Buffalo & Rochester RR

Introduction

To the west of Rochester, the Tonawanda Railroad was chartered April 24, 1832 to build from Rochester to Attica.   The first section, from Rochester southwest to Batavia, opened May 5, 1837, and the rest of the line to Attica opened on January 8, 1843.   The Attica & Buffalo Railroad was chartered in 1836 and opened on November 24, 1842, running from Buffalo east to Attica.   When the Auburn & Rochester Railroad opened in 1841, there was no connection at Rochester to the Tonawanda, but with that exception there was now an all-rail line between Buffalo and Albany.   On March 19, 1844 the Tonawanda was authorized to build the connection, and it opened later that year.   The Albany & Schenectady Railroad bought all the baggage, mail and emigrant cars of the other railroads between Albany and Buffalo on February 17, 1848 and began operating through cars.

On December 7, 1850 the Tonawanda and Attica & Buffalo merged to form the Buffalo & Rochester.   A new direct line opened from Buffalo east to Batavia on April 26, 1852, and the old line between Depew (east of Buffalo) and Attica was sold to the Buffalo & New York City Railroad on November 1.   That line was added to the New York & Erie Railroad and converted to the Erie's 6 foot broad gauge.

The Buffalo & Rochester became part of the NYC in 1853.