New York Railroad Archive

Jamestown, NY

The bridge, completed in 1925, carrying the Erie Railroad over Main Street in Jamestown, NY. Photo posted on Flickr.

Jamestown was the railroad hub of southern Chautauqua County and was the significant station in New York State for Erie Railroad trains going west toward Chicago. Also on the Erie, Jamestown with southern terminus of the former Buffalo and Southwestern line running to Buffalo via Dayton and Gowanda. Jamestown was also served by smaller steam and electric railways running south into Pennsylvania and north along both shores of Chautauqua Lake.

The 1866 book “Over the Atlantic and Great Western Railway”, written by an English financial reporter, described Jamestown as:

“… a sweet place, with sweet surroundings. It is to Ohio, and particularly Cincinnati, what Hastings or Southend is to London – a quiet, middle-class watering-place. Already [May 15, 1866] every vacant house has been secured for the summer months. The attractions of Jamestown are its cheerful look, it fine prospects from the mountains, and its glorious lake. The lake, Chautauqua, is barely a mile from the town, and is reputed to be the highest navigable water on the American continent, being 1290 feet above the level of the Atlantic, and 730 feet above Lake Erie. Fish of all sorts abound; but the favourite is the pickerel, which not unfrequently weighs 40 lb. But the lake is also useful, and long has been so, to the plodding Dutchmen and others, who settled on its borders before railways superceded the teams, which made dry goods pilgrimages to Erie or Buffalo one or twice a year, Upon the lake there were places at an early period sail and row boats, and these not only kept up communication with the outer world, but induced the outer world to come in with some freeness, and enjoy a land literally flowing with milk and honey. Will it be believed, that during the butter season Jamestown send daily to New York, by the Atlantic and Great Western Railway, the considerable quantity of ten to fifteen tons of butter; and that during the cheese season it sends a corresponding supply of cheese? And, with the single exception of Orange County cheese and butter, those of Jamestown command, and have long commanded, the highest prices in New York.

Manufactures also flourish. There are four saw-mills, three furniture factories, one piano factory, two woolen factories, three sash, door and blind factories, two machine shops, two edge tools shops, and a gas-work. There are also five hotels, three banks, eight churches, and two newspapers. The water power is second best in the State of New York”

Erie Railroad

The Erie Railroad and its predecessors have always been the primary railroads in Jamestown. The first to arrive in the city was the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad that reached Jamestown from Salamanca in August 1860. This route later became part of the Erie Railroad main line between New York and Chicago.

In 1875 the Buffalo and Jamestown Railroad reached Jamestown from Buffalo. This line served the smaller towns between the two cities with both freight and passenger service.

The Erie Railroad station built in 1930 on Second Street at the foot of Lafayette Street still stands and is part of the National Comedy Center.

For much more information, see Erie Railroad in Jamestown, NY

Chautauqua Lake Railway

The Chautauqua Lake Railway reached Jamestown in 1887 and extended north along the eastern shore of Chautauqua Lake to Mayville. It was originally a steam railroad, but in 1913 the line was electrified and became the Jamestown, Westfield & Northwestern Railroad. The Jamestown station for this road was at the Boatlanding at the foot of Chautauqua Lake.

Jamestown, Westfield and Northwestern Railroad

The Jamestown, Westfield and Northwestern Railroad was an electric railroad which ran from Jamestown to Westfield, NY. Passenger operations ended November 30, 1947. The line began diesel powered freight service which continued until January 21, 1950.

Warren and Jamestown Street Railway

The Warren and Jamestown Street Railway served its namesake cities from 1905 to 1929.

Chautauqua Traction Company

The Chautauqua Traction Company was an electric interurban company that ran for about 18 miles along the west side of Chautauqua Lake from a connection with the Jamestown Street Railway at Lakewood to Mayville, NY. The company was owned by the Broadhead family, who also owned the Jamestown Street Railway (and later the Jamestown, Westfield and Northwestern Railroad).

Jamestown Street Railway

The Jamestown Street Railway provided streetcar service within Jamestown and nearby towns. It started as a horse car railway and was later electrified.

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