Carrollton, NY was the junction between the Erie Railroad mainline and Bradford Branch. There were a number of sidings along both lines to hold cars being interchanged between the two. The Erie also had a small passenger station between the two lines.
The Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railway (later the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad) passed over the Erie mainline on a unique skewed bridge and paralleled the Bradford Branch to the south.
The Pennsylvania Railroad also had a station named Carrollton that was located farther south of the Erie station and BR&P viaduct.
Track Layout
Erie Railroad
Station Photographs
The Erie Railroad station in Carrollton, NY as seen in 1909. From the collection of Steamtown National Historic Site archives, image #A-165, found on RootsWeb.com.
The Erie Railroad main line looking east at Carrollton, NY. A small yard on the south (right) side of the station was the beginning of the Erie branch line to Bradford PA. The distant bridge carried the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Railway over the Erie. Date and photographer unknown. Photo posted by Leon L Lancaster on the “Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Ry. Virtual Historical Society” Facebook page.
Other Photographs
A view from the east of the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railway passing over the Erie Railroad at Carrollton, NY. Photo from the John W. Barriger collection posted by Reed Edwards in the Facebook “Railroad Photos and Memories , Western NY and PA” group.
A westbound Western New York and Pennsylvania Railroad train on the former Erie Railroad mainline passing under the former Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railway bridge in Carrollton, NY. Bill Kalkman photo, flickr.com.
Western New York and Pennsylvania Railroad locomotive 6000 leads a westbound train under the Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad (formerly Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railway) bridge over the former Erie Railroad Main Line in Carrollton, NY in 2021. Photo by Jim Cook who posted it in the Facebook “Railroad Photos and Memories , Western NY and PA” group.
A Western New York & Pennsylvania train going east on the former Erie mainline in 2021 after passing under the former Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railway mainline in Carrollton, NY. mtnclimberjoe photo from railpictures.net.
A view of the Erie Railroad in Carrollton, NY in 1953. The Bradford Branch is straight ahead and the Erie Main Line is on the left of the photo. I can’t tell if the passenger station is still standing but is blocked by this building (which may be the “gasoline house” shown in a 1918 valuation map) or if the station has been demolished by then. Photo from the collection of Terry Mott who posted it in the Facebook “Railroad Photos and Memories , Western NY and PA” group.
Timetables
A January 1875 list of passenger trains on the Main Line of the Erie Railway. Travelers’ Official Guide of the Railway and Steam Navigation Lines. January 1875. Google Books.
A May 16, 1881 timetable of trains on the New York, Lake Erie and Western Railroad (formerly the Erie Railway). Olean [NY] Daily Herald, October 13, 1881. NYS Historic Newspapers.
Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Railway
The BR&P did not have a station or other stop in Carrollton, it just passed over on its way north toward Salamanca and south toward Bradford.
Photographs
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad 5243 leads passenger train 254 heading north (railroad eastbound) on the former Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railway mainline in 1954. Photo found on The Buffalo Rochester and Pittsburgh Railway Company Facebook group page.
A northbound Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railway steam train coming off the bridge over the Erie mainline. The tracks in the foreground are the trolley tracks from Salamanca to Olean and the Erie line is visible in the background. Photo found on The Buffalo Rochester and Pittsburgh Railway Company Facebook page.
A doubleheader of BR&P 2-6-6-2 mallets taking empty hoppers south back to the mines. They are crossing over the Erie Railroad mainline at Carrollton NY in the late 1940’s. The hoppers are on one of the Erie’s sidings connecting the mainline with the Bradford Branch.The Buffalo Rochester and Pittsburgh Railway Company Facebook page.
A Buffalo and Pittburgh Railroad train running south on the former Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railway tracks at Carrollton, NY on December 6, 2023. The former Erie Railroad Main Line is below the bridge. Photo by Tom Huntoon, who posted it on the Facebook “Railroad Photos and Memories , Western NY and PA” group.
A southbound Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad train crossing on the former Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railway bridge over the former Erie Railroad mainline in Carrollton, NY. Railpictures.net
Timetables
A June 7, 1891 timetable of trains on the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburg Railway. Traveler’s Official Guide, June 1891. Google Books.
A timetable, effective June 14, 1896, of trains on the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railway. Scan of an Official Railway Guide posted by Daniel Miller to the Facebook “Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Ry. Virtual Historical Society” group.
Pennsylvania Railroad
Carrollton was a station on the railroad line along the south bank of the Allegheny River that started in Olean and passed through Salamanca. I have not been able to find any photos of the station or much information about it.
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.
Photographs
Timetables
A timetable of trains on the Pennsylvania Railroad River Line effective November 29, 1903. Travelers Official Guide of the Railway and Steam Navigation Lines, February 1904. Found on Google Books.
A 1914 timetable of including the New York State portion of the Pennsylvania Railroad Salamanca Branch. Posted by Bob Schmid on the “CONSTRUCTION of the KINZUA DAM” Facebook group.
Clippings
Maps
1904 map of the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Railway system.
A 1900 topographic map of Carrollton, NY showing the routes of the Pennsylvania Railroad (red), Erie Railroad (green), and Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railway (blue). Author’s illustration.
Track diagram of Carrollton, NY showing the Erie Railroad mainline (green), Bradford Branch (blue), and sidings (light blue). The Erie passenger station is highlighted in red and the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railway mainline is highlighted in yellow. Author’s illustration from an Erie Railroad valuation map.
1910 map of the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Railway
1895 railroad map showing the route of the River Line between Olean, Salamanca, and Onoville, NY. Map shared by Bob Schmid and Ken Hartley on the “CONSTRUCTION of the KINZUA DAM” Facebook page.
Learn More
- Wikipedia. “Carrollton, New York“