An article from a railroad historian about the Chautauqua Traction company and railroading around Westfield and Mayville, NY. He uses a lot of acronyms, including “C. T.” – Chautauqua Traction Company, “J. W.” – the Jamestown, Westfield and Northwestern Railroad, and “B. & L. E.” – the Buffalo and Lake Erie traction company.
WESTFIELD – A former Westfield resident, Leonard Y. Tripp, now of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is a noted historian and has compiled a very complete collection of data on the Chautauqua Traction company which once traveled Westfield’s main thoroughfares and wound its way to Jamestown via the Chautauqua Lake route.
Mr. Tripp has sent the WESTFIELD REPUBLICAN another treasured contribution reminiscent of 70 years ago when the traction company first entered Westfield Sept. 10, 1906.
“Who remembers when the Chautauqua Traction (C.T.) baggage cars used to run up close to the side door of the B. & L.E. freight cars standing directly on the crossing at Main and Portage? The baggage and freight was transferred through the door in the front end of the C.T. car and through the side door of the B. & L.E. cars. Just imagine what a traffic stopper that would be today!
“Who remembers when extra C. T. cars were stored at a switch that went in beside that big brick house (I have forgotten the name of the house) part way down Portage Street on the way to the depot?
“Who remembers when a switching arrangement permitted the J.W. cars to come into town and over the B. & L.E. depot at Main and Union streets? A switching arrangement was put in up where the J.W. crossed the C.T. on an overpass. By running some track down from the J.W. to the C.T. trackage level a connection was made. The C.T. had already discontinued operation and that section of track had been left so the above mentioned connection between the J.W. and the B. & LE. at Main St. and the C.T. line was extended around the park and connected to the B. & LE.
“Because of this the J.W. freights could come down Portage St. and run over to the B. & L.E. depot. In turn various work trains and freight equipment from the B. & L.E. often traveled over the J.W. line. My Dad often spoke of the unusual sensation he had when he first ran a B. & L.E. car over the J.W. trackage. It was the unique experience of traveling in a completely strange territory.
Note: – John Tripp was the first motorman on the Buffalo and Lake Erie traction line and the father of Leonard Y. Tripp.
‘Who remembers when… the Chautauqua Traction cars stopped at the station by the Portage Inn? Wasn’t the fire station right there also?
“Who can still hear the C.T. cars clanging: warning bells and the rather high pitched whistle?
“Yes, who can remember the days of the good old Chautauqua Traction .. which started just 70 years ago on Sept. 10, 1906 and stopped in April, 1926? Some of us do.”
Below is an edited version of the newspaper article. The original was on two pages (one of which was not fully scanned) with other things on them. This is not pretty, but all the information is here.
Source: Westfield, September 1, 1976, NYS Historic Newspapers.