Erie Meadville Line

The Erie Railroad Meadville line extended west from Salamanca, NY to Meadville, PA and was part of the railroad’s route between New York and Chicago. The line was originally built with six feet between the rails and in 1881 was narrowed to the standard gauge (4 feet, 8 1/2 inches).

For more details on this line, see the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad page.

Timeline of the Route

1861: The Atlantic and Great Western Railroad was opened from Salamanca, NY to Corry, PA. This was a wide-gauge (6 feet) line to match the New York and Erie Railroad, which it connected to in Salamanca.

1880: In January 1880 the New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio Railroad (NYPANO) began operating the line. In June the line is narrowed to standard gauge.

1883: The New York, Lake Erie and Western Railroad (NYLE&W) leased and began operating the NYPANO.

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

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.

Realignment

A railway steam shovel digging the right of way for the new Erie Railroad line through Ashville, NY in 1909. From the collection of the Fenton History Center who posted it on their Facebook page.

Around 1909 the Meadville line between Ashville and Niobe in Chautauqua County was straightened and moved to the east. The line moved further away from Ashville (also known as Boomertown) and from Watts Flats.

Stations

Niobe/ Grant * NE Junction * Watts Flats * Ashville * Lakewood * Jamestown * Falconer * Kennedy * Waterboro * Randolph * RH Tower * Steamburg * Red House * WC Junction * Salamanca

More details

Station and Siding	Distance
Salamanca WC Junction Red House Steamburg RH Tower Randolph Waterboro Kennedy Falconer Jamestown Lakewood Ashville NE Junction Niobe	0.0 1.3 7.7 12.0 12.7 17.6 23.2 24.8 30.3 34.0 38.7 41.4 47.0 47.8

Distances are from Salamanca.

Clippings

Timetables

A January 1863 timetable of trains on the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad from Jamestown, Randolph, and Salamanca, NY. Jamestown [NY] Journal, 20 February 1863, p. 4, NYS Historic Newspapers.

An article listing the new times of Atlantic and Great Western Railroad trains departing from Randolph, NY. The Weekly Courant. Randolph, NY. November 20, 1879.

A timetable for the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad effective May 11, 1878. The Chautauqua News. Sherman, NY. December 24, 1879.

A May 12, 1878 timetable of trains on the New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania Railroad. Olean [NY] Daily Herald, October 13, 1881. NYS Historic Newspapers.

A New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio Railroad Timetable effective November 7th, 1880. Notice that it includes the Atlantic & Great Western as well, which the NYPANO took over in March 1880. The Weekly Courant. Randolph, NY. December 16, 1880. Found on fultonhistory.com.

Detail of an August 1887 Erie Railway timetable showing trains on the Meadville line between Salamanca and the New York-Pennsylvania state line. Erie Railway, August 1887, streamlinermemories.info.

An 1887 timetable issued by the New York, Lake Erie and Western Railroad (NYLEW) that still prominently features the name of the New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio Railroad (NYPANO). The NYLEW had leased the NYPANO in 1883 and this NYLEW timetable only included the former NYPANO area of service. streamlinermemories.info

A timetable, effective May 11, 1890 for trains on the Erie Railway departing from Jamestown, NY. It is interesting that they were still using the “Erie Railway” logo and branding 15 years after the Erie Railway went bankrupt and became the New York, Lake Erie and Western Railroad. The Chautauqua News, Sherman, NY, 6 August 1890, p. 5, NYS Historic Newspapers.

A timetable of trains departing Jamestown, NY on the Erie Railroad effective February 9, 1896. The Evening Journal, Jamestown, NY. 3 June 1896.

Learn More

Railroad.net “Erie Railroad west of Jamestown” thread.
Youtube.com. “Glen Wigren Film : Salamanca to Jamestown“. This is a short (9 minute) part of a five-hour, three-DVD set from Revolution Video entitled “Erie-Lackawanna Legacy.” It appears to be available on Railfan Depot and Pentrex Videos. I don’t make any money if you buy from either place, I am including the links in the hopes they are helpful to someone.

Timeline of the Route

Realignment

Stations

Clippings

Look out for the Cars!!

Atlantic and Great Western Railroad!

Reminiscences of the Atlantic & Great Western

Plans for Third of Erie’s Cut-Offs

Erie Contracts for Columbus & Erie Railroad

Mechanics Lien

Erie Equips Complete Division with Signals and Interlockers

Timetables

Learn More