History
The New York and Erie Railroad is the first of the railroads that would generally be known as the Erie Railroad. It was chartered in April 1832 from the banks of the Hudson River to the shores of Lake Erie with the restriction that it could not enter any other state or connect with railroads from other states. This line was completed in 1851 between Piermont and Dunkirk via Little Valley, Cattaraugus and Dayton.
The route of the line through Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties was subject to much debate and lobbying and is an interesting story in its own right.
The company failed and in 1861 it changed its name to the Erie Railway.
Construction Timeline
Newburgh Branch
Segment | Mileage | Date |
Chester – Newburgh | 18 | January 8, 1850 |
Hornellsville Division
Segment | Mileage | Date |
Hornellsville – Portageville | 30 | January 22, 1852 |
Attica – Hornellsville | 60 | May 3, 1852 |
Buffalo, New York and Erie
Segment | Mileage | Date |
Painted Post – Kennedyville (Kanona) | 22 | April 15, 1852 |
Kennedyville – Avoca | 3 | May 1, 1852 |
Avoca – Liberty | 7 | May 31, 1852 |
Liberty – Bloods | 4 | July 1, 1852 |
Bloods – Wayland | 6 | August 2, 1852 |
Wayland – Batavia | 54 | March 1, 1854 |
Avon – Rochester | 18 | October 2, 1854 |
The Buffalo, New York and Erie Railroad was controlled by the Erie, and was formerly the Buffalo, Corning and New York Railroad.