Erie Railroad Niagara Falls Branch

Detail from an 1893 public timetable showing the New York, Lake Erie and Western Railroad’s routes between Buffalo, Niagara Falls and Lockport, NY. jon-n-bevliles.net.

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 connected to the Niagara Falls Branch at Tonawanda and ran to Lockport, NY.

History

The Suspension Bridge and Erie Junction Railroad Company was incorporated in October 1868 to build and operate a railroad from a connection with 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.

Timeline of the Route

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.

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

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

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.

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

The Suspension Bridge and Erie Junction Railway

July 13, 1870

Photographs

Erie Lackawanna locomotive 1228 leads a freight train on the Niagara Falls Branch in North Tonawanda, NY in April 1969. David Turkon photograph posted on the Facebook “Key Lock & Lantern – Railroad, Transportation & Industrial History” page.

Timetables

A timetable effective August 8, 1873 on the Erie Railway. Evening Courier & Republic, Buffalo, NY, 15 August 1873, p. 4, NYS Historic Newspapers.

A November 16, 1874 timetable of passenger trains on the Niagara Falls Branch of the Erie Railway. Travelers’ Official Guide of the Railway and Steam Navigation Lines. January 1875. Google Books.

Detail of an August 1887 Erie Railway timetable showing trains on the Buffalo line, original main line, and Niagara Falls branch. Erie Railway, August 1887, streamlinermemories.info.

A timetable effective June 4, 1893 of trains on the Erie Railroad Niagara Falls Branch and Lockport Branch. From an Erie Railroad System Timetable for August 1893 found on jon-n-bevliles.net.

Erie Railroad departures from Niagara Falls and Suspension Bridge, NY as of December 29, 1900. The Niagara Courier. Niagara Falls, NY. December 29. 1900. nyshistoricnewspapers.org

More Information

Wikipedia. “International Railway (New York–Ontario)“
William Poole, editor. Landmarks of Niagara County, New York. 1897. Digitized by the Internet Archive.