday january 19th 1954 another epoch of andover history closed. New york connecting railroad, long islands other railroad, the, robert strum, william thom, sunrize train chapter nrhs 106. Initially, the idea for this line came from the perceived need for a rail line to serve steuben. The early 1830s was a time of expansion and prosperity. We add links when we find any of these works online in full text. Buffalos history is surprising and rich, replete with countless historic sites and museumworthy stories. Topographic strip map of the hudson river valley from waterford to new york city, showing drainage, relief by hachures, county and township boundaries, cities and towns, roads and canals.
Photos from the collection of ed may, commentary by richard l. In 1853, erastus corning merged 10 railroads across new york state to form the new york central railroad between albany and buffalo. The triumph over slavery, an online version of the. In the 1880s he began buying up large tracts of timber in northern pennsylvania and southern new york with the hopes of moving coal, lumber, and other freight to his businesses in buffalo. The company remained in business for three years before it was merged with other companies into the new york central railroad history. In recent months the national canal museum chose our library as the recipient of their westhaeffer collection, a renowned collection of books and manuscripts on various aspects of railroading. Most of the following resources are in the grosvenor room and cannot be borrowed. The atlantic and great western had dreams of connecting chicago to the atlantic ocean. The west shore railroad in the mohawk valley photos of. And by 1884, buffalo, new york had become one of the most important railroad centers in the world and one of the pennsylvania railroad s biggest hubs. Railroads in buffalo buffalo architecture and history. Shows new york state from westchester county to lake erie, and part of northern pennsylvania and. In 1831, the first successful steam railroad running regularly scheduled service in the 11 miles between albany and schenectady the mohawk and hudson rail road, later to become part of the mighty new york central system in 1850, the first telegraph line along a railroad rightofway erie railroad. Buffalo earned the name of the queen city as it became the secondlargest city in the state of new york, and it was the railroad that brought the city to prominence.
In many sections, the ws ran on a straighter path than the nyc, and was thus used for through freight. Another thing working in favor of this title is buffalo s place as an important rail hub and an industrial powerhouse in the 19th and first half of the 20th century. Western new york railway historical society home facebook. In 1871 the new york central, which controlled and still control the only rightofway entering manhattan from the north, built the first grand central station at 42nd street. It is a comprehensive and extensive book meant for both the general reader and scholars. The buffalo and niagara falls railroad was a part of the new york central railroad system, connecting buffalo, new york to niagara falls. The erie railroad had finished its line from new jersey to lake erie at dunkirk.
The stories read like a script for an actionpacked hollywood drama. This book from trp features 84 premium black and white photos from ed mays steam collection, along with 5 maps and a wealth of information regarding nycs western lines. Outside of new york city, major gradeseparation projects have been accomplished on long island, the hudson valley, and in such upstate cities as elmira, rochester, and schenectady. Battles were waged here as the war of 1812 played out at old fort niagara. The blizzard of 1977 is still remembered in western new york, especially in buffalo, which received the brunt of the storm. This book from trp features 86 premium black and white photos from ed mays steam collection, along with 6 maps and a wealth of information regarding nycs western lines. New york central steam power west of buffalo volume 1 the. Another news article in the january 21st 1954 andover news. This extended the system south from albany along the east bank of the hudson river to new york city, with the leased troy and greenbush railroad running from albany north to troy. At a time when transportation was not as easy andor convenient as it is today. New neighborhood books available through western new york wares. Chartered in 1846 and consolidated with new york central railroad.
Railway books on the new york state page 7 railroad. The buffalo and rochester railroad was a railroad company formed on december 7, 1850 by the merger of the tonawanda railroad and the attica and buffalo railroad. Railroads, in buffalo, ny buffalo, new york railroads. New york central steam power west of buffalo volume 2 the. This heirloomquality coffeetable book features the memories of buffalo from the late 1800s through 1939 in historic photographs. South buffalo railway is the story of a unique american industrial short line. According to mike schafer and brian solomons book, new york central railroad, the state discontinued canal tolls on these railroads during december of 1851. The results were nearly instantaneous as profits soared. New york city is unique among major american cities in that much of its necessary passenger rail infrastructure is underground andor gradeseparated. As a growing city on lake erie, buffalo was considered the second largest railroad hub in the united states and earned the name of the queen city as it became the secondlargest city in the state of new york, due to the railroad s influence. Buffalo and erie railroad archives the new york history blog.
