Niagara Frontier Transit System

The Niagara Frontier Transit System is a former public transportation carrier for Buffalo, New York and the surrounding Western New York region. The Niagara Frontier Transit System began operations June 1, 1950, as a reorganization of the International Railway Company, it's predecessor. It was succeeded in 1974 by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority.

History

Organized in 1947, the Niagara Frontier Transit Commission was created to begin the process of taking over services of the then bankrupt International Railway Company. In 1950, the Niagara Frontier Transit System completed the entire process, and the International Railway Company faded into history.

Within a one-month period of assuming operations of the IRC, the NFTS switched to an all-bus system, with the final three streetcar lines completing conversion the afternoon of July 1, 1950. The last streetcar lines were the 4-Broadway, 23-Fillmore, and 24-Genesee lines, operating from the Broadway barns. Only a few weeks earlier, in the afternoon of June 17, the 8-Main, 9-Parkside and 13-Kensington streetcar lines were the final three lines to operate from the Cold Springs (Main & Michigan) barns to be converted to buses.

At the completion of streetcar service, the NFTS transported the remaining derelict cars to their Hertel and Military Road garage, where they were stripped and burned.

In 1961, another major step with the NFTS was realized with purchasing and merging operations of the Buffalo Transit Company into the NFTS operations, creating the catalyst for the start of a regional transit system.

On April 2, 1974, the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority began the merging of the NFTS with six other agencies to create a truly regional publicly owned authority, on direction from the New York State Legislature. Other companies figuring into the merger were Niagara Falls Municipal Transit System (on May 12), Lockport Bus Lines (March 15, 1975), Tonawanda-North Tonawanda Transit (October, 1974), and the line-run operations of Grand Island Transit (April 20, 1975), Niagara Scenic Bus Lines and D&F Transit (September 15, 1974).

Timeline of important events

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• 1947: The Niagara Frontier Transit Commission was created to begin the takeover of assets of the bankrupt International Railway Company.
• 1950: On June 1, 1950, the Niagara Frontier Transit System takes over the assets of the International Railway Company. The Niagara Frontier Transit System inherited a fleet of 729 buses and 175 streecars. On June 17, streetcars on the Main, Parkside and Kensington lines removed from service. On July 1, the last three streetcar of the Broadway, Fillmore and Genesee lines are removed from service. From that point forward, the Niagara Frontier Transit System became an "all bus" operated agency. At the end of streetcar service, streetcars were towed to a previous depot on Military Road at Hertel, stripped of metal, and incinerated.
• 1952-1965: The Niagara Frontier Transit System won Fleet Owner magazine's Maintenance Efficiency Award 12 times, with ten years being consecutive.
• 1954: NFTA begins radio-dispatching on their coaches.
• 1956: First air-conditioned buses arrive.
• 1959: Express service to Downtown Buffalo begins on routes 2 Clinton, 15 Seneca and 16 South Park.
• 1960: Fleet number 1000 built in-house, in hopes of the NFTS producing their own buses. The prototype bus featured, a weight-saving Hino diesel engine, coupled to a smooth-shifting European manufactured hydraulic transmission. Flxible provided a full-vision windshield. Although the bus proved to be an engineering and operational success, the NFTS opted to not begin large-scale production.
• 1961: NFTS takes over assets of the Buffalo Transit Company for $1.1 million. The acquisition plants the seed for a single agency operating all aspects of public transit service to the region.
• 1962: Owl service (overnight) is discontinued on 18 routes.
• 1963: Buffalo Transit Company officially merges with NFTS. All 36 and 45 passenger buses are sold to other agencies such as the Baltimore Transit Company, Memphis Area Transit Authority and Waukegan-North Chicago Transit Company.
• 1964: On December 31, NFTS surrenders Niagara Falls bus service to City of Niagara Falls Municipal Transit System, beginning service the following day. All gas-powered Twin Coach buses retire on December 31, too.
• 1965: Buffalo Transit Company suburban routes complete merging with NFTS city bus routes.
• 1969: NFTS has summertime labor strike, eliminating service for 42 days. Since the strike, passenger ridership dropped from 66 million riders/yr to 33 million in 1973.
• 1973: NFTS and the NFTA enter serious negotiations into the sale of the NFTS to the NFTA.
• 1974: On January 29, the NFTS accepts the offer of the NFTA to purchase the NFTS. NFTS surrenders assets to the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, after a purchase costing $9,676,000 on April 1, 1974.

Routes

Upon the takeover of the International Railway Company in 1950, the NFTS eliminated streetcar service in its first year of operation and modified a few routes to the route network.

