A Rail of Two Cities: Express Train Proposal to Connect Buffalo/Falls

trains between buffalo and niagra falls = empty trains between buffalo and niagra falls.

If the US & Canada could streamline customs processing of passenger trains, it would make a lot of sense (more than the Niagara Falls Express?) to extend NFTA rail from downtown Buffalo to the Airport.

Considering the number of Canadians who fly out of the Buffalo Niagara International Airport, it would be a convenient alternative to take Amtrak or ViaRail to the Buffalo's Amtrak station and then ride the NFTA rail out to the airport. This could attrack rider/flyers deep in to the Toronto market.

Not to mention the number of business people who already taxi from the Airport to downtown Buffalo's financial/hotel district who could then ride NFTA rail.

It is also interesting to note that Buffalo Rail Terminal is the #1 bottleneck in the 2009 New York State Rail Plan. Specifically, the Buffalo River Drawbridge. Another big bottleneck is the 105 year-old rail trestle over the Genesee River in Letchworth Park.

The NYS Rail Plan also points out that only 2% of federal transportation spending goes to railways. No wonder our railways are slow, bottlenecked and dilapidated.

I don't think there's an easy way to fix this but a large number of Amtrak schedule delays result from having to wait for freight trains. The freight lines own the tracks and passenger trains have a lower priority.

they could replace both CP bridges with a stationary one. Republic Steel and Mobil are no longer upriver to dictate the need for lift bridges at this location.

I don't think this makes much sense. I feel a lot of the tourists who visit Niagara Falls do so by some other means of transportation than train, so it wouldn't make much sense for them to take a train to Buffalo (i.e if they drove a car down from Toronto to the Falls and wanted to visit Buffalo, they would just drive there). I agree Buffalo needs to be connected more with Niagara Falls, but this might not be the best way to do it.

no brainer, shoulve been done years ago. will be more successful tho if its an extension of the metrorail, vs amtrak, and the most successful if it also connected to the airport.

It would give Buffalo a sign in Downtown.. basically saying get on here to be in buffalo in 20 minutes. Or something like that. It is that sense of connectedness that is missing between our two cities.

There is already the ROW and I completely agree that the tracks would serve a larger regional commuter group than just tourists. It can and should do bother to make the most of the investment.

You can see the rail ROW and even some proposed stations on this map. North Tonawanda would also be a nice historic \ tourist spot with their gateway park as well as connection historic centers and hopefully spur development around such stops.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=115736043256615441006.00044eb528193e33bf877&t=h&z=11

A commuter rail connecting NF-'burbs-Buffalo-'burbs/airport would be a very implementable option. The route is already signaled for passenger service and there are 3 existing staffed stations.

Really, all that is required is the equipment, a connection via an already existing rail corridor btwn the Depew station and the airport, and identifying and building a few intermediate station stops (just a simple platform will do).

It would be far cheaper than a LR connection, and much faster to build.

I'm skeptical, but willing to be surprised. There is reasonable hope that the region could capitalize on connectedness, but in order for Buffalo to be relevant to N Falls tourists, those commuter trains will have to run often.

Hope the project gets off the ground. I'd love to see it succeed. I won't be shocked if it finds too few takers to support itself, though.

I think it would be difficult to bring off a project of this size without it satisfying a lot of overlapping needs. It would be hard to justify simply to ferry tourists back and forth from the Falls. Still, if connected to the airport, it would provide a natural path for tourists who would fly in. Assuming some stability in air traffic (risky assumption), it would also serve the large numbers of Canadians who use BNIA to travel to US cities (much cheaper with low cost carriers not available in Toronto). Use by Buffalo area commuters (if higher gas prices), growth of projects in the Larkin district, etc all might work to make it more attractive. But, it's still quite a longshot.

well in order for it to be sucessfull it needs to be consistent more than often. If you knew that every hour on the hour there was a train... you can plan around that. Tourists have time to plan. As do locals.

The unpredictable nature of buses and current mass transit are what push people away. With LR you know exactly when it departs and exactly where you get off. A map of the surrounding area at either end will assure that people can get around once off.

i wanted to take a train to Niagara falls from buffalo because taking the bus is so slow...
they did not have a way to make a round trip there and back unless you wanted it to be a 2 day experience.
It was so riduculous AND the greyhound doesnt even stop there. You have to rely on NFTA which requires you to take a bus to the station, than another to the niagara falls station and than you have to take a bus to your niagara falls destination. The buses are not as frequent in NF so i estimated it would take me 3 buses and about 3 hours to get to a city that is 20 minutes by car.