The first plans for a railroad through the hamburg, eden and collins areas goes back to 1867. This eightmilelong railroad served the greater buffalo, new york area. Until that happens, the library can offer books about underground railroad history in other parts of new york state and ontario, canada, or articles and brief passages about the underground railroad in western new york. Buffalo, ny 14203 amtrak 55 dick rd, depew, ny 14043 medina railroad museum 530 west ave, medina, ny 14103 ebenezer railcar services 1005 indian church rd, buffalo, ny 14224 norfolk southern 300 bison pkwy, buffalo, ny 14227 amtrak. The buffalo, new york histories book collection is a group of 21 books that detail the history of buffalo primarily in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Serving the thirdlargest steel mill in america, bethlehem steel company, it moved hundreds of thousands of tons of steel products for shipment all over the world. Map of new york state railroads as this map shows, new york has freight rail service throughout its length and breadth, including in a great majority of the states 62 counties and 62 cities. In 1885, the first to use piggyback freight service, in this case hauling farm wagons on. A bibliography no book length history of the ugrr in buffalo has ever been published. Self publishedpaul pietrak, north boston, ny, 1979.
A detailed explanation of how some sites were substantiated in central new york. At the time coal was an important source of fuel to heat both residential homes as well as commercial businesses. This local and regional study fills the gap in documenting youngstowns role in the underground railroad in new york state. The paper has browned slightly with age but is in very good condition for its age. Telling the untold stories of the underground railroad. Nostalgia for trains and train travel seems to remain constant in a world where very little, if anything, can be preserved in perpetuity. Digital photo books of rail lines great way to display your pictures. The city of buffalo 1840 to 1850 essay that includes history of railroads in buffalo. The fundamental principle of railroads has remained the.
Railroad maps, 1828 to 1900, available online, new york. On december 18, 1867, the buffalo and erie railroads eastbound new york express derailed as it approached the high truss bridge over big sister creek, just east of the small settlement of angola, new york, on the shores of lake erie. In this book, paul langendorfer and the buffalo history museum have included each inning of the queen citys rich baseball heritage, from the 19thcentury niagaras and the 191915 federal league to the buffalo bisons. Originating around 1789 as a small trading community inhabited by the neutral nation near the mouth of buffalo creek, the city, then a town, grew quickly after the opening of the erie canal in 1825, with the city at its western terminus. Until someone does publish that book, these titles come the closest. The buffalo history museum has been collecting materials that document the first occupants of this land ever since we were founded in 1862. Take a journey back in time to arcade and attica railroad. Buffalo is the county seat of erie county, and the second most populous city in the u. These are the long overlooked and untold stories of the waiters and porters of the historic cataract house hotel and the courageous runaway slaves they helped escape bondage told in riveting detail at the. The new york central used the route to move freight unimpeded from buffalo to the albany area, and then down the hudsons west shore to jerseys ports and the new york regions manufacturers. Indicates the track of the hudson river railroad and the line surveyed but not adopted. A classic example of a wellmanaged, wellrun railway that was to leave an imprint of itself upon the commerce of the land through which it ran. It was a wellengineered, double track, signaled main line railroad.
Railroads, the pioneers building americas transportation backbone, and more. The books include illustrations of notable buildings, as well as biographical sketches and portraits of prominent residents. The history of the wellsville, addison and galeton railroad can be traced back to a businessman by the name of frank h. The line was mostly built on state land next to the erie canal the buffalo and niagara falls railroad was incorporated in 1834 to take over the buffalo and black rock and extend it north. The fascinating story of the historic elmwood district is told for the first time, from the arrival on the niagara frontier of joseph. It opened 16 miles between albany, along the hudson river, to schenectady located along the mohawk river. Each book is wrapped in a plastic wrapping to protect the item. Jennifer walkowski, a history of the railroads in the hydraulics neighborhood 1840s1920s in the nomination for the hydraulicslarkin neighborhood, pp. Search the new york public librarys invaluable holdings of books, art objects, and videos related to the african diaspora and african american culture and history. Browse maps, pictures and histories of abandoned railroad lines in the state of new york. A beautiful look at new york central steam power on the lessdocumented western part of the system. Of special interest are links to digital schomburg.
A few years prior to this event, merger talks had already been launched between the group as they understood the benefits of a unified line offering through service. Given the names of her two parents, both held in slavery, she was of purely african ancestry. Buffalo, new york historic book collection 21 books. Fargo, founder of american express and wells fargo. She slept as close to the fire as possible on cold nights and. Araminta ross harriet tubman was born into slavery in 1819 or 1820, in dorchester county, maryland. Western new york railway historical society, buffalo, ny. Images of african americans from the 19th century, and lest we forget. The buffalo and black rock railroad was chartered in 1833 and opened in 1834, operating a horsepowered line from downtown buffalo north to black rock, now the east end of the international bridge. Growing up in the buffalo, new york area, i recall as a little twerp a railroad called the south buffalo railroad or perhaps, south buffalo railway, whose locomotives i used to see ambling back and forth throughout the bethlehem steel plant. The city is the county seat of erie county and serves as a major gateway for commerce and travel across the canadian border, forming part of the binational buffalo niagara region. Buffalo and erie railroad the new york history blog. This is why historians must locate and study primary sources. The mission of the wnyrhs is to preserve our regions rich railroad heritage.
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