International Railway Co.

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International Railway Company (IRC)
Founded 1902, deceased ~1950
Headquarters Buffalo, NY
Service area Urbanized areas of Erie and Niagara Counties, NY
Service type Public Transit
Destinations Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Lockport City, Tonawanda
Hubs Shelton Square, Court & Main, Niagara Falls Terminal, Lockport Terminal
Fleet Streetcar, Bus, Inter-Urban Rail
Operator International Railway Company, International Bus Company, International Traction Company.

The International Railway Company (IRC) was a transportation company formed in a 1902 merger between several Buffalo-area Interurban and street railways. The railroads that merged included the Buffalo & Niagara Electric Street Railway, and its subsidiary the Buffalo, Lockport & Olcott Beach; the Buffalo, Depew & Lancaster; the Hamburg Railway; the Buffalo, Gardenville & Ebenezer; the Buffalo, Hamburg & Aurora; and the Niagara Falls Park & River Railway. Later the IRC accquired the Niagara Gorge Railroad (NGRR) as a subsidiary, sold in 1924 to the Niagara Falls Power Company. The NGRR also leased the Lewiston & Youngstown Frontier. The IRC maintained streetcar networks in Buffalo, NY; Niagara Falls, NY; Niagara Falls, ON and Lockport, NY.

Contents

[edit] Network

Besides the streetcars, the IRC network was well extended in Western New York. Lines radiated out of Buffalo, NY.

The ex. B&NF (Buffalo and Niagara Falls) line ran from Buffalo, through the Tonawandas and Wheatfield to Niagara Falls, ON. This line interchanged with the Niagara, St.Catharines & Toronto in Niagara Falls, ON, the Niagara Gorge Railroad in Niagara Falls, NY and the Buffalo & Lake Erie Traction in Buffalo. This line was later abandoned between Tonawanda and LaSalle in Niagara Falls, following the opening of Buffalo & Niagara Falls High Speed Line in 1918. The B&NF high speed line was abandoned in 1937.

The BL&OB (Buffalo, Lockport and Olcott Beach) left the B&NF in North Tonawanda, NY on tracks leased from the Erie Railroad. This line went up to Lockport, where the Lockport streetcars were IRC. Also the IRC met the Buffalo, Lockport & Rochester here. The BL&R (Buffalo, Lockport and Rochester) ran to Rochester, NY. From Lockport, the line continued through the town of Newfane to Olcott, where the IRC maintained an amusement park. IRC trolleys met steamers from Rochester, Yougstown, Hamilton and Toronto in Olcott at the Olcott Beach docks. In 1937 the IRC abandoned the line North of Lockport, and ended passenger service south of Lockport. IRC returned operations of the line to the Erie Railroad in 1950. A portion of the BL&OB was reopened in 1983 as part of the Somerset Railroad.

The BD&L (Buffalo, Depew and Lancaster) interurban line ran from Buffalo, NY to Lancaster, NY. In Lancaster, NY a line branched off to Depew, creating a loop line. This line was abandoned in 1937.

The BG&E ran from Buffalo, NY to Ebenezer, NY. It was abandoned in 1937.

The BH&A ran from Buffalo, NY to Orchard Park, NY. The original intention was to reach East Aurora, NY. East Aurora was never reached.

The Niagara Falls Park & River Railway opened in 1893. It ran from Chippawa, ON to Lewiston, NY. A connection was made across the international border at Niagara Falls with the B&NF. The NFP&R became part of the IRC in the 1902 mergre. This line is best for when the Prince of Wales visited the line in 1927. This, with the Niagara Gorge Railroad from the Niagara Gorge Belt Line. The IRC and NGRR (Niagara Gorge Railroad) met in Niagara Falls, NY and Lewiston, NY. The Park & River line was abandoned in 1932, following the expiration of the lease of the right-of-way in Queen Victoria Park.

In 1937 the IRC discontinued all inter-urban service, and replaced it with buses. On July 1, 1950, the remaining streetcar lines in both Buffalo and Niagara Falls, NY ended, also replaced by buses. Within the same year, the Niagara Frontier Transit (NFT) took over all remaining IRC operations. In 1974 NFT and Grand Island Rapid Transportation, were merged into a public Corporation, named the Niagara Frontier Transit Authority (NFTA).

The NFTA opened the subsidiary light rail rapid transit line known as Metro Rail along Main St. in Buffalo, from the Lackawanna Terminal to the South Campus of UB. Much of this same route travelled the previous 8-Main streetcar line only 35 years earlier.

[edit] Routes of Buffalo Streetcars

Buffalo was the city where a majority of the streetcar service by the IRC was offered. They IRC also offered service in a number of other localities in Western New York and Southern Ontario.

After the first decade of the 1900's, the International Railway Company began assigning numbers to their services, in addition of the naming of the route according to the primary street(s) the car travelled on. Many of the route numbers assigned continued to most historical routes to this day.

Routes with shortened or abbreviated names in parentheses are the original assignment to the route that it served.

