Winchester was a station on the Buffalo Line of the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) in the town of West Seneca, just to the east of the Buffalo city line. It was also referred to as “Indian Church Road” and “South Buffalo” by some of the predecessor railroads. It was located about 200 feet west of where the PRR crossed what is now Indian Church Road (formerly referred to as Winchester Avenue).
The station was named after the Winchester Land Company which in 1888 purchased the land between what are now Harlem Road on the east, The Thruway on the west, Mineral Spring Road on the north, and Indian Church Road on the south. The company then sub-divided the land and offered lots for sale to individual purchasers.
The Buffalo, Gardenville and Ebenezer Railway ran down Winchester Avenue, and crossed the Pennsylvania Railroad tracks and Winchester Avenue/Indian Springs Road at the same time. A 1900 report of the New York State Railroad Commissioners described the layout.
On the Indian Church Road this company’s [The Buffalo, Gardenville and Ebenezer Railway] track crosses two main line tracks of the Western New York and Pennsylvania Road. This is a ” jump crossing ” with special work in poor condition. The highway crosses the steam tracks diagonally and there is a reverse curve with ribbon guard in the electric tracks on either side of the crossing. The steam tracks are straight, and a view of them can be had for 2,000 feet from the crossing in either direction. There is no grade in the electric tracks on either side. Electric cars come to a stop and conductors go ahead. Electric cars are operated over the crossing at 7 minute intervals.
Having a steam railroad, an electric railroad, and a street cross each other at one point had its dangers, as shown by the May 1896 accident where a train hit a street car. More detail on this are in the “Clippings” section below.
Interestingly, even today the street and the railroad tracks cross each other at grade, though the trolley tracks are long gone.
History
The Buffalo and Washington Railway extended the line through this area in 1868. In 1872 the company was renamed as the Buffalo, New York and Philadelphia Railway. The line was operated by the Buffalo and Washington (1870 – 1872), the Buffalo, New York and Philadelphia Railway (1872 – 1887), the Western New York and Pennsylvania Railroad (1887 – 1895), the Western New York and Pennsylvania Railway (1895 – 1900), the Pennsylvania Railroad (1900 – 1968), the Penn Central Railroad (1968 – 1976), Conrail (1976 – 1999) and the Norfolk Southern Railroad (1999 – 2007). In 2008 Norfolk Southern leased the segment from Buffalo to Machias Junction to the Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad.
The station was built around 1888 and was destroyed in a fire on April 22, 1913.
Clippings
Station Photographs
Other Photographs
Maps
Timetables
Learn More
- Wikipedia. “West Seneca, New York“