The Arcade & Attica

by Pete Swanson

The Arcade & Attica is a 15-mile short line in western New York State that offers both steam-powered passenger excursions and diesel freights on a line that is colorful and rich in history. It had its beginnings back in the mid-1800s as a number of failed railroad companies attempted to make a go of a three-foot gauge railroad between Attica and Arcade and extensions south of Arcade. Initial connections were made with the Erie at Attica and at Cuba, N.Y. The key route up the Tonawanda Valley between Arcade and Attica saw the names of several unsuccessful companies: the Attica & Allegheny Valley; the Attica & Arcade; the Tonawanda Valley; the Tonawanda Valley & Cuba and then the Buffalo, Attica & Arcade.

Under the Buffalo, Attica & Arcade, the railroad was converted to standard gauge in 1895. By 1896 a two-mile connection was built from Arcade to Arcade Junction to establish an interchange with the Pennsylvania Railroad, and lines south of Arcade were later abandoned. In 1917 the Buffalo, Attica & Arcade failed and entered receivership. Since many local businesses depended heavily on the railroad for service, the line was purchased by local interests, and the Arcade & Attica Railroad was incorporated. (The one other railroad in Arcade was the Wellsville & Buffalo line of the ill-fated Buffalo & Susquehanna, which was built in 1906, only to withdraw in 1916 to the Wellsville-Galeton segment that surv*ed into the 1970s as the Wellsville, Addison & Galeton. The B&S interchanged with the BA&A near today's Arcade enginehouse.)
The Arcade & Attica's first diesel, 1941 44-tonner 110, was crossing Cattaraugus Creek bridge in Arcade in 1967 with some now-classic box cars in tow.  Photo: Ed Wojtas

The Arcade & Attica

The new Arcade & Attica served the local communities tapping the farm industry and even attracting new freight customers over the years. Passenger traffic, important in the early years during the infancy of the automobile, dwindled by the 1940s and in 1951 ceased altogether. The freight traffic increased during the Second World War and was aided most by A&A's decision to dieselize. The railroad purchased its first diesel 44-tonner, number 110, in 1941 from General Electric. They say it literally saved the railroad that year, and the line enjoyed a period of prosperity in the following years. In 1947 a second 44-tonner, the 111, was purchased following a wreck of the 110. The 110 was soon repaired, and the two diesel units spelled the end to the A&A's steam era with the retirement of the last old steamer, 4-6-0 number 6.

In 1957 the A&A experienced several washouts on the line along Tonawanda Creek between Varysburg and Attica, and the railroad, not able to afford repairs, decided to abandon the line north of North Java, since most of the freight traffic existed on the south half of the railroad. The Arcade & Attica remained in name only, no longer serving Attica. Also lost when this part of the line went was A&A's unique switching operation at the Attica State Prison, where tight clearances discouraged the Erie's road locomotives but readily accommodated the A&A's 'tonners.
The 65-ton 112 had a short freight northbound over the new box culvert at North Java on September 2, 1994. Photo: Pete Swanson

Return to steam

By the early 1960s freight traffic had dropped significantly, and the railroad began looking for a serviceable steam locomotive and passenger equipment to operate summer excursions to increase the A&A's profits. In 1962 it purchased 1920-built Alco/Cooke 2-8-0 18 from the Boyne City Railroad in Michigan and then two ex-DL&W coaches to inaugurate the passenger excursions. Later in 1963, Baldwin 4-6-0 14 was purchased from the Escanaba & Lake Superior. She was built in 1917 and was a gem, having been built with a superheater unit. Since the 1960s, the two steamers have alternated in service with only one in operation at a time due to the costs of keeping them maintained. More passenger cars were added to include a total of six ex-DL&W Boonton coaches and two rare Boonton combines. An open gondola was also added to the regular passenger consist. Arcade & Attica's passenger excursions became very popular throughout the 1960s and 1970s, and many thousands of people rode the line during each season. The one millionth passenger was recognized during the 1992 season; that year also saw the 30th anniversary of the excursions and the 75th anniversary of the incorporation of the Arcade & Attica.

Today's Arcade & Attica is well worth a trip to ride and photograph and just plain experience the atmosphere of this rural and pastoral railroad. The A&A has survived for more than 75 years through thick and thin, and its existence today is owed to its employees, patrons and local supporters over the years.

