History
The Jamestown, Chautauqua and Lake Erie Railway was one of a succession of companies operating along the eastern side of Chautauqua Lake. The company opened a line from Mayville to Westfield on July 1, 1902 and leased the Jamestown & Chautauqua Railroad. In February 1907 The Buffalo & Lake Erie Traction Company, an interurban line, bought up all the stock in the company, but continued to operate is independently. In 1913 the line went into receivership and was purchased by the Broadhead interests, owners of the Jamestown Street Railway and Chautauqua Traction Company.
Mr. C. T. Arend compiled this oral history of the line from his father, a conductor for the JC&LE.
On December 8, 1913 the Jamestown, Westfield & Northwestern Railroad took over the line and began electrifying the main line. Passenger operations ended November 30, 1947 following the death leading members of the Broadhead family. The line began diesel powered freight service which continued until January 21, 1950.
Major WNY Facilities
References
- Ebersole, Helen. 1998. Trolleys of Jamestown and Chautauqua Lake.
- Reifschneider, Felix E. 1949. Interurbans of the Empire State. Self-Published.
- Woodbury, John. 1958. Unpublished Notes.