Arcade And Attica Railroad
About Us:
The Arcade & Attica Railroad is actually, at least, the third company to operate trains between the villages of Arcade & Attica. Previous to the A&A were the Tonawanda Valley & Cuba*, and the Buffalo, Attica, & Arcade railroads.
The current corporation was chartered on May 23rd, 1917. Two days later, the assets of the B.A.&A. were transferred to the A&A. The A&A was formed to keep a railroad between Arcade and Attica when the B.A.&A. went bankrupt. The new company was founded by shareholders; businessmen who were serviced by the line, as well as locals who were the original railfans.
In January of 1957, the Tonawanda Creek flooded its banks and washed over two miles of railroad away. Estimated repairs at that time totalled $72,000. This was an amount the railroad could ill-afford and just about equalled the $79,000 purchase price of the line and equipment in 1917. With Attica State Prison changing from coal to oil heating, the railroad saw no reason to rebuild north, and consequently filed for abandonment.
Today, the railroad continues to haul freight along a 15 mile right-of-way, in addition to the 7 1/2 mile passenger excursions. Since its incorporation in 1917, the A&A has scrapped seven steam engines, and purchased 3 diesels & 2 steamers, as well as numerous pieces of rolling stock, both for interchange, passenger and online service.
The railroad is governed by a corporate Board of Directors, as well as several stockholders. The monthly board meetings are private sessions. However, the yearly stockholder's meetings are open to the general stockholders.
The railroad corporation currently owns 15 miles of right-of-way. From the Village of Arcade, north to the Reisdorf Bros. feed mill in North Java, and from the Village of Arcade, east to the interchange with the "Buffalo Line", formerly of Conrail, now of Norfolk Southern.