Arcade, N.Y., is the headquarters for the railroad and is located on Route 39 and Route 98, about 40 miles southeast of Buffalo and 74 miles southwest of Rochester. The A&A's general offices are located inside the Arcade depot accessible right off of Route 39 in the center of town. An equipment display is a short walk south of the depot. On an isolated siding is a small 0-4-0 fireless cooker owned by the A&A, along with the wooden observation car Warwick built in 1886 for the New York, Ontario & Western and reportedly used by President Grover Cleveland on his honeymoon. This car is open from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. for tours on excursion days. The A&A's enginehouse is just to the south of the depot area off Mill Street, as well as the unused old sandhouse. The three-stall enginehouse is an ancient wood structure which sits off the east side of the wye where the freight line to Arcade Junction and the Conrail connection swings to the west. This two-mile segment of the A&A is normally freight-only and crosses Route 39 just west of the center of town with a traffic light used as crossing control. Just east of here at Bixby Hill Road are A&A cabooses 303 and 304 on display. Between the Route 39 crossing and the junction, the tracks parallel Route 39 on the north side for another mile before ducking back under Route 39 and into the Conrail interchange yard. On the east end of the overpass is Arcade's McDonalds restaurant for quick food between train times! The stretch between Arcade and Arcade Junction for many years was the source of much revenue for the A&A, with many freight customers. Today, it generates only a trickle of business. The local Agway still receives shipments, and John Sixt Lumber Company in Chaffee gets its lumber delivered to a dock located near the wye in Arcade. The small interchange yard at Arcade Junction is adjacent to Conrail's ex-Pennsy Buffalo-Harrisburg line. Two or three times a week a Conrail local makes an interchange for the A&A. The large feed mill at the south end of the yard is switched by Conrail. Conrail recently sold the coal country branches south of Keating to R.J. Corman, and the Buffalo line is also on the list for sale, so the future interchange partner for the A&A may not be Conrail but some other regional operator.

The line north of the depot sees both passenger trains and freights, and after crossing Route 39 near the depot, also protected by a traffic light, the line crosses the bridge over Cattaraugus Creek. This is the scenic highlight on the passenger runs. The line then passes through the northern outskirts of town in sight of Route 98 for a few miles. A few road crossings are encountered before the line disappears into the valley along Monkey Run Creek. From this point to Curriers, the line is very isolated and only accessible from farm roads. At Curriers (located on Chaffee Road, off Route 98) is the small bright orange A&A depot and passing siding, the turn-around point for the regular passenger excursions. Northward from Curriers, the A&A crosses Route 98 and passes through the town of Java Center. Another

The mixed train at Curriers depot created another timeless shortline image on October 13, 1993. Photo: Pete Swanson Ten-wheeler 14 is presently out of service pending overhaul, but back on June 25, 1966, she was northbound on the Cattaraugus Creek trestle at Arcade. Photo: Fred M. Springer

Regular passenger operations on the A&A run weekends and holidays from Memorial Day weekend right through to the last weekend in October. Steam power is almost always used, and trips leave the Arcade depot at 12:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. each operating day for the round trip to Curriers. There is an extended schedule for July, August and October that includes two round trips added on Wednesdays in mid-summer and three round trips to Curriers during October on weekend days, plus a 1:00 p.m. train on Fridays. Each weekend throughout the season special events are held at the Curriers depot for the passengers' layover mid-way on the excursion. On a few occasions during the year, special passenger trips have operated on some of A&A's freight-only trackage, especially on the line up to North Java. Special weekend railfan excursions and even weekday mixed trains have traveled the entire length of the A&A. Steam or diesel, or both, have powered these interesting trips. Other destinations for certain trips north of Curriers are to the Sad Dog Saloon in Java Center and the Beaver Meadow Audubon Center on Welch Road near North Java. Annual December "Christmas in
Today's steam excursions are handled by ex-Boyne City 2-8-0 18, which was reflecting in the pond near Java Center on a special to North Java on May 22, 1993. Photo: Pete Swanson

Curriers" trips operate and are always diesel-powered because of the winter conditions. Charter trips occasionally run a few times a year also. School groups commonly take advantage of this. Even wedding ceremonies and receptions have been held on special A&A passenger trains. The railroad is very receptive to groups wishing to schedule a special train.

