Salamanca was a station on the Pennsylvania Railroad’s River Line that ran along the south bank of the Allegheny River. The line started in Olean and passed through Salamanca on its way to Warren and Oil City, PA. Salamanca was never a major location on the PRR and, unlike the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh and Erie Railroad, the Pennsylvania Railroad did not have major yards, shops, or stations in Salamanca.
History
The line was first constructed 1882 or 1883 by the Buffalo, Pittsburgh and Western Railroad and was operated by the Buffalo, New York and Philadelphia Railway / Railroad (1882 – 1887), Western New York and Pennsylvania Railroad / Railway (1887 to 1900), and the Pennsylvania Railroad (1900 – 1962). The line was authorized for abandonment in 1962 to allow for the construction of the Kinzua Reservoir on the Allegheny River.
Passenger Station
The PRR passenger and freight station was located on Pennsylvania Avenue between S. Main and Summit Streets in the south portion of Salamanca. The station and tracks are gone, but the right-of-way is currently used as a multi-purpose hiking and biking trail.
Digital Artifacts
Learn More
- Along the Pennsy Trail: Part 1 — The Pennsylvania Railroad station. Salamanca Press, June 8, 2020.