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(erielack) Buffalo Question

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Paul Brezicki asked:
Interesting Diamond article by Ron Dukarm about Erie's Great Lakes
operations. I had no idea about this aspect of Erie history, but from a
commercial standpoint it made perfect sense. My question concerns Erie's
entry into Buffalo in 1852 (acc to the article), which is earlier than I
thought since the mainline to Dunkirk was completed only the previous year.
Did the Erie reach Bfo by new constuction, by acquiring one or more RRs (as
it did with it's western entry by way of B&SW), or a combination of the two?

Paul, 

The New York & Erie reached Buffalo in 1852 via the the Buffalo
& New York City Railroad, which ran from Hornellsville to Attica to
Buffalo. The Erie did not corporately own the B&NYC. but the
relationship was so close that most people looked upon it as an
extension of the Erie. In R&LHS' "Railway History No. 131", on
page 7, which is a chronological history of the Erie, it reads: "1852
Buffalo Branch completed. Soon overshadows old Dunkirk line
in importance."

The attached newspaper article from September 15, 1852 states
that Buffalo "...is the lake termination of the New York & Erie as
time will show." The Erie began building a passenger depot, lake
warehouses, freighthouses and shops in Buffalo in 1852. They
sold tickets from their depot (shared with the B&NYC) and the
B&NYC also sold tickets over the Erie (See attached).

The B&NYC became the Buffalo, New York & Erie in October, 1857
and eventually was leased to the Erie in May, 1863.

If you read my article "DL&W's Buffalo Coal Trestle", you'll see the
DL&W first started shipping coal (via canal) to Buffalo in 1840. In
1859 it started arriving in Erie trains. In 1861 the DL&W appointed 
a coal agent and soon thereafter had a coal yard. In 1879 they built
a large trestle and yard. It wasn't until the end of 1882 that their own
rails reached Buffalo.

The Lehigh Valley did the same thing. They had facilities in Buffalo
in the 1870's. In the early 80's they built their massive lakefront
terminal in Tift Farm. They had a major pressence in Buffalo but
not their own track until 1892, IIRC. They came in over the Erie. 

So, when did the Erie, DL&W and LV "reach" Buffalo? It depends
on how you define reach.

And how far west did the DL&W reach? Buffalo you say. I say Omaha,
Nebraska, but that's for another article.

Ronald R. Dukarm  ELHS #532  ELHTS #66
rdukarm_@_adelphia.net

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