Number	Route Name	Terminals	Routing (inner to outer terminals)	Notes
1	William	City Line- Downtown	Goethe Loop, Lovejoy, Bailey, William, Broadway, Court, Niagara Square, Court, Broadway, William, Bailey and Lovejoy to Goethe Loop.
2	Clinton	City Line- Downtown	Fernwood Loop, Clinton, Washington, Eagle, Fillmore, Clinton to Fernwood Loop.	Service extended to Lancaster (Broadway & Transit), previously Buffalo Transit Company route "L".
3	Grant	Vulcan- Downtown	Seabrook Loop, Vulcan, Skillen, Military, Grant, Hampshire, Normal, York, West, Tracy, South Elmwood, Chippawa, Pearl, Erie, Shelton Square, Niagara, Franklin, West Huron, South Elmwood, Tracy, West, Hudson, Plymouth, Hampshire, Grant, Military, Skillen, Vulcan to Kenmore.	Certain trips continue north on Military Road, Woodward, East Park Drive to Linde Air Products. Certain trips continue west on Vulcan from Skillen to Chevrolet Plant.
4	Broadway	City Line- Downtown	Wagner Loop, Broadway, Court, Niagara Square, Court, Broadway to Wagner Loop.	Two suburban timetables existed, one for Cheektowaga (covering Lochland and Cayuga branches) and one for Lancaster/Alden (covering all services east of Union Road). Added to route network in 1961. Lancaster service previously Buffalo Transit Company route "B", Lochland service previously Buffalo Transit Company route "H", Cayuga service previously Buffalo Transit Company route "W".
5	Niagara	City Line- Downtown	Baxter Loop, Vulcan, Tonawanda, Hertel, Niagara, Niagara Square, Delaware, Church, Pearl, Erie, Shelton Square, Niagara, Niagara Square, Niagara, Hertel, Tonawanda, Vulcan to Baxter Loop.	Some rush hour trips operate over Vulcan, River Road to Wickwire Plant Some rush hour trips operate over Vulcan, Kenmore to Western Electric Plant Some trips operate from Niagara onto Tonawanda (near Forest Avenue) to Hertel, then Tonawanda, Vulcan to Baxter Loop Some trips operate from Tonawanda and Ontario, over Ontario, to Newfield Street (near Skillen)
6	Sycamore	Harlem- Downtown	Thruway Plaza, Walden, Sycamore, Huron, Washington, South Division, Ellicott, East Huron, Sycamore, Walden to Thruway Plaza.	Certain trips begin inbound trips, operating over Pine Ridge Road, Doat, Randolph, Walden, Sycamore and regular routing.
7	Baynes-Richmond	Forest- Downtown	Forest & Baynes, Baynes, W Ferry, Richmond, Wadsworth, Allen, Main, Tupper, Pearl, Erie, Swan, Franklin, Allen, Wadsworth, Richmond, W Ferry, Baynes to Forest.
8	Main	City Line- Downtown	University Plaza, Main, South Park, Washington, Scott and Main to University Plaza	Additional service from Downtown Buffalo to Transit Road and Wehrle via Main Additional service from Downtown Buffalo to Ellicott Creek Road via Niagara Falls Boulevard.
9	Parkside-Zoo	City Line- Downtown	Coburg Loop, Kenmore, Starin, Parkside, Florence, Main, Swan, Pearl, Terrace, Main, Florence, Parkside, Kenmore to Coburg Loop.
10	West Utica	Niagara- Downtown	Niagara and West Ferry, West Ferry, Hampshire, Winter, Massachusetts, Brayton, West Utica, Main, Swan, Pearl, Seneca, Main, West Utica, Chenango, West Ferry, West, Albany, Niagara to West Ferry.
11	Colvin	City Line- Downtown	Virgil Loop, Kenmore, Colvin, Amherst, Delaware, Church, Shelton Square, Niagara, Delaware, Amherst, Colvin, Kenmore to Virgil.
12	East Utica	City Line- Downtown	Eggert and Langfield, Langfield, Bailey, East Ferry, Kehr, French, Fillmore, East Utica, Main, Swan, Pearl, Seneca, Main, East Utica, Fillmore, French, Kehr, East Ferry, Bailey, Langfield to Eggert.	Some trips continue over Eggert, Kensington to Kensington at City Line.
