(The following story by Ken Springirth appeared on the Erie Times website on April 26, 2009.)
ERIE, Pa. — About 40 miles from Buffalo in scenic Wyoming County, you’ll find the picturesque village of Arcade along Route 39. It is the home of the Arcade and Attica Railroad, operators of the only steam-powered passenger trains in the state.
En route, you’ll see sylvan rolling hills and pleasant country villages along Route 39. If you come in from the west and pass through Springville, you’ll want to make a quick stop to walk around the former Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railroad passenger station, a majestic building that is on the National Register of Historic Places about 32 miles from Buffalo.
Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railroad put a first-class effort into its passenger service that outlasted the company. The track is rusty with no recent freight or passenger trains, but at one time, this railroad transferred coal from central Pennsylvania to the ports of Rochester and Buffalo. Today, a former Toronto, Canada, streetcar serves as a restaurant.
A few more miles and we arrive in Arcade, (population 2,026) where we find the historic Arcade and Attica Railroad station on Route 39 (Main Street) in the center of the village. We find free parking just north of Main Street, featuring a historic train display. Children and adults enjoy climbing aboard the diesel locomotive and playing engineer.
The two-hour train trip on Saturday and Sunday for the summer season uses steam locomotive Number 18. Two vintage diesel locomotives serve as a backup. General Manager of the Railroad George Ling skillfully handles a multiplicity of jobs and his wife, Trudy Ling, handles the office work and public relations.
We board the train’s 1920s passenger cars, which were originally used on the Delaware Lackawanna & Western Railroad. With a blast of the whistle, the train leaves the station heading north through wooded areas and farmlands that have largely remained unchanged since the line was built in the 1880s.
The original railroad was almost abandoned in 1917, but local farmers, merchants and residents raised the money to form the Arcade and Attica Railroad Corporation that operates the railroad today. By the late 1950s, freight business had declined, and a decision was made to buy a steam locomotive. In the summer of 1962, steam excursion trains began operation from Arcade to the village of Curries, a 14-mile round trip.
This is an instance where the inauguration of railroad passenger service provided the needed revenue to keep the railroad in business. Today, freight service during the week operates from Arcade to North Java, a 30-mile round trip.
On our passenger-train ride, the train pulls into Curriers, where the station features a display of photographs covering the railroad’s earlier history. There is ample time to view the station and train as the crew prepares the train for the return trip to Arcade. It is a great opportunity to talk with the knowledgeable and friendly crew.
Visitors come from all over the United States and Canada to ride this unique railroad. Town of Arcade Superintendent of Highways Chris Lester says, “The Arcade and Attica Railroad goes back into history with the steam engine, and you are riding on a railroad passing countryside that you cannot see by any other means.”
After the train returns to Arcade, take a stroll around the handsome shopping district that in the summer has a number of events. Nearby is the village park, which provides a nice free facility to eat a picnic lunch if you packed one.
Creekside Fabrics & Quilts storeowner Sandy Pirdy of Arcade, who is also on the board of directors of the Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce, notes, “The railroad stood the test of time through all the decades of change.”
The day goes by fast, making us realize that we live in a beautiful part of the world. This is an inexpensive one-day trip where you can learn a lot of history.