HOW DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?!?!?!?!

It really upset me because it actually stopped me from going to see family that was there. if its not easy for me and i live in buffalo, how would it be for a tourist?!?

They need to invest in more buses back and forth especially on the weekends or rail. Whatever it is, it needs to be more people friendly and much easier to ride and get places in a timely fashion.

Where is downtown "teaming with amenities?"I think that we should advertise all the shopping and restaurants that we have downtown. That would be sure way to get some more tourists to visit.
I have been downtown on Saturday mornings when families who are attending the swim meets at ECC have asked me where are the restaurants and and stores for shopping. Being a forthright resident I tell them that the last retail outlet disappeared about a decade ago. If they look hard they will find some places to eat.
Maybe someday someone will ask what policies and which politicians are responsible for the demise of downtown.
Am I wrong in assuming that high speed rail is going to compete with flying? Why would I connect the Buffalo-Niagara Falls train line with a airport when I am also trying to build a high speed rail line.
What is needed in this area is a little pragmatism in our public officials.

We live in Lewiston, just north of the Falls. If they have a commuter type rail system between Buffalo and the Falls, we would surely use it. Between hockey games, an occasional baseball game, the home and auto shows, and a couple trips to Sheas, we probably drive to Buffalo 10-20 times a year. EVERY single one of those would be on a commuter train if it was available.

I use to work up on Grand Island and would take the #40 bus to get there. That bus use to be packed with tourists headed up to NF. They were usually European. I think these trains would be successful and a first step toward getting HS Rail to TO. These trains would be more successful if the metro went to the airport too. It would negate the need for NF travelers to need a rental car.

Just a note:

Light rail cannot share tracks with conventional freight rail due to FRA rulings on crash worthiness. Usually the lines have to be completely segregated or cannot operate on the same lines at the same time.

A much easier option would be a Diesel Multiple Unit train. Basically they a DMU is a self contained train - it provides its own propulsion and engineer and passenger compartments. Theyre very flexible to passenger load: DMUs can operate independently, tow one or two coaches, or in concert with other DMUs to form longer trains.

There are both refurbished and off the shelf models easily available from domestic and overseas suppliers.

This indeed should have been done decades ago. A simple overhead electric light rail line is all that's needed. The Falls and the Tonawandas getting service to Downtown is a no-brainer and additional service to the airport should also be included. While Ontario is planning a high speed rail link from Toronto to Niagara falls Ont., there's no need to waste taxpayer dollars on any such link on our side. If canadians wish to connect with an HSR line to NYC, they should find their own way.

If I were the Senecas, then I would be drooling at the opportunity to use Federal Funds to connect both the Buffalo Creek and the Niagara Falls casinos. I can just see the junkets of Cruise Ships docking at the DL&W to visit the Buffalo Creek Casino (with Buffalo Amenities) and visiting Niagara Casino (with Niagara Falls Amenities) before returning to their ship or the possibility of Niagara Falls International visitors patronizing the Buffalo Creek Casino.

Second point, a commuter rail is the first step to being replaced with actual light rail extension viability.

Third point, its a wonderful opportunity for Buffalo to tap into the millions of international visitors to Niagara Falls and the millions of Seneca Creek Casino patrons.

You all realize that Upstate might only get this proposed $10.7 rail transit package when NYC gets its $20 billion 2nd Ave. subway extension. So it's really a $30 billion horse trade that will confront President Obama.

THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN - THANK YOU!

ON TOPIC with relation to past and future:

For now, all existing forms of transportation are all what is happening now--and only now. It's all about taking transportation fledgling steps.
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Getting closer to the end of this century, it will be all about national then international public transport.
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Meanwhile, looking back in history while trying to envision the more distant future brings up,,,
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remembering this: Corduroy clothing was named after corduroy roads--who knew? Tollhouse cookies are relevant to the toll houses on those corduroy roads. LOL
(3/12/09 1051a cause I use this stuff elsewhere...)

I've given up on the American Falls, Canada has kicked our pathetic a$$es in all categories. The only thing that we have over them is that we get to look at their beautiful landscaping and planning while they have to look at our industrial wasteland and plethora of tourism flops.