13	Kensington	Highgate- Downtown	Highgate Loop, Bailey, Kensington, Grider, East Ferry, Main, Swan, Pearl, Terrace, Main, East Ferry, Grider, Kensington, Bailey to Highgate Loop.
14	Abbott Road	City Line- Downtown	Abbott Road, South Park, Main, Eagle, Washington, South Park, Abbott to Palm.
15	Seneca Street	City Line- Downtown	Seneca City Line Loop, Seneca, Swan, Franklin, Court, Pearl, Seneca to Seneca City Line Loop.	One additional timetable covered suburban services past Seneca City Line loop in 1961.
16	South Park	City Line- Downtown	Nason Loop, South Park, Main, Mohawk, Washington, South Park to Nason.
17	Central Terminal	Central Terminal- Downtown-Hotels	Central Terminal, Paderewski, Fillmore, Broadway, Court, Niagara Square, Court, Broadway, Fillmore, Paderewski, to Central Terminal.
18	Jefferson	Main- South Park	Main and Jefferson Loop, Main, Jefferson, Swan, Hamburg, South, Louisiana, Perry, Hamburg, Swan, Jefferson, Main to Main and Jefferson Loop.
19	Bailey-McKinley	Main- McKinley Circle	Windermere Loop, Main, Bailey, Abbott Road, Southside, McKinley, McKinley Circle, McKinley, Southside, Abbott Road, Bailey, Main, to Windermere Loop.
20	Elmwood	City Line- Downtown	Blanche Loop, Kenmore, Elmwood, South Elmwood, Chippawa, Pearl, Erie, Swan, Franklin, West Huron, South Elmwood, Elmwood, Kenmore to Blanche Loop	Some service continues Kenmore Avenue to Military Road.
21	Michigan-Forest	Niagara- Downtown	Forest and Niagara, Forest, Delaware, Delavan, Harvard, Michigan, No Division, Washington, Seneca, Michigan, East North, Masten, East Ferry, Michigan, Harvard, Delavan, Delaware, Forest, West, Bird, Niagara to Forest.
22	Porter-Best	Niagara- Bailey	Lakeview and Jersey, Jersey, Seventh, Porter, Richmond, Summer, Main, Best, Walden to St. Mary's Loop (nr. Bailey), Walden, Best, Main, Summer, Richmond, Porter, Lakeview to Jersey.
23	Fillmore-Hertel	Pacific- South Park	Pacific Loop, Hertel, Main, Fillmore, North Parade, East Parade, Genesee, Fillmore, Smith, South Park, Elk, Smith, Fillmore, Genesee, East Parade, North Parade, Fillmore, Main, Hertel to Pacific Loop.
24	Genesee	City Line- Downtown	Pine Hill Loop, Genesee, Washington, Eagle, Ellicott, Genesee to Pine Hill Loop.	Service extended to Buffalo Airport, Lancaster and Wende Home from the acquisition of Buffalo Transit in 1961.
25	Delaware	Sheridan- Downtown	Delaware and Sheridan, Delaware, Church, Shelton Square, Niagara, Niagara Square, Delaware to Sheridan.
25C	Colonial Village	Eggert- Downtown	Brighton and Eggert, Brighton, Colvin, Old Colony Road, Vicksburg, Sheridan Drive, Delaware Avenue, Kenmore Avenue, Virgil Loop, Kenmore Avenue, Delaware, Sheridan Drive, Parker, Brighton to Eggert.
25H	Highland	Paramount- Downtown	Paramount Loop, Colvin, Kenmore, Delaware, Church, Shelton Square, Niagara, Niagara Square, Delaware, Kenmore, Colvin to Paramount Loop.
25W	Woodward	Waverly- Downtown	Elmwood and Waverly, Elmwood, Kenmore, Delaware, Church, Shelton Square, Niagara, Niagara Square, Delaware, Kenmore, Elmwood to Waverly.
26	Delavan	City Line- Niagara	Niagara and Delavan, Delavan, Preston Loop, Delavan, West, Penfield, Niagara to Delavan.	Some trips operate from Preston Loop to Genesee and Pine Hill Loop via Delavan, Pine Ridge Road and Genesee.
27	Sheridan-Parkside	Ensminger- City Line	Ensminger Loop, Sheridan-Parkside, Sheridan, Delaware, Kenmore, Virgil Loop, Kenmore, Delaware, Sheridan, Sheridan-Parkside to Ensminger Loop.	Some trips during rush-hours continue from Delaware and Kenmore to Downtown Buffalo via Delaware Avenue route (25).
27	Ridge Road	Ford Plant- Southgate	Turnpike, Ridge Road, Seneca Street	Became part of NFTS in 1961. Previously Buffalo Transit Company route "R".
