The Erie Railroad operated two branches north of Buffalo as part of its Buffalo Division. The Niagara Falls Branch extended north from Buffalo to Suspension Bridge station on the US side of Niagara Falls and then over the International Suspension Bridge to Clifton, Ontario. The 13-mile long Lockport Branch went from Tonawanda to Lockport, NY.
Timetable
1868: The Suspension Bridge and Erie Junction Railroad (SB&EJ) was incorporated in October 1868 to build and operate a railroad from the Erie Railroad at East Buffalo to Suspension Bridge, NY.
1870: The Erie Railway leased the SB&EJ and began operating the Niagara Falls Branch.
1876: The Lockport and Buffalo Railroad was organized in 1876.
1878: The New York, Lake Erie and Western (NYLE&W) Railroad Company purchased the Erie Railway and began operating the Niagara Falls Branch.
1879: The Lockport and Buffalo Railroad was opened over the full length of the line.
1880: The NYLE&W leased the Lockport and Buffalo Railroad and began operating the Lockport Branch on September 15 , 1880.
1895: The Erie Railroad purchased the NYLE&W and began operating the branches.
1898: The Lockport Branch is leased to an electric railroad and the Erie stops service on the line.
1951: The Erie Railroad resumes operations on the Lockport Branch.
1960: The Erie Lackawanna Railroad was formed by the merger of the Erie Railroad and the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad.
1976: Conrail was formed from the Erie Lackawanna, and other northeastern railroads, including the New York Central, Pennsylvania, and the Lehigh Valley.
Niagara Falls Branch
History
The Suspension Bridge and Erie Junction Railroad Company was incorporated in October 1868 to build and operate a railroad from the Erie Railroad at East Buffalo to Suspension Bridge, NY, a distance of 24 miles. In the company was leased by the Erie Railroad in January 1870 and was merged into the Erie in 1896.
Stations
Buffalo * Clinton Street * East Buffalo * Walden Avenue * Delavan Avenue * Kensington Avenue * Main Street * International Junction * Ellwood Park * Lewis * Tonawanda * Gratwick * La Salle * Niagara Falls * Suspension Bridge * Clifton, Ontario
Details
| Station | Distance |
| Buffalo Clinton Street East Buffalo Walden Avenue Delavan Avenue Kensington Avenue Main Street International Junction Ellwood Park Lewis Tonawanda Gratwick La Salle Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge Clifton, Ontario | 0 2 3 4 5 6 7 . 9 13 . 15 19 24 25 26 |
Clippings
Timetables
Lockport Branch
The Lockport and Buffalo Railroad was organized in 1876 and broke ground in October of that year. In 1877 the New York Central sued to prevent the company from crossing its tracks in Tonawanda, effectively preventing the railroad from connecting to the Erie Railway. The road was opened in 1879 and on September 15 , 1880 it was leased to the Suspension Bridge and Erie Junction Railroad Company, which was itself leased to the New York, Lake Erie and Western Railroad.
An 1898 article in an electrical trade journal stated that:
The Buffalo and Lockport Railway has placed its new line connecting the county seats of Erie and Niagara counties in operation. From North Tonawanda to Lockport the Buffalo-Lockport cars are run over the old Tonawanda-Lockport branch of the Erie railroad. This branch has been leased by the Buffalo and Lockport Railway company, and the line fitted for electric service. On taking possession the Buffalo and Lockport Railway company found the track in fair condition. The rails used by the Erie company were of the 60-pound type, and about two miles out of Lockport a mile of track was relaid with 80-pound rails.
The Buffalo and Lockport Railway became part of the Buffalo, Lockport and Olcott Beach Railway (BL&OB), which was owned by the Buffalo & Niagara Electric Street Railway. The Buffalo & Niagara Electric Street Railway later became part of the International Railway Company (IRC).
In 1937 the IRC abandoned the line north of Lockport, and ended passenger service south of Lockport. IRC returned operations of the line to the Erie Railroad in 1951.
Stations
Tonawanda * Martinsville * Hoffman * Pendleton Centre * Hodgeville * Lockport
Details
| Station | Distance |
| Tonawanda Martinsville Hoffman Pendleton Centre Hodgeville Lockport | 13 16 17 21 22 26 |
Clippings
Timetables
More Information
- Wikipedia. “International Railway (New York–Ontario)“
- William Poole, editor. Landmarks of Niagara County, New York. 1897. Digitized by the Internet Archive.