LV Interchange Operations @ Buffalo / Tifft Street Yard

[DElder]

I am interested in learning about operations at LV’s Tifft Street Yard in Buffalo during the early/mid 1970s, and particularly how the interchanges with the various other railroads worked. I understand that the LV interchanged with the N&W, PC, B&O, and EL out of Tifft, and information from Ed Schaller’s excellent Lehigh Valley Modeler site indicates that there were “switching deliveries to and from… the Buffalo Creek, South Buffalo, and Burrow’s Lot (PC)” from Tifft yard. Did the LV deliver directly to the various other railroads, and did the other roads deliver to Tifft? Were there reciprocal agreements whereas, for example, the LV could deliver interchange cars to the B&O and also return to Tifft with cars from the B&O?

A related question regarding the “Crosstown Pickup” trains (TTN, NTT) that operated between Tifft and Niagara Falls / Suspension Bridge yard: What types of traffic would these trains typically handle (interchange, cars for local industries, etc.)? The fact that the LV operated daily mainline trains to both Tifft and Niagara Falls would suggest that a transfer job between their two yards would not be needed strictly for interchange traffic (assuming the right cars were in the right mainline trains headed to each location), so I’m confused as to the purpose of the TNN / NTT transfer trains. (Possibly to transfer cars picked up by the P&L Jct. local trains out of Tifft to Niagara Falls??)

Any information or suggestions as to where I might locate information on this subject would be greatly appreciated….thanks!

Doug Elder
Olathe, KS

[Matt Langworthy]

According to Niagara By Rail III. a picture shows an LV transfer run running between Tifft and EL's Bison Yard, with RS-3 #219 for power. The consist appears to be mainly TOFC.

A few pictures of the TTN transfer job beween Tifft and Niagara falls exist in Mike Bednar's Lehigh Valley Rairoad: The Wyoming and Buffalo Divisions. The trains look to be a mixed bag of various freight cars- perhaps picked up by various locals and then ferried to the appropriate yard?

An interesting topic, Doug! I'd love for a former LV employee (or any Buffalo-Niagara Falls RR employee from that era) to explain this in detail...

[DElder]

Thanks Matt! I'm not familiar with the "Niagara by Rail" series...is there enough LV-related stuff there to justify looking into acquiring those? I would certainly be interested in your thoughts on that.

I concur with your comment regarding the probable need for one of the "old heads" to address my question; hopefully a former LV employee or someone with good knowledge of their operations is monitoring this discussion and would be willing to share their knowledge. My primary interest at this point is LV operations, and I know from past questions that I've posted that it's a bit difficult to obtain specific information on that topic. Always a bit frustrating not to receive a response (even with postings to multiple lists), but then again, I'm not asking easy questions.

Thanks again to everybody that contributes to this forum; I'm certainly enjoying the info that you provide!

Doug Elder

[Mr Lehigh]

The Niagara By Rail series is more of a collection of pictures with descriptions on each page. The books are only about 24 or so pages long, but have some nice photos in them. There are three volumes that I am aware of. You usually can find someone selling them at local train shows, or possibly local hobby stores.

[Doug Kroll]

Doug:

I lived along the LV Nia Falls branch from '71 to Conrail in '76 (and beyond). The Tifft to Nia Falls trains ran on Tues, Thurs and Sat. (on M-W-F they went east to P&L Jct). The train was usually about 20-25 cars. There was some local business on the branch (Westinghouse near the airport) and the Williamsville team track. From Tona Jct to N.Falls they had trackage rights on PC so couldn't serve any customers. As to traffic out of the Falls, the LV was part owner of the Niagara Jct Railway in the Falls. I believe they bridged some of that traffic to the N&W and B&O at Buffalo.
I have a picture of the NTT going thru N.Tonwanda at my website www.rr-roadtrip.com , select the Fallen Flags menu button.

Doug Kroll

[DElder]

Doug:
Thanks for the good information; I'm still looking into this subject, if anyone else has anything to share on this. (And thanks for the link to your website, by the way....some very nice LV pics!)
Doug Elder