Lehigh Valley Trail Rail-Trail History

A Brief History

The Lehigh Valley’s (LV) extension into Buffalo began in 1889, when founder Asa Packer became frustrated with the trackage rights agreement into Buffalo over the Erie Railroad. At this time the LV reached as far west as Geneva by controlling the Geneva, Ithaca, & Sayre Railroad (via Sayre), although to reach Buffalo an interchange was made with the Erie at Waverly northwest of Sayre across the New York border. To get around this arrangement and reach Buffalo directly, the Buffalo & Geneva Railroad was founded and was completed by 1892 from Geneva to Lancaster, New York (the section from Rush to Victor is the Lehigh Valley Trail). At Lancaster, the B&G connected with the LV’s Lehigh Valley Railway Company (chartered in 1883), which had been completed 10 miles east from Buffalo. Now the railroad had its own link between Buffalo and Jersey City and could compete openly in that market.

For more information about this rail corridor, refer to D&L Trail history.

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