Ischua, NY

Ischua (pronounced “ISH-way”) is a hamlet in the town of Ischua in Cattaraugus County north of Olean. It was a station on the Buffalo line of the Pennsylvania Railroad.

I have not found any photos of the station and there is not much information about it. The line through Ischua is still is use, but the route through the hamlet has changed. The line originally went along Depot Street but now bypasses that area and follows the south/west side of Ischua Creek. The change of track alignment appears to have been made between 1921 and 1932, as seen in the topographic maps below.

History

The first railroad through Ischua was the Buffalo, New York and Philadelphia Railway, formerly the Buffalo and Washington Railway, who built their line in 1872. The line was operated by the BNY&P (1872 – 1887), the Western New York and Pennsylvania Railroad (1887 – 1895), the Western New York and Pennsylvania Railway (1895 – 1900), the Pennsylvania Railroad (1900 – 1968), the Penn Central Railroad (1968 – 1976), Conrail (1976 – 1999) and the Norfolk Southern Railroad (1999 – present).

An 1894 report of an inspection by the New York State Railroad Commissioners noted that there were a new water tank and toolhouse since last inspection and that Ischua station had been recently remodeled.

Clippings

Station Photographs

Other Photographs

A view of Ischua, NY. The current Mill Street and School Street cut vertically through the photo and the railroad track can be seen going horizontally across the middle. The station can be seen to the right of Mill Street. Postcard found on eBay.

A view of Ischua, NY from a hillside west of the village. Main Street extends from the bottom, left corner and the train tracks, and the smoke from a steam engine, can be seen in the upper left part of the photo. Postcard found on eBay.

Maps

Details of the 1921 and 1932 revision of the Olean quadrangle USGS topographical map showing the change of the railroad route through Ischua, NY. Author’s illustration based on maps from the Historic Topo Map Explorer.

Detail of a 1952 Pennsylvania Railroad Central Region map showing the lines in Western New York. Pennsylvania Railroad. 1952. Found on Multimodalways.com.

Timetables

A July 3, 1881 timetable of trains between Eldred, PA and Buffalo, NY on the Buffalo, New York and Philadelphia Railway. The Official Railway Guide, January 1882, p. 77. Found on Google Books.

An October 13, 1881 timetable of trains on the Buffalo, New York and Philadelphia Railroad. Olean [NY] Daily Herald, October 13, 1881. NYS Historic Newspapers.

A June 1897 timetable of trains on the Buffalo Division of the Western New York and Pennsylvania Railroad. Travelers Official Guide of the Railway and Steam Navigation Lines, October 1897. Found on Google Books.

A timetable of trains on the Pennsylvania Railroad Buffalo Line effective November 29, 1903. Travelers Official Guide of the Railway and Steam Navigation Lines, February 1904. Found on Google Books.