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The International Railway Company (IRC) was a transportation company formed in a 1902 merger between several Buffalo-area interurban and street railways. The city railways that merged were the ''West Side Street Railway'', the ''Crosstown Street Railway'' and the ''Buffalo Traction Company''. The suburban railroads that merged included the ''Buffalo & Niagara Electric Street Railway'', and its subsidiary the ''Buffalo, Lockport & Olcott Beach Railway''; the ''Buffalo, Depew & Lancaster Railway''; and the ''Niagara Falls Park & River Railway''. Later the IRC acquired the Niagara Gorge Railroad (NGRR) as a subsidiary, which was sold in 1924 to the Niagara Falls Power Company. The NGRR also leased the ''Lewiston & Youngstown Frontier Railroad''. The IRC maintained streetcar networks throughout Western New York: in Buffalo, Niagara Falls and Lockport, and a single line in Niagara Falls, Ontario.〔''Buffalo’s Historic Streetcars and Buses'', D. David Bregger, Arcadia Pub., c2008. ISBN 978-0-7385-5750-2〕 ==Network== Besides the city streetcars, the IRC network extended throughout Erie and Niagara counties. Most lines radiated out from Buffalo. * The former Buffalo and Niagara Falls Electric Railway (B&NF)〔 line ran from Buffalo, through the Tonawandas and Wheatfield to Niagara Falls, Ontario. This line interchanged with the Niagara, St. Catharines and Toronto Railway in Canada, the Niagara Gorge Railroad in Niagara Falls, NY and the Buffalo & Lake Erie Traction in Buffalo. The railway was organized and incorporated by Niagara Falls, New York investors, including Frank A. Dudley This line was later abandoned between Tonawanda and LaSalle in Niagara Falls, following the opening of Buffalo & Niagara Falls High Speed Line in 1918. The B&NF high speed line was abandoned in 1937. The 1895 powerhouse at North Tonawanda, New York forms part of the Herschell–Spillman Motor Company Complex.〔 ''Note:'' This includes and (''Accompanying photographs'' )〕 * The Buffalo, Lockport and Olcott Beach Railway (BL&OB) left the B&NF in North Tonawanda, NY on tracks leased from the Erie Railroad. This line went up to Lockport, where the Lockport streetcars were IRC. Also the IRC met the Buffalo, Lockport & Rochester here. The Buffalo, Lockport and Rochester (BL&R) ran to Rochester. From Lockport, the line continued through the town of Newfane to Olcott, where the IRC maintained an amusement park. IRC trolleys met steamers from Rochester, Youngstown, Hamilton, Ontario and Toronto in Olcott at the Olcott Beach docks. In 1937 the IRC abandoned the line north of Lockport, and ended passenger service south of Lockport. IRC returned operations of the line to the Erie Railroad in 1951. A portion of the BL&OB was reopened in 1983 as part of the Somerset Railroad. * The Buffalo, Bellvue and Lancaster (BB&L) interurban line ran from Buffalo to Lancaster. From Lancaster a line branched off to Depew, creating a loop line. This route was abandoned in 1937. * The Buffalo, Gardenville and Ebenezer (BG&E) was part of Erie County Traction. It ran from Buffalo to Ebenezer, and was abandoned in 1937. * The Buffalo, Hamburg and Aurora Railway (BH&A) ran from Buffalo, NY to Orchard Park. The original intention was to reach East Aurora, NY. East Aurora was never reached. also part of Erie County Traction. * The Buffalo and Depew ran from the end of the Genesee car line in Pine Hill to Depew. It was reorganized in the early 1920s as the ''Depew and Lancaster'' and operated until 1925. * The Niagara Falls Park & River Railway (NFP&R) opened in 1893. It ran from Chippewa, Ontario to Lewiston, New York. A connection was made across the international border at Niagara Falls with the B&NF. The became part of the IRC in the 1902 merger. This line is best known for a visit by the Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII) in 1927. The IRC and the Niagara Gorge Railroad (NGRR) connected in both Lewiston and Niagara Falls, New York. The Park & River line was abandoned in 1932, following the expiration of the lease of the right-of-way through Queen Victoria Park. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「International Railway (New York–Ontario)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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