These maps were scanned from a 1950 USGS map. They show the incredible density
of the railroads in the Buffalo area prior to 1950. It's no surprise that
during the early years of the 20th Century Buffalo was second only to Chicago
in rail traffic.
About 85% of the track on these maps is gone. Outrageous City of Buffalo taxes
helped to drive the railroads into a "scorched earth" policy where they
removed or demolished everything possible from 1955 to 2000. Oh to be able to
go back 50 years for just one day of railfanning!
Additional Buffalo area map snippets with accompanying aerial photos and descriptions
are also at
nyc.railfan.net/buffalo
- Henry
Thumbnail Page for Directory 1950usgs
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1950 Western New York US Geological Survey Map
This one is impossible to describe in any understandable way. Check HERE for a labeled map of the downtown station area. (viewed at a different angle) The DL&W coal docks are at bottom left below their downtown terminal at the foot of Main St. Buffalo Creek's Ohio Street Yards grain elevator trackage is across the river from the DL&W Terminal pon both sides of the West Channel. The New York Central main crosses the Buffalo River on a double track bascule bridge at the upper right, just to the left of the elevated DL&W passenger main. 95% of all this trackage is gone today, driven away by outrageous city of Buffalo property taxes on every piece of track, every signal and every railroad owned structure. image/jpeg, 800x1173 (256c) File="dtbuff50.jpg" Size=302739 |
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1950 Western New York US Geological Survey Map
FW Interlocking and surrounding trackage. The Erie's E. Buffalo yard is to the right. The PRR's connection to the NYC and PRR's downtown trackage is at Tower 49A Interlocking at the upper left. The Nickel Plate and Buffalo Creek yards at the bottom, just left of center. As a young teenager in the mid-70's I used to visit FW Tower. Check HERE for a more detailed description of FW and small labeled map of the FW Tower area. image/gif, 1442x1000 (16c) File="fw50.gif" Size=308219 |
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1950 Western New York US Geological Survey Map
The South Buffalo, Lackawanna and Blasdell area. This another one which is not easy to describe. For details on the right half of this map please see the description for South Buffalo Yard/Lackawanna, HERE At the lower left is the Buffalo Creek Ohio St. Yards and the Lehigh Valley Coal Docks. Bethlehem Steel's Lackawanna, NY plant and the South Buffalo Railway's trackage is at the lower right. Lehigh Valley's Tifft Yards are toward the middle left above "East Canal" adjacent to BC's yard. Above the Lehigh is the NYC then the Erie (Buffalo & Southwestern), then the Nickel Plate, then the B&O then the DL&W Abbott Rd. Yard. The NKP & BC Buffalo River bascule bridges are at the upper left. That area was known as Buffalo Junction and is now CP DRAW. It's obvious that South Buffalo/Lackawanna was a very busy place for railroading 50 years ago! About 15% of this trackage remains today. CSX, Buffalo Southern, NS and Buffalo and Pittsburgh westbound/southbound mains are still there although the B&P hasn't been used in a couple of years. The South Buffalo is still in business serving the remains of Bethlehem Steel and a Ford plant. image/gif, 2706x1050 (16c) File="lack50.gif" Size=366674 |