New York Railroad Archive

Erie Railroad Original Main Line

The western section of the Erie Railroad‘s original main line extended from Binghamton NY, through Hornell and Salamanca, to Dunkirk, NY on Lake Erie.

Construction Timeline

  • Piermont – Goshen (44 miles): Completed September 22, 1841
  • Goshen – Middletown (7 miles): June 7, 1843
  • Middletown – Otisville (8 miles): November 3, 1846
  • Otisville – Port Jervis (13 miles): January 6, 1848
  • Port Jervis – Binghamton (127 miles): June 1, 1849
  • Binghamton – Owego (22 miles): June 1, 1849
  • Owego – Elmira (36 miles): October 2, 1849
  • Elmira – Corning (18 miles): January 1, 1850
  • Corning – Hornellsville (41 miles): September 1, 1850
  • Hornellsville – Dunkirk (127 miles): May 15, 1851

Timeline of the Route

1832: The New York and Erie Rail Road was chartered on April 24, 1832 to connect Piermont, north of New York City, west to Lake Erie at Dunkirk.

1836: Construction began in 1836 and the line was opened in sections

1851: The line reached Dunkirk on May 19, 1851. 

1861: The Erie Railway succeeded the New York and Erie.

1878: The New York, Lake Erie and Western (NYLE&W) Railroad purchased the Erie Railway and began operating the line.

1895: The Erie Railroad purchased the NYLE&W and began operating the line.

1960: The Erie Lackawanna Railroad was formed by the merger of the Erie Railroad and the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad.

1970: The Cattaraugus – Dayton section went out of service on October 27, 1970 due to washouts on the line.

1976: Conrail was formed from the Erie Lackawanna, and other northeastern railroads, including the New York Central, Pennsylvania, and the Lehigh Valley. The Dunkirk to Dayton section was abandoned.

1978: The Salamanca to Dayton section was transferred to the New York & Lake Erie Railroad.

1990: The Salamanca to Dayton section abandoned.

1991: The Hornell to Olean section placed out of service in January 1991.

Stations

Dunkirk * Sheridan * Forestville *Smiths Mills * West Perrysburg * Perrysburg * Dayton * Persia * Cattaraugus * Little Valley * West Salamanca * W C Junction * Salamanca * Great Valley * Carrollton * Vandalia * Allegany * Olean * Hinsdale * CB Junction * Cuba * Summit * Friendship * Belvidere * Belmont * Scio * Wellsville * Andover * Tip Top * Alfred * Almond * Hornell * Canisteo * Cameron * Cameron Mills * Addison * Corning * Elmira * Waverly * Smithboro * Owego * Endicott * Binghamton

More details
StationDistance
Binghamton
Endicott
Owego
Smithboro
Waverly
Elmira
Corning
Addison
Cameron Mills
Cameron
Canisteo
Hornell
Almond
Alfred
Tip Top
Andover
Wellsville
Scio
Belmont
Belvidere
Friendship
Summit
Cuba
CB Junction
Hinsdale
Olean
Allegany
Vandalia
Carrollton
Great Valley
Salamanca
W C Junction
West Salamanca
Little Valley
Cattaraugus
Persia
Dayton
Perrysburg
West Perrysburg
Smith’s Mills
Forestville
Sheridan
Dunkirk		215.1
223.7
237.1

256.2
273.8
291.2
302.3
321.5
315.1
328.1
331.3
336.3
340.5
344.2
348.8
357.4
361.3
365.2
369.0
373.5
377.5
382.2
383.9
389.1
394.7
398.1
404.0
407.2
410.0
412.6
413.9
414.1
420.8
428.1
434.3
437.4
440.4
443.4
447.4
451.2
455.0
459.4

Clippings

Timetables