ROCHESTER'S PASSENGER TRAINS

OF THE PAST

Intercity passenger trains serving Rochester in 1942, 1956, and 1971 immediately prior to the creation of Amtrak.


THE STATIONS

The major stations serving Rochester, during the golden age of passenger trains. Most passenger trains used the New York Central Station.

New York Central Station
320 Central Ave.
Opened 1914, replacing earlier station at same location built in 1883

Number of station tracks: 11
Interlocked switches controlled from Signal Station 27

Main Street Station
320 W. Main St.
Opened 1881

Lehigh Valley Station
99 Court St.
Opened 1907

EARLIER RAILROADS/STATIONS

Erie Railroad Station
35 Court St.

Pennsylvania Railroad
357 W. Main St.

Both the Erie Railroad and Pennsylvania Railroad service was discontinued in 1941.


NEW YORK CENTRAL

Departures-Westbound



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

  1  Pacemaker             Chicago        12:23        9:51
 15  Ohio State Limited    Cincinnati     (skip)      10:35
 33  New Eng. Wolverine    Det.-Chicago    1:20       11:57
 17  Wolverine             Det.-Chicago    1:32       12:10
 19  Lake Shore Limited    Chicago        (skip)       1:17
 47  Detroiter             Detroit         2:14       (skip)
 21  Lake Erie             Cleveland       3:39
 29  Niagara               Buffalo         5:28
 59  Iroquois              Chicago        (skip)  35   5:30   63   6:30
 35  Fast Mail             Detroit         6:08   99   5:59
159  Buffalo Express       Buffalo         6:34
 63  Genesee               Buffalo         7:13
 43  South Shore Express   Chicago        11:33       11:50
  9  Mail                  Buffalo         3:06   95   2:19
 51  Empire State Express  Cleveland       3:42        2:55   71   2:50
 49                        Niag. F.-Buf.   5:25        4:30
  5  Mohawk                Chicago         6:27
 39  North Shore Limited   Det.-Chicago    8:42        8:18   73   6:50
 41  Knickerbocker         St. Louis      10:02        9:15
 67  Commodore Vanderbilt  Chicago        11:27       (skip)  75  10:50
 27  New England States    Chicago        11:43       (skip)  61   1:10
169  Buffalo Express       Buffalo        11:45


Arrivals-Westbound



No.  Name                  1942 Orig.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

  1  Pacemaker             New York       12:13        9:46
 15  Ohio State Limited    New York       (skip)      10:30
 33  New Eng. Wolverine    Boston          1:15       11:53
 17  Wolverine             New York        1:28       12:06
 19  Lake Shore Limited    New York       (skip)       1:12
 47  Detroiter             New York        2:14       (skip)
 21  Lake Erie             New York        3:39
 29  Niagara               New York        5:23
 59  Iroquois              New York       (skip)  35   5:25   63   6:30
 35  Fast Mail             New York        6:03   99   5:54
159  Buffalo Express       Boston          6:31
 63  Genesee               New York        7:07
163  Cayuga                New York        7:45
  3                        Geneva-Syr.     9:15
 43  South Shore Express   New York       11:23       11:40
  9  Mail                  New York        2:48   95   2:14
 51  Empire State Express  New York        3:39        2:52   71   2:50
  5  Mohawk                New York        6:21
 39  North Shore Limited   New York        8:37        8:10   73   6:50
 11                        Geneva-Syr.     9:15
 41  Knickerbocker         New York        9:58        9:10
169  Buffalo Express       Syracuse       10:53
 67  Commodore Vanderbilt  New York       11:24       (skip)  75  10:50
 27  New England States    Boston         11:40       (skip)  61   1:10


Departures-Eastbound



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

  6  Fifth Avenue Special  New York       12:17       11:59   64  11:15
  8  Wolverine             New York        1:43       (skip)
142  Cayuga                New York        2:55
 28  New England States    Boston         (skip)      (skip)  62   3:30
 10  Water Level Limited   New York        4:14
 24  Knickerbocker         New York       (skip)       5:12
  4                        Geneva-Syr.     6:30
 22  Lake Shore Limited    New York        6:55        5:18
158                        Syracuse        8:35
 58  Niagara               Albany          9:18       (skip)
 40  North Shore Limited   New York       10:22   38   8:13   70   7:30
 38  Missourian            New York       10:55   40  10:12
 90  Forest City           New York       12:25       11:30   72  11:30
 50  Empire State Express  New York        2:38        2:38   74   3:30
 56  DeWitt Clinton        New York        3:30   96  12:59
140                        Syracuse        3:35
 42  Boston Express        Boston          6:14
 52  Easterner             Albany          6:39        5:38
 18                        Geneva-Syr.     7:30
 30  Iroquois              New York       10:25
 46  Boston Special        Boston         11:14       11:22
 44  New York Special      New York       11:32       11:33


Arrivals-Eastbound



No.  Name                  1942 Orig.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

  6  Fifth Avenue Special  Chicago        12:14       11:59   64  11:15
  8  Wolverine             Det.-Chicago    1:40       (skip)
142  Cayuga                Buffalo         2:37
 28  New England States    Chicago        (skip)      (skip)  62   3:30
 10  Water Level Limited   Chicago         4:11
 24  Knickerbocker         St. Louis      (skip)       5:08
 22  Lake Shore Limited    Chicago         6:49        5:14
158                        Buffalo         7:53
 42                        Niagara Falls   8:30        7:30
 58  Niagara               Buffalo         9:15       (skip)
 40  North Shore Limited   Det.-Chicago   10:19   38   8:08   70   7:30
 38  Missourian            St. Louis      10:52   40  10:07
 90  Forest City           Chicago        12:22       11:25   72  11:30
 50  Empire State Express  Cleveland       2:35        2:35   74   3:30
 56  DeWitt Clinton        Buffalo         3:27   96  12:56
 42  Boston Express        Buffalo         6:08
 52  Easterner             Chicago         6:32        5:30
 30  Iroquois              Buffalo        10:09
 46  Boston Special        Buffalo        11:11       11:19
 44  New York Special      Det.-Chicago   11:27       11:28


Passenger service retained by Amtrak in 1971.

Until early 1930's, New York Central passenger trains also operated north of Rochester to Charlotte and points beyond.


BALTIMORE & OHIO

(Main Street Station)

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

151                        E. Salamanca   10:05
 67                        Perry           5:45
153                        E. Salamanca    9:00


Arrivals



No.  Name                  1942 Orig.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

150                        E. Salamanca    8:15
 68                        Perry          10:45
152                        E. Salamanca    7:20


Passenger service discontinued in 1953.


LEHIGH VALLEY

(Lehigh Valley Station)

Departures



No.  Name                  1942 Dest.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

712                        Rochester Jct   7:50
710                        Rochester Jct  10:55
718                        Rochester Jct   7:05
704                        Rochester Jct   9:10


Arrivals



No.  Name                  1942 Orig.  1942 Time  1956 Time  1971 Time

711                        Rochester Jct   8:57
717                        Rochester Jct  12:01
709                        Rochester Jct   8:46
703                        Rochester Jct  10:26


Passenger service discontinued in 1950.


STATIONS TODAY

The old New York Central station was demolished in 1965. Amtrak continues to stop at that location, at a new station building.

The New York Central Railroad Station
Web site containing further information on the history of the New York Central Station.

Main Street station and the Lehigh Valley station still stand, and are now restaurants.

Nick Tahou Hots
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que
Link to official Web sites, showing how these smaller stations have been preserved and transformed for other uses.


MAPPING THE STATIONS AND RAILROADS

Links to locations of past and present stations and railroads, using Google Maps. Satellite views are also available.