Niagara Falls station (New York, 1978–2016)

Last updated
Niagara Falls, NY
Amtrak train servicing and crew facility
Niagara Falls Amtrak Station.jpg
The former Niagara Falls station building
General information
Location2701 Willard Avenue
Niagara Falls, New York
United States
Coordinates 43°06′49″N79°01′54″W / 43.1135°N 79.0318°W / 43.1135; -79.0318
Owned by Owasco River Railway
Line(s) Empire Corridor
Niagara Subdivision
Platforms2 island platforms
Tracks3
Construction
AccessibleYes
Other information
StatusClosed for passenger service
Station codeNFL (former)
History
OpenedBuilding: 1959
Amtrak station: October 29, 1978
ClosedDecember 6, 2016
Passengers
201629,647 [1]  Decrease2.svg 6.9%
Former services
Preceding station BSicon LOGO Amtrak2.svg Amtrak Following station
Terminus Empire Service
1978–2016
 Buffalo–Exchange Street
toward New York
Niagara Falls, Ontario
toward Toronto
Maple Leaf
1981–2016
St. Thomas
toward Detroit (Michigan Central)
Niagara Rainbow
1978–1979
 Buffalo–Exchange Street
toward New York (Grand Central)

Niagara Falls station is a former Amtrak railroad station in Niagara Falls, New York. Operating from 1978 to 2016, it was replaced by the current Niagara Falls station. During its time, it was the western end of the Empire Corridor and served the Empire Service , Maple Leaf , and Niagara Rainbow lines.

Contents

The building was originally a freight warehouse for Lehigh Valley Railroad, built in 1959. The station opened for Amtrak on October 29, 1978, marking the return of the first passenger rail service to Niagara Falls since 1964. After its replacement as a station on December 6, 2016 it now serves as a train servicing and crew facility. It is located at Willard Avenue and 27th Street on the outskirts of town, about three miles from Niagara Falls and the city's downtown.

History

Early stations

General view of station - Erie Railway, Niagara Falls station General view of station - Erie Railway, Niagara Falls Station, Niagara Falls, Niagara County, NY HAER NY,32-NIAF,4-1.tif
General view of station – Erie Railway, Niagara Falls station

Rail service arrived in Niagara Falls around 1840, when the Buffalo and Niagara Falls Railroad completed the connection to Buffalo. As the town grew, prompted by the Erie Canal, the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge, and the Niagara Falls Hydraulic Power and Manufacturing Company, rail service increased. Eventually, three different passenger stations were operating at the same time. New York Central Railroad, which took over the Buffalo and Niagara Falls Railroad, built a new station downtown at Falls Avenue and 2nd Street in 1851. The Erie Railroad built its own station a block away at Niagara Street and 2nd Street. In 1887, New York Central built a new Union Station at Depot and 10th Avenue near the Suspension Bridge and the U.S. Customhouse; this became the city's main station and at its peak served ten different railroads. [2]

New York Central's original downtown station burned down in 1888, and was replaced with a new Italianate facility. Erie Railroad shuttered its downtown station in 1901; the structure was relocated to 4th Street and was eventually demolished in 1930. In 1961, New York Central shut down its downtown station. Both it and the Union Station were demolished in 1964, ending passenger rail service to Niagara Falls for 14 years. [2]

Amtrak comes to Niagara Falls

The Niagara Rainbow arrives at the station during dedication ceremonies on October 29, 1978 Niagara Rainbow at Niagara Falls, October 1978.jpg
The Niagara Rainbow arrives at the station during dedication ceremonies on October 29, 1978
Niagara Falls station and yard in December 2014 Niagara Falls Station - December 2014.jpg
Niagara Falls station and yard in December 2014

Amtrak, in partnership with the State of New York, established the Willard Avenue station in 1978. For this purpose, they converted a former Lehigh Valley Railroad freight warehouse built in 1959 into a passenger station. [2] The now former station is located on the edge of town, three miles from the falls and Downtown Niagara. [2] Amtrak service began on October 29, 1978. More than 500 people attended the inaugural ceremonies, which included speeches by Congressman John LaFalce, New York Department of Transportation Commissioner William C. Hennessy, and Niagara Falls Mayor Michael O'Loughlin. As the ceremony concluded, the eastbound Niagara Rainbow rolled into the station. [3]

