Railroads of Western New York
Western New York was served by many railroads, large and small. In 1900,
seven major railroads operated in Western New York, including:
- Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh
Railway and predecessors, including
- Delaware, Lackawanna & Western
- Erie Railroad, predecessors
and associated companies, including
- Lehigh Valley and predecessors,
including
- New York Central Railroad and
predecessors, including
- Pennsylvania Railroad (????
- 1968) and predecessors, including
- Northern Central Railroad
(1861 - 1968)
- Williamsport and Elmira Railroad ( ? - 1863)
- Elmira and Lake Ontario (1886 -1956)
- Sodus Bay and Southern Railroad (1882 - 1886)
- Lake Ontario Southern Railway (1879 - 1882)
- Geneva, Hornellsville and Pine Creek Railway ( ?
- 1879)
- Ontario Southern Railroad (1875 - 1879)
- Sodus Bay and Southern Railroad (1873 -
1875)
- Elmira, Jefferson and Canandaigua Rail Road
- Elmira, Canandaigua & Niagara Falls Rail Road
(1857 - 1859)
- Canandaigua and Elmira Rail Road (1852 - 1857)
- Canandaigua and Corning Railroad (1845 -
1852)
- Chemung Railroad (1845 - 1886)
- Canandaigua Lake Railroad (1887 - 1888)
- Western New York & Pennsylvania
Railway (1887 - 1917)
- Buffalo, Pittsburgh & Western
(1881 - 1883)
- Buffalo, New York, and Pennsylvania Railroad
- Buffalo, Corry & Pittsburgh Railroad
- Buffalo & Oil Creek Cross Cut Railroad
- Salamanca, Bradford & Alleghany
- Pittsburgh Titusville & Buffalo
- Titusville & Oil City
- McKean and Buffalo Railroad (1874 - 1911)
In addition to the major carriers, a number of small railroads operated in
the area, including:
Interurbans and street railways operated in and around cities throughout
Western New York. These lines carried passengers and freight between cities
and often paralleled steam lines from competing companies. Some of the electric
lines in Western New York included
I am not an electric railroad expert and there is a great deal I don't know.
What I have learned came from the dean of Western New York electric lines, Mr.
Shelden King and the books of William Reed Gordon and Felix Reifschneider. Anyone
with more information they wish to contribute, please contact me.