Kennedy, NY

A 1909 postcard showing an eastbound train on the Erie Railroad approaching the station in Kennedy, NY. The closest track is the Erie mainline and the track closer to the station is the former Buffalo and Southwestern Railroad, later Erie Railroad, line.ebay.com

Kennedy, NY was a station on the Erie Railroad in Chautauqua County. It was actually a station on two different lines that ran side-by-side through the area. The northern track was the former Buffalo and Southwestern Railroad (originally the Buffalo and Jamestown Railroad) which turned north a few miles east of Kennedy and headed to Buffalo. The southern track was the Erie Railroad (originally the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad) main line which continued east of Kennedy to Salamanca, NY.

Detail of an 1881 map showing the area around the train station in Kennedy, BY. From “Chautauqua County 1881, New York” map published by F.W. Beers and Co. in 1881. Found on HistoricMapWorks.com.

A 1905 map of Kennedy and Waterboro, NY showing the Erie Railroad lines in the area. The former Buffalo and Southwestern Railroad line branches to the north at Waterboro and the former Atlantic and Great Western Railroad main line continues east to Salamanca, NY. Author’s illustration from 1905 topographic map.

An 1866 guide published by the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad described Kennedy as a prosperous town of 1200 people. An 1870 inventory of property owned by the A&GW stated that the station in Kennedy was a 20×200 feet, well painted building with a good frame. There was a water tank, two wood sheds – one 24×96 feet and the other 14×64 feet, and a 10×12 foot handcar house. It also listed two additional handcar houses between Kennedy and Jamestown. The same inventory listed 289 cords of firewood stored at Kennedy.

A circa 1910 postcard showing a bird-eye view of Kennedy, NY. ebay.com.

A 1950 photo of the Erie Railroad station in Kennedy, NY. Frewsburg.org Facebook page.

The station still survives and is now used as the post office in Kennedy.

Clippings

Timetables

An August 27, 1875 timetable for the Buffalo and Jamestown Railroad. Note that stop that was later referred to as “Waterboro” was called “Clear Creek” on this timetable. Jamestown [NY] Daily Journal, 23 December 1875.

A timetable on the Buffalo and Southwestern Railroad effective May 11, 1879. Jamestown [NY] Daily Journal, 25 October 1879.

Timetable showing the schedule of trains on the Buffalo and Southwestern Branch of the New York, Lake Erie and Western (Erie) Railroad. Jamestown [NY] Daily Journal, July 1, 1881.

Detail of an August 1887 Erie Railway timetable showing trains on the Meadville line between Salamanca and the New York-Pennsylvania state line. Erie Railway, August 1887, streamlinermemories.info.

Detail of an August 1887 Erie Railway timetable showing trains on the Buffalo and Southwestern Division. Erie Railway, August 1887, streamlinermemories.info.

An 1887 timetable issued by the New York, Lake Erie and Western Railroad (NYLEW) that still prominently features the name of the New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio Railroad (NYPANO). The NYLEW had leased the NYPANO in 1883 and this NYLEW timetable only included the former NYPANO area of service. streamlinermemories.info

Excerpt from a September 24, 1922 Erie Railroad timetable showing trains on the Buffalo and Southwestern Branch. Source unknown.

Clippings

Plans for Third of Erie’s Cut-Offs

New Trolley Line Now Seems Assured

Erie Equips Complete Division with Signals and Interlockers

Timetables