The Willard Road station posed challenges over its time in operation, especially as the years went on. Though serviceable, the station was built as a freight depot. Passengers on the Niagara Rainbow and later the Maple Leaf needed to walk some distance to board or detrain, since trains could not pull up to the building. Also the station was far from the downtown Niagara Falls core, which officials believe depressed ridership. The building is also located on the edge of a busy CSX (formerly LVRR and later Conrail) freight rail yard. As the station was the first U.S. station serving the Maple Leaf coming in from Canada, it was an international point of entry into the United States. The openness of the area around the station, a lack of a way to properly secure the area and the fact it was a mile into the country made it a less than an ideal location for a U.S. point of entry and Customs inspection location especially in a post September 11, 2001 world. The station also did not have the high level platforms of more modern facilities.

In 1987, the city of Niagara Falls began the planning on a project to establish a new station at the U.S. Customhouse, near the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge. [2] State and local governments later got involved in the process of building the new multi-million dollar Niagara Falls Station and Customhouse Interpretive Center. [4] U.S. Customs and Border Protection would share with Amtrak the complex consisting of the old customhouse and modern additions. [4]

The project consisted of three phases, with a total estimated cost of $44 million. [5] Construction on the project began in August 2010, with funding only for the first two phases. [4]

In October 2010, the U.S. Department of Transportation released $16.5 million in funds from the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program for work on the final phase of the International Station project. [4] [6] The new station was completed in July 2016 and opened on December 6, 2016. The Willard Avenue station closed following the departure of the trains that morning. [7] The last train, an eastbound Empire Service train pulled away from the station at 6:50am. [8]

Post-Amtrak service

Today the station is used as an Amtrak facility to service trains and change crews as well as a place to turn around Empire Service Amtrak train sets to go eastbound after they back out from stopping at the Niagara Falls Station and Customhouse Interpretive Center.

Related Research Articles

<i>Maple Leaf</i> (train) International passenger train operated by Amtrak and Via Rail

The Maple Leaf is an international passenger train service operated by Amtrak and Via Rail between Pennsylvania Station in New York City and Union Station in Toronto via the Empire Corridor. Daily service is offered in both directions; the 544-mile (875 km) trip takes approximately 12 hours, including two hours for U.S. or Canadian customs and immigration inspection at either Niagara Falls, New York, or Niagara Falls, Ontario. Although the train uses Amtrak rolling stock exclusively, the train is operated by Via Rail crews while in Canada and by Amtrak crews in the United States. Service began in 1981.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York Central Railroad</span> American Class I railroad (1853–1968)

The New York Central Railroad was a railroad primarily operating in the Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The railroad primarily connected greater New York and Boston in the east with Chicago and St. Louis in the Midwest, along with the intermediate cities of Albany, Buffalo, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Detroit, Rochester and Syracuse. New York Central was headquartered in New York City's New York Central Building, adjacent to its largest station, Grand Central Terminal.

<i>Empire Service</i> Amtrak service between New York City, NY and Niagara Falls, NY

The Empire Service is an Inter-city rail service operated by Amtrak within the state of New York in the United States. The brand name originated with the New York Central Railroad in 1967. Trains on the line provide frequent daily service along the 460-mile (740 km) Empire Corridor between New York City and Niagara Falls via Albany, the state capital.

