Bowmansville is a hamlet in the town of Lancaster, Erie County, NY. It was a station on the West Shore Railroad, late part of the New York Central Railroad just east of Buffalo. The station was located where the railroad crossed Harris Hill Road just north of the New York State Thruway. The station was built when the railroad was constructed and an October 18, 1883 newspaper notice stated that the West Shore depot at Bowmansville was nearly completed.
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.
Clippings
Station Photographs
The West Shore Railroad station in Bowmansville, NY. Posted by Todd Blide in the Facebook “New York Central Railroad Fangroup” group.
Original Caption: This was the West Shore Railroad depot in Bowmansville, NY. It was located where the railroad used to cross Harris Hill Road just north of the Thruway. This was the classic design of the WSRR and was similar to the depots in Clarence and Akron. The depot was demolished decades ago and only survives in the image collection of the WNYRHS. The postcard is dated 1905. Posted by the Western New York Railway Historical Society on their Facebook page.
The West Shore Railroad station in Bowmansville, NY. Posted by ‘CNYrailroadnut’ on Flickr.
The West Shore Railroad station in Bowmansville, NY. Posted by ‘CNYrailroadnut’ on Flickr.
Maps
A 1911 New York Central Railroad map of the West Shore Railroad. Found on CanadaSouthern.com.
Timetables
A timetable of trains on the West Shore Railroad effective June 28, 1891. Travelers’ Official Guide, July 1871 edition. Found on Google Books.
A timetable of trains on the New York Central/West Shore Railroad effective November 13, 1903. From the January 1904 edition of the Travelers’ Official Guide. Found on Google Books.
Learn More
- Wikipedia. “Bowmansville, New York“