Car Line Route Numbers Began Service (as) Ended Service Car Type Terminals Streets Travelled
Abbott (Abt5) 14 1915 (Electric) ~1930's Nearside
Albany / School
Bailey 19 1916 (Electric)
Best (Bst5) 25 1897 (Electric) Main at S. Division

New York Central RR-Walden

 (c. 1904) S. Division, Ellicott, Tupper, Elm, Best, Walden, Best, Elm, Swan, Main to S. Division 3
Broadway 4 1885 (Horse) July 1, 1950 Peter Witt, Nearside Broadway at Wagner (wye) (c. 1904) C & B Docks, Washington, Broadway to wye at Wagner. Reverse for return trip.3

(c. 1941) Broadway, Washington, S. Division, Ellicott, Eagle, Washington, Broadway 2
Buffalo / Lockport 1898 (Electric)
Buffalo / Niag. Falls (OLD) 1895 (Electric)
Buffalo / Niag. Falls (High Speed) 1915 (Electric)
Cazenovia 1893 (Electric)
Chicago 26 1908 (Electric)
Clinton 2 1888 (Electric) February 2, 1948 Nearside
Connecticut (Con5) 22 1881 (Electric)
Elk 17 1891 (Electric)
Elmwood (E5) 20 1889 (Horse)
East Ferry 26 1895 (Electric)
Fillmore 1907 1912
Hertel 1894 ~1912 Main at Hertel

Hertel at Tonawanda

 (c. 1904) Hertel 3
Fillmore / Hertel (Fil/Her5) 23 1912 July 1, 1950 Peter Witt, Nearside
Genesee (G5) 24 1861 (Horse) July 1, 1950 Peter Witt Genesee at Pine Hill (loop) (c. 1941) Genesee, Washington, S. Division, Ellicott, Eagle, Washington, Genesee 2
Grant 3 1893 (Electric)
Herman Main at S. Division

Herman at Best

 (c. 1904)S. Division, Spring, William, Mortimer, Peckham, Smith, Herman to Best, returning Herman, Smith, Peckham, Mortimer, William, Spring, Swan to Main 3
Hoyt 7 1881 (Electric)
Jefferson 18 1873 (Horse)

Nov. 10, 1894 (Electric)

 April 19, 1941 Nearside Jefferson at Main (north/loop) and Swan at Seneca (south/loop) (c. 1941) Jefferson Ave.2
Kenmore (Parkside) 9 1898 (Electric) June 19, 1950 Peter Witt Kenmore at Virgil (loop) (c. 1941) Virgil, Hertel, Parkside, Florence, Main, Elk (now South Park), Washington, Perry, Main, Florence, Parkside, Hertel and Virgil 2
Kensington 13 1895 (Electric) June 19, 1950 Peter Witt Bailey at Rounds (wye) (c. 1941) Bailey, Kensington, East Ferry St., Main, Terrace, Main, East Ferry St., Kensington 2
Main 8 1860 (Horse)

December 24, 1890 (E)

 June 19, 1950 Peter Witt
Michigan 1880 (Horse)
Forest 1888 (Horse)
Michigan / Forest (Mch/For5) 21 Sept 6, 1936
Niagara 5 1860 (Horse)

June 30, 1891 (Electric)
River Road 27 Vulcan at Niagara (south)

Wickwire Steel (north) 1

 (c. 1932) River Road
Seneca 15 September 9, 1891 (Electric) ~ September, 1941
South Park 16 1894 (Electric) ~ September, 1941
Sycamore 6 March 23, 1892 (Electric) February 20, 1948 Nearside Walden at Hoerner (wye) (c. 1941) Sycamore, Huron, Washington, S. Division, Ellicott, Eagle, Washington, Huron, Sycamore2
Tonawanda St January 3, 1892 (Electric)
East Utica 12 1900 (Electric) February 6, 1947 Nearside, Peter Witt
West Utica (Belt) 10 1899 (Electric)
Washington March 23, 1892 (Electric)
William 1 1874 (Horse) April 19, 1941 Nearside
  • Broadway (Rt. 4)...Beginning service in 1885, the Broadway car started as a horse-drawn trolley between Main Street (presumable the docks on lower Main Street) and Emslie Street on the western edge of the east side of Buffalo. Service continued with these cars until electrification by the Buffalo Street Railway, near the turn of the century. Later, service was extended further eastbound, first to the New York Central railroad crossing near Ogden Street, and then to a wye located a little further east, at the Buffalo City Line. Additionally, service began operating through Downtown Buffalo on a "loop" with the Sycamore and Genesee cars, using Washington, South Division, Ellicott and Eagle Streets to Washington, and back to their respective routes. The last day for the Broadway streetcar was on July 1, 1950, notable in the fact that this route was one of the last three streetcar routes to operate in the City of Buffalo; sharing this with the Fillmore/Hertel and Genesee streetcars. That afternoon, streetcars began intermingling with buses and the switchover became history by that evening.
  • Fillmore-Hertel (Rt. 23)...The Fillmore-Hertel car started in two separate parts; the Hertel Car in 1894 and the Fillmore car in 1907. By 1912, the two lines were connected (via Main Street) and became one of the longest car lines in the City of Buffalo. According to records, the Fillmore-Hertel car started as an electrified car route, and continued in that capacity until July 1, 1950 (ending streetcar service the same day as the Broadway and Genesee car lines. Additionally, this line operated as a "crosstown" line and did not service the Downtown Buffalo area for the duration of it's service. Most of the streetcars operated were of the "Nearside" and Peter Witt varieties, and continued that way until the end, when gasoline powered Mack buses began plying the route. The route began in the Riverside section of the city, at a wye near Hertel and Pacific Streets, continuing eastbound on Hertel to Main, south-west on Main until Fillmore, and south on Fillmore to a loop using Fillmore, Smith, South Park (Abbott Road at the time), Elk and northbound on Smith Street back to Fillmore and the reverse route.


