Akron is a village in the town of Newstead in Erie County, NY. There were two railroad lines and three railroad stations in the village. The West Shore Railroad, later part of the New York Central Railroad, ran to the north of the village and the New York Central Tonawanda Branch, locally known as the “Peanut Line”, between Batavia and Tonawanda ran to the south of the village.
West Shore Railroad
The West Shore Railroad Akron passenger station was on the south side of the tracks at the northern end of Clinton Street. The freight depot was on the north side of the tracks a little to the east at the southern end of Railroad Street.
History
The New York, West Shore and Buffalo Railway completed its line west to Buffalo in November 1883 and began regular service in January 1884. The railroad was reorganized as the West Shore Railroad in December 1885 and was immediately leased to the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad.
New York Central Railroad
On July 28, 1853 the first train on the Canandaigua and Niagara Falls Railroad, an excursion train, ran the completed length of the line. The Canandaigua and Niagara Falls Railroad was sold on May 15, 1857 and purchased by representatives of the creditors of the railroad. They reorganized the railroad and incorporated it as the Niagara Bridge and Canandaigua Railroad in 1858 and immediately leased it to the New York Central Railroad. The Central changed the track to standard gauge (four feet, eight and one-half inches) and in 1890 merged the railroad into the New York Central.
The Falkirk station was near the intersection of what is now State Street, Stoneridge Lane, and Skyline Drive. It appears to have been a “flag stop” – a simple platform where some trains would stop if there was someone waiting to get on.
Farther west, the Akron Falls station, sometimes referred to as just “Akron,” was just east of where the railroad, now the Peanut Line Trail, crossed Buell Street.
To make things especially confusing, in June 1919 the railroad closed the Akron Falls station, moved the station building to Falkirk, and renamed the stop at Falkirk as Akron Falls.
Akron Junction was located about two miles west of the station and was the point where the New York Central “Peanut Line” crossed the West Shore Railroad line. AJ Tower controlled the crossing between the two lines.
Clippings
Station Photographs
Other Photographs
Maps
Timetables
Learn More
- Newstead Historical Society. Web Site.
- Wikipedia. “Akron, New York“