Buffalo–Exchange Street station

Buffalo, NY
Exchange Street station platform in June 2018.
Location 75 Exchange Street
Buffalo, New York
United States
Coordinates 42°52′42″N 78°52′26″W / 42.8783°N 78.8738°W / 42.8783; -78.8738Coordinates: 42°52′42″N 78°52′26″W / 42.8783°N 78.8738°W / 42.8783; -78.8738
Owned by City of Buffalo
Line(s) Empire Corridor (Buffalo Terminal Subdivision)
Platforms 1 side platform
Tracks 1
Connections
  Metro Rail at Seneca to the north and Erie Canal Harbor to the south

Amtrak Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach
Construction
Parking 10 long term and 10 short term
Disabled access Yes
Other information
Station code Amtrak code: BFX
History
Opened August 2, 1952
Traffic
Passengers (2017) 35,528[1] Decrease 6.4%
Services
Preceding station   Amtrak   Following station
Terminus
Empire Service
toward New York
Maple Leaf

Buffalo–Exchange Street is an Amtrak station in Buffalo, New York. It was originally built by the New York Central Railroad.

The station serves six Amtrak trains daily: two daily Empire Service round trips and one Maple Leaf round trip. The station is approximately two blocks away from the Erie Canal Harbor and Seneca stations on the Buffalo Metro Rail light rail line. It is also close to the First Niagara Center. There is also daily Coach USA bus service at the station, operating between Buffalo Metropolitan Transportation Center and Jamestown, New York, via Dunkirk and Fredonia, and serving the communities along the southeast shore of Lake Erie.[2]

History

New York Central

There have been four New York Central Railroad stations on Exchange Street in Buffalo, the third of which was built in 1880. Its importance declined after Buffalo Central Terminal opened in 1929, and it was closed on November 13, 1935.

Planning for the current structure began in 1949. New York heavily funded the station as being part of the Skyway construction. The total cost was $7 million. The station opened on August 2, 1952.[3] The station originally served 21 New York Central and Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo Railway trains daily. The double track station had two side platforms connected by an overhead walkway.

However, passenger rail service was soon in steep decline. In 1961, the New York Central Railroad ceased passenger operations to Niagara Falls, and the station building was closed, though some trains continued to stop at the platforms for a brief time.[3][4]

Amtrak

The station in November 1980

On October 29, 1978, Amtrak routed the Niagara Rainbow through Niagara Falls, restoring service there and to downtown Buffalo. One old platform was reused immediately; a temporary structure was used for Niagara Rainbow and Empire State Express passengers while the station building was renovated.[4] The line was later reduced to single track and the second platform was abandoned.

In September 2016, the station building was temporarily closed due to a partial collapse during heavy rains. The platforms remain open for passengers.[5]

Replacement station

Beginning in 2016, there were proposals to replace the station with either a station at Canalside or at Buffalo Central Terminal as part of that building's restoration. The downtown location - close to the current Exchange Street location - was chosen because of its proximity to the central business district, though public opinion strongly favored the Buffalo Central Terminal site. Supporters of the latter site alleged that the selection was made for political favors rather than on the merits of the downtown site.[6] On April 17, 2017, a panel including Buffalo mayor Byron Brown approved the downtown location, voting 11 in favor, 4 opposed, and 1 abstaining.[7]

Station layout

The station has one low-level side platform on the north side of the tracks.

Platform at Buffalo Exchange Street station
P
Platform level		 Street level Exit/entrance and station building
Side platform, doors will open on the left or right
Track 1 ← Empire Service toward Niagara Falls, NY (Terminus)
← Maple Leaf toward Toronto (Niagara Falls, NY)
Empire Service, Maple Leaf toward New York City (Buffalo – Depew) →

References

  1. ↑ "Amtrak Fact Sheet, FY2017, State of New York" (PDF). Amtrak. November 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  2. ↑ Coach Usa Western New York: Jamestown – Buffalo Line Run
  3. 1 2 "Buffalo, NY (BFX)". Great American Stations. Amtrak.
  4. 1 2 "Train Service Begins To Niagara Falls, Downtown Buffalo". Amtrak NEWS. Vol. 5 no. 11. Amtrak. November 1978. pp. 1–2.
  5. ↑ Sommer, Mark (September 20, 2016). "Buffalo's Amtrak station closed as ceiling collapses". Buffalo News. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Central Terminal Loses As Choice For New Amtrak Station". Artvoice. April 27, 2017. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
  7. ↑ "Downtown Buffalo recommended for train station". WGRZ. April 20, 2017. Retrieved April 27, 2017.
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