<i>Lake Shore Limited</i> American intercity passenger train service

The Lake Shore Limited is a long-distance passenger train operated by Amtrak that runs overnight between Chicago and either New York City or Boston via two sections east of Albany. The train began service in 1975; its predecessor was Amtrak's Chicago–New York Lake Shore, which operated during 1971–72. It is named for the New York Central (NYC) Lake Shore Limited, which was discontinued in 1956, and uses the NYC's former main line, part of which is now the Empire Corridor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whirlpool Rapids Bridge</span> Bridge in Niagara Falls, Ontario and New York

The Whirlpool Rapids Bridge, commonly known as the Whirlpool Bridge or the Lower Steel Arch Bridge, is a spandrel braced, riveted, two-hinged arch bridge that crosses the international border between Canada and the United States, connecting the commercial downtown districts of Niagara Falls, Ontario and Niagara Falls, New York. This bridge is located approximately 1.5 kilometres (0.9 mi) north of the Rainbow Bridge and about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from the Falls. It was acquired by the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission in January 1959. Immediately upstream is the similar arch-style Michigan Central Railway Bridge, which has been out of service since 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority</span> Public transit operator in Erie and Niagara Counties, New York

The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) is a New York State public-benefit corporation responsible for the public transportation oversight of Erie and Niagara counties. The NFTA, as an authority, oversees a number of subsidiaries, including the NFTA Metro bus and rail system, the Buffalo-Niagara International Airport, the Niagara Falls International Airport and NFTA Small Boat Harbor. The NFTA Metro bus and rail system is a multi-modal agency, utilizing various vehicle modes, using the brand names: NFTA Metro Bus, NFTA Metro Rail, NFTA Metrolink and NFTA PAL. In 2022, the system had a ridership of 14,061,700, or about 51,300 per weekday as of the first quarter of 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boston and Albany Railroad</span> American railroad line (1867-1961)

The Boston and Albany Railroad was a railroad connecting Boston, Massachusetts to Albany, New York, later becoming part of the New York Central Railroad system, Conrail, and CSX Transportation. The line is currently used by CSX for freight. Passenger service is provided on the line by Amtrak, as part of their Lake Shore Limited service, and by the MBTA Commuter Rail system, which owns the section east of Worcester and operates it as its Framingham/Worcester Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Empire Corridor</span> Railroad corridor in the U.S. state of New York

The Empire Corridor is a 461-mile (742 km) passenger rail corridor in New York State running between Penn Station in New York City and Niagara Falls, New York. Major cities on the route include Poughkeepsie, Albany, Schenectady, Amsterdam, Utica, Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo. Much of the corridor was once part of the New York Central Railroad's main line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michigan Central Railroad</span> US railroad established 1846

The Michigan Central Railroad was originally incorporated in 1846 to establish rail service between Detroit, Michigan, and St. Joseph, Michigan. The railroad later operated in the states of Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois in the United States and the province of Ontario in Canada. After about 1867 the railroad was controlled by the New York Central Railroad, which later became part of Penn Central and then Conrail. After the 1998 Conrail breakup, Norfolk Southern Railway now owns much of the former Michigan Central trackage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buffalo Central Terminal</span> Former railroad station in Buffalo, NY, USA

Buffalo Central Terminal is a historic former railroad station in Buffalo, New York. An active station from 1929 to 1979, the 17-story Art Deco style station was designed by architects Fellheimer & Wagner for the New York Central Railroad. The Central Terminal is located in the city of Buffalo's Broadway/Fillmore district. Abandoned since 1979, the terminal is now being restored for use as a Civic Commons.

The Buffalo and Niagara Falls Railroad was a part of the New York Central Railroad system, connecting Buffalo, New York to Niagara Falls. It is still used by CSX for freight and Amtrak for passenger service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William F. Walsh Regional Transportation Center</span>

The William F. Walsh Regional Transportation Center (RTC) is an Amtrak intermodal transit station serving the Syracuse area. It is owned and operated by Intermodal Transportation Center, Inc, a subsidiary of Centro, and is also served by Greyhound Lines, Megabus, and Trailways. Local and regional bus transportation is provided by Centro. Various taxi firms provide service to the Center, as well.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Louise M. Slaughter Rochester Station</span> Train station in Rochester, New York, U.S.

