Status of DL&W Buffalo terminal?

I'd like to know if the DLW passenger Terminal in Buffalo is still being used or was it demolished? Is that a better terminal then BCT?

I hope it's not in the state that BCT is now and that it's in a good area closer to Niagra Falls.

The DL&W terminal was closed in 1962 due to declining passenger service and was subsequently demolished in 1982. The story I recall hearing about it was that it was so solidly constructed that the first wrecking ball used on it broke. I don't know if this fact or just an urban myth, however, the Lackawanna, as is obvious by examing surviving structures, made extensive and long-lasting use of concrete.

On a positive note, the Centrals terminal still stands and there are possible plans to turn it into a museum. It is an extremly impressive piece of railroad architecture and rivals many of the great stations from that era.

To correct the date. The Lackawanna terminal was demolished in 1979. It was purchased from ConRail by the Niagara Frontier Transit Authority (NFTA) in 1977. From what I was told the building was in rough shape, but still could have been saved. I was also told that there was landmark status on the building, but the NFTA removed the status and demolished the building for their use with the Buffalo subway/trolley that was built in 1979-1980. The elevated passenger platform building still stands. It is in use by the NFTA for maintainence/repair of the subway/trolley cars. Plans are in the works to turn some of the building into a museum.
Personally I think the NFTA should have saved the building. Oh by the way I think a local railfan I know owns some relics from the building.

WNYRailfan

Thanks for the info. does anyone have any pics of the DLW Terminal in Buffalo?

Go to the link:
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/hhquery.html

In the search box type in Lackawanna Terminal.

This should bring you to an itemized list. Choose item 1.
Then you will see three boxes stating: 14 b&w photos, 9 data pages, 3 photo caption pages. Click on the boxes to get the pictures or descriptions.

WNYRailfan

It looks like the terminal was quite the structure in its day. How sad that we con't find a use for buildings like that before they fall into a state of almost irreversible disrepair

OK, 1962. So the boys in the Board Room made the executive decision to consolidate operations and close Lackawanna Terminal.

They went to the Erie, I suppose. Is that still standing?

And heard too about the use of the Lackawanna Terminal site for the subway, that the Lackawanna trains came in underground, or some such thing. The Buffalo Subway System was closed for several years due to lack of funding. Is it still closed, or operational?

Dieter.

Dieter wrote:They went to the Erie, I suppose. Is that still standing?

Yes the Erie passenger station built in the 1960's is still standing.
It actually was a joint Erie and NKP station and it is made out of steel. It is currently the yard office at SK Yard and is owned by CP Rail.

http://ny.existingstations.com/archive/199.jpg

Dieter wrote:And heard too about the use of the Lackawanna Terminal site for the subway, that the Lackawanna trains came in underground, or some such thing. The Buffalo Subway System was closed for several years due to lack of funding. Is it still closed, or operational?

The NFTA constructed the subway in 1979 and it still is operational.

http://www.nfta.com/

Check out the discussion on the New York State forum: (with photos)

http://railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1907

-otto-

The passenger trains came into the DLW Buffalo terminal on a viaduct.

HSS -

Never saw Buffalo in operation but from historical photos it seemed to have a similar profile/layout to the terminal in Montclair on the Montclair Branch down here in NJ.

The link below from the Library of Congress shows several depressing photos of this once grand 6-track rail terminal within a year ( likely 1981/early 1982 ) after service ceased. A new very modest single-track Montclair/Bay Street station about a 1/2 mile to the east 'replaced' this terminal in 1980.

http://montclair.notlong.com

Couple questions....

How far east was the ROW elevated and what remains today of the main ROW east as it exists the downtown area ?

A Google Earth satellite search appears to suggest the ROW is pretty much obliterated but it's tuff to tell exactly....

thanks.

It was elevated all the way through downtown Buffalo. Elevated in this
case for Lackawanna is relative. The Lackawanna Railroad in 1908 began
a program of grade crossing elimination over the entire Hoboken
Buffalo Mainline I don't think there were any road crossings between
Buffalo and Dover, NJ but this is something I need to do more
research on.

However most of the elevation of the DLW was on fill not bridges. The first diamond crossing as near as I can tell coming out of Buffalo was at MP 390.0 where DLW came into East Buffalo Yard and crossed the PM and Erie.

HSS -

Thanks.

"....I don't think there were any road crossings between
Buffalo and Dover, NJ but this is something I need to do more
research on. "

AIR, there are a few vehicular grade crossings between Binghamton and Scranton and several from Scranton east thru the Poconos to the Gap. I believe there was one over the 26-mile Cut-Off in NJ to Port Morris and none from Port to Dover. There are 2-3 near Dover station, 2-3 around Denville/Mt. Tabor and then only 2 ( in Convent Station ) between Morris Plains and Hoboken.

Most of the grade crossings on the mainline are between Madison and Dover. There are about 3 on the rest of the mainline, compared to more than 5 on this ten mile stretch.

I think there was a crossing in Blairstown,NJ.