Steam power for the passenger trains during the 1990s so far has been 2-8-0 18. Ten-Wheeler 14 has been out-of-service since the end of the 1988 season with $95,000 worth of flue and boiler work needed, and a fund-raising campaign has been ongoing the past few years to generate money for its overhaul. Meanwhile, the 18 has been keeping the steam alive on the A&A.
The 65-ton 112 had just spotted a hopper at the Reisdorf feed mill in North Java on September 2, 1994. Photo: Pete Swanson

Freight on the A&A

Freight operations are two or three days a week, usually Monday, Wednesday and Friday -- year around. Traffic is mostly inbound soy beans, corn and fertilizer destined for the Reisdorf Brothers mill at North Java. The usual freight power is GE 65-tonner 112, acquired in 1988 from a gravel company in Colorado. This brightly-colored yellow and orange unit retains its paint scheme from its previous owner. The 44-tonner 111, still in A&A's traditional darker orange and black, is kept operational and is a standby unit for the 112. The old 110 is out-of-service and currently stored.

On a normal weekday freight run, the 112 is cranked up and runs light to Arcade Junction to pick up any loads dropped off by Conrail. Departure from the enginehouse is around 8:00 a.m. After cars are picked up at the junction, the trek up the line to North Java begins. The freight train will get to Reisdorf Brothers mill sometime in the late morning and arrival back in Arcade in early afternoon. A trip back to Arcade Junction is necessary if empties are brought back south. During the winter months, snow likes to pile up from the Lake Erie-enhanced squalls, and the Arcade & Attica fights back with frequent snowplow extras with a venerable wedge plow.

Railfanning the Arcade & Attica can be leisurely and very rewarding. A long weekend can be spent on the A&A photographing the freight on a Friday or Monday and enjoying the steam excursions on Saturday and Sunday. The early morning departure of the freights is excellent for good lighting both northbound and southbound. The slow track speed allows for a good photo at just about every scenic spot on the line. The regular steam passenger trains are a bit diffcult to photograph, however. Both steam locomotives are pointed in a northerly direction and are quite back-lit for photographing the smokebox end on a sunny day. Returning from Curriers, the engine runs tender-first with the open gondola next to the engine.

I suggest riding the 12:30 p.m. train, which can be fun for the steam fan, riding in the open car on the southbound leg of the trip, since you can stand just inches away from the smokebox and stack. After a good dose of soot and cinders, better photographs are possible with side views of the steamer on the northbound 3:00 p.m. train. The best lighting for shooting the steam engine is had by catching one of the special mixed trains to North Java which leave Arcade early in the morning. Other weekday charters using steam or diesel usually depart earlier in the morning also. The bridge over Cattaraugus Creek in Arcade is a must for pictures, as are the two ponds on the freight line north of Curriers (the small one off Route 98 just before Java Center and the large reflecting pond near the Welch Road crossing closer to North Java). There are enough intersecting crossroads along the line, and chasing is never a problem. I suggest using DeLorme's New York State topographical map to find your way around the railroad.

For passenger train information call 800/841-2418, and to check on freight runs the number is 716/492-3100. For brochures and additional information write to the Arcade & Attica P.O. Box 246 at 278 Main Street, Route 39, Arcade, NY 14009.

After switching the Reisdorf Brothers feed mill at North Java, 65-tonner 112 is southbound over Beaver Meadow Creek and Beaver Meadow Road. Photo: Bruce Kelly The A&A offers both short line diesel freight and steam era passenger photography for the visitor. The 2-8-0 18 had a passenger train at Arcade depot on September 11, 1988. Passengers run on schedule while freights run as needed. Photo: Pete Swanson

Future prospects There have been some recent developments concerning the Arcade & Attica's future operations in the village of Arcade. The A&A has owned a large parcel of land near its main line just north of the village for years, and a new roundhouse/depot/museum and a visitors center have been proposed for the site. The general offices would stay in the old station building downtown and everything else would be moved to the new location. The ex-CN turntable bridge from Fort Erie, Ontario, has already been purchased and moved to this site. The idea is basically on hold for now, and much more planning and a great amount of funding are needed to make any of this materialize. This could someday be an exciting new chapter in the Arcade & Attica's future, but for now the railroad is concentrating its efforts on what it already has.

The Friends of the Arcade & Attica Railroad is a not-for-profit group recently begun to ensure that funds are available for these improvement projects. A couple of new pieces of equipment has arrived in Arcade from the Western New York Railway Historical Society. In 1993 the ex-Erie caboose C216, owned by the WNYRHS, was brought in and moved to the enginehouse area for storage and future display. Arriving in 1994 was the WNYRHS's ex-South Buffalo Alco S2 number 77. When more track work is completed, and if freight traffc increases, the Alco may be leased by the A&A, but current weight restrictions on the line prohibit its use.

With a few new things to see and the nostalgia of the railroad, which has never disappeared, the Arcade & Attica is a unique blend of old and new worthy of a friendly visit.