Source (1): 90 Years of Buffalo Railways, William Gordon; unknown date.

Source (2): The Last Decade of Buffalo Trolleys, Harold Ahlstrom of the National Railway Historical Society.

Source (3): Pilkey's Street and Street Railway Service Guide, 1904 Edition

Source (4): Greater Buffalo's Official Street and Street Railway Guide, 1916 Edition

Source (5): Greater Buffalo's Official Street and Street Railway Guide, 1918 Edition

[edit] Niagara Falls, New York Streetcars

Car Line Route Numbers Began Service Ended Service Car Type Terminals Streets Travelled
19th Street
Main Street
Pine Avenue
Buffalo Ave
Riverview
11th Street
Sugar Street

(Hyde Park)

[edit] Lockport, NY Streetcars

[edit] Niagara Falls, Ontario Streetcars

[edit] Niagara Falls Great Gorge Route

[edit] Equipment

The International Railway Company (IRC) utilized many of the vehicles from the companies it had asborbed at the early 1900's, and by 1910 found itself looking for replacement vehicles.

Two major car types became the backbone of the IRC's equipment force.

[edit] Nearside car (6000 to 6363)

Though purchased from the JG Brill Company between 1911-1913, the cars were created using the input of Mitten Management, a company that provided the management structure for the International Railway Company.

One notable feature this car was also know for, was the P.A.Y.E. (pay as you enter) style, one of the starts of changing Buffalo area cars over to a one-person crew, in which the operator of the car also handled collections of fares.1

[edit] Peter Witt car (100 to 229)

The Peter Witt streetcar, long known to be in many major cities with streetcars, were purchased between 1917 and 1919 to supplement the service being primarily offered with the earlier purchased Nearside car.1

[edit] Funeral Cars

Two specific cars were available to those needing funeral cars. The Elmwood and Forest Lawn were their names.

[edit] Special Service Cars

Limousine service had not quite become readily available when dignitaries came to visit the area, and the International Railway Company had cars specifically for that purpose.

The Ondiara car of the International Railway Company, and the Rapids car of the Niagara Gorge Railway were two cars that were used when the Prince of Wales visited the area September 10, 1927 during the dedication of the Peace Bridge (between Buffalo and Fort Erie).

Source (1): The Last Decade of Buffalo Trolleys, Harold Ahlstrom (NRHS)

[edit] Color Scheme

In 1902, when the International Railway Company began absorbing many of the responsibilities of the Buffalo streetcar system, they dealt with a number of varied color schemes that existed with the past companies.

Previously, you could look at many of the cars and immediately know the company that was operating the service.

The Buffalo Street Railway cars utilized a bright yellow color.

The Broadway line at one time operated violet colored cars from Downtown Buffalo to Emslie.

The Jersey line boasted a green colored streetcar.


Source: 90 Years of Buffalo Railways, William Gordon

[edit] Remnants or Visions From the Past

To this day, there are many views from the past that are still visible in the Western New York Area linking its heritage to today's time.

  • Broadway Barns...located on Broadway between Bailey Avenue and Greene Street on Buffalo's east side, this building continues to stand and is used as for an architecture/construction firm's offices and garage. The outer front wall reminds of "post war" coaches and the IRC's continued efforts of ridding the city of the streetcar. The Broadway Barns housed the streetcars that serviced most of the city's east side car lines, notably the 4-Broadway car, which trundled by since it's opening.
  • Kenmore Ext. at Seabrook...on the site of the past Seabrook Loop of the 3-Grant bus line sits a building that is now part of the Buffalo School System. The previous use was as a power transformer for the IRC Streetcars electrical supply. Various other locations similar to this exist, and will be added when available.
  • New Flyer Industries bus number 9318...this NFTA Metro bus was dressed up as an International Railway Company bus, some 50 years after the end of the International Railway Company. The bus is primarily a dark green color, with a cream and rust accents and gold colored print for the crest logo and the word "INTERNATIONAL" on the sides of the vehicle.