The Louise M. Slaughter Rochester Station is an Amtrak intermodal transit station in Rochester, New York. Local and regional bus transportation is provided by the Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority. Various taxi firms service the station, as well. The station is located on the north side of Rochester, just east of High Falls on the south side of the tracks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buffalo–Exchange Street station</span> Amtrak train station in Buffalo, New York, US

Buffalo–Exchange Street station is an Amtrak station in Buffalo, New York. The station serves six Amtrak trains daily: two daily Empire Service round trips between Niagara Falls and New York City and one Maple Leaf round trip between Toronto and New York City. There is also daily Amtrak Thruway bus service at the station, operating between the Buffalo Metropolitan Transportation Center and Jamestown station in Jamestown, New York, via Dunkirk and Fredonia, and serving the communities along the southeast shore of Lake Erie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Proposed expansion of the Buffalo Metro Rail</span> Grass-roots organization in Buffalo, New York

Since the Buffalo Metro Rail light rail was proposed in the 1970s, there have been multiple proposals for expanding the system, which is currently a single 6.4-mile (10.3 km) long line. Public officials, agencies and advocacy groups have created plans, with the most recent and formidable being an extension to the town of Amherst. One organization, the Citizens Regional Transportation Corporation (CRTC), promotes the implementation and expansions of light-rail service for the City of Buffalo and the surrounding Buffalo/Niagara region in New York State.

Transportation in New York is made up of some of the most extensive and one of the oldest transportation infrastructures in the country. Engineering difficulties because of the terrain of the State of New York and the unique issues of New York City brought on by urban crowding have had to be overcome since the state was young. Population expansion of the state generally followed the path of the early waterways, first the Hudson River and then the Erie Canal. Today, railroad lines and the New York State Thruway follow the same general route.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Niagara Falls station (New York)</span> Train station in Niagara Falls, New York

The Niagara Falls Station and Customhouse Interpretive Center is an intermodal transit complex in Niagara Falls, New York. It serves Amtrak trains and Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority buses, houses U.S. Customs and Border Protection offices servicing the Canada–United States border, and houses the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Union Station (Erie, Pennsylvania)</span> Railroad station in Erie, Pennsylvania

Union Station is an Amtrak railroad station and mixed-use commercial building in downtown Erie, Pennsylvania, United States. It is served by the Lake Shore Limited route, which provides daily passenger service between Chicago and New York City or Boston; Erie is the train's only stop in Pennsylvania. The station's ground floor has been redeveloped into commercial spaces, including The Brewerie at Union Station, a brewpub. The building itself is privately owned by the global logistics and freight management company Logistics Plus and serves as its headquarters.

<i>Niagara Rainbow</i> Amtrak passenger train from New York to Detroit

The Niagara Rainbow, known as the Empire State Express before 1976, was an American passenger train service operated by Amtrak between New York City and Detroit via Buffalo and Southwestern Ontario in Canada. The service ran between October 31, 1974, and January 31, 1979.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transportation in Buffalo, New York</span>

Transportation in Buffalo, New York is dominated by automobile use, but other modes of transportation exist in the city.

References

  1. ↑ "Amtrak Fact Sheet, FY2016, State of New York" (PDF). Amtrak. November 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Niagara Falls, NY (NFL)". www.greatamericanstations.com. Amtrak. 2016. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Service inaugural at Niagara Falls, N.Y. (1978)". Amtrak History & Archives. 29 October 1978. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "City receives final federal funding for new train station and transportation hub". Niagara Gazette. 28 October 2010. Retrieved 30 October 2010.
  5. ↑ "Niagara Falls gets $16.5M grant for Amtrak station". WCAX.com. 29 October 2010. Retrieved 30 October 2010.[ permanent dead link ]
  6. ↑ "USDOT doles out TIGER II grants for 75 transportation projects". Progressive Railroading. 21 October 2010. Retrieved 21 October 2010.
  7. ↑ Fischer, Nancy (25 June 2016). "$43 million train station gets ready to open in Niagara Falls". The Buffalo News. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  8. ↑ Fuss, Breanna (December 6, 2016). "Amtrak Era Begins at New Train Station in Niagara Falls". Archived from the original on 20 December 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.