28	Sheridan-Englewood	River Road- City Line	Sheridan and River Road, Sheridan, Delaware Road, Highland, Englewood, Kenmore, to Windermere Loop, Kenmore, Englewood, Highland, Delaware Road, Sheridan, to River Road.
29	Niagara Falls (via NF Blvd)	Niagara Falls- Buffalo- via NF Blvd	From Main and South Park, Main, Niagara Falls Blvd. to Niagara Falls.
29	Niagara Falls (via River Rd)	Niagara Falls- Buffalo- via River Road	From Main and South Park, Main, West Utica, Delaware, River Road, Buffalo Avenue to Niagara Falls.
29	Niagara Falls (via Englewood)	Niagara Falls- Buffalo- via Englewood	From Terrace, Main, Niagara Falls Blvd, Kenmore, Englewood, Highland, Colvin, Paramount, Delaware Road, Delaware Avenue, River Road, Buffalo Avenue to Niagara Falls.
30	Kenmore-River Road	Wickwire- Main	Wickwire-Spencer Steel Plant, River Road, Vulcan, Tonawanda, Ontario, Skillen, Military, Kenmore, Main to Jersey Left Loop, Main, Kenmore, Military, Skillen, Ontario, Tonawanda, Vulcan, River Road to Wickwire-Spencer Steel Plant.
31	South Buffalo Crosstown	Broadway- Bethlehem Steel	Broadway and Ogden, Broadway, Schiller, Reiman, North Ogden, William, South Ogden, Mineral Spring Road, Seneca, Cazenovia, Lorraine, McKinley, Tifft, Fuhrmann Blvd to Bethlehem Steel, Fuhrmann Blvd, Tifft, McKinley, Lorrain, Cazenovia, Seneca, Mineral Spring Road, South Ogden, William, North Ogden, to Broadway.
32	Amherst Crosstown	Niagara Bailey	Amherst and Dann, Amherst, Bailey, Berkshire, Amherst, to Dann.
33	North Tonawanda-Tonawanda	North Tonawanda- Downtown	Oliver and Fredricka, Oliver, Wheatfield, Payne, Tremont, Webster, North Niagara, Niagara, Young, Delaware Avenue, West Utica, Main, Swan, Pearl, Terrace, Main, West Utica, Delaware Avenue, Young, Niagara, North Niagara, Webster, Tremont, Payne, Wheatfield, Oliver to Fredricka.
34	Buffalo-East Aurora-Arcade	Arcade- Downtown	Loop through Downtown Buffalo via Clinton, Ellicott, Huron, Franklin, Tupper, Main, Greyhound Terminal, Pearl, Eagle, Elm, Clinton, continuing Clinton, Bowen, Jamison, Maple, Olean Road, NY 39 to Arcade	Additional variation over Clinton, Harlem, Mineral Springs, Indian Church, Union, Seneca Creek Road, Lein, Bullis, Transit, Seneca, Traffic Circle, Main, to Olean Road.
35	Hamburg via Abbott			Became part of NFTS in 1961. Previously Buffalo Transit Company route "A".
36	Hamburg via South Park			Became part of NFTS in 1961. Previously Buffalo Transit Company routes "E" and "S".
37	Hamburg - Boston via Camp Road			Became part of NFTS in 1961. Previously Buffalo Transit Company route "C".

Operating Divisions

The Niagara Frontier Transit System operated seven divisions, the Cold Spring division, the Forest division (closed in 1956), the Hertel division (closed in 1954), the Broadway divison, the Frontier division, Niagara Falls division and Main/Virginia division.

As of present, two divisions remain; the Cold Spring division and the Frontier division. A third division, the Gisel/Wolford division, replaced the Broadway division when it closed in the 1980's at the time the Gisel/Wolford division opened.

Further reading

• "A History of Public Transit in the Buffalo-Niagara Region. Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, 1999
• "Images of America-Buffalo's Historic Streetcars and Buses", D. David Bregger, 2008
• "Rochester, Lockport and Buffalo R.R. - 1908-1931", William R. Gordon, 1963
• "The Last Decade of Buffalo Trolleys", Harold J. Ahlstrom, 1973
• "90 Years of Buffalo Railways", William R. Gordon, 1970

All-time roster

Fleet Number(s)	Thumbnail	Serial Numbers	Year (Month)	Manufacturer	Model	Engine	Transmission	Notes
100-101		3685, 3809	1958	GMC	PD-4104	Detroit Diesel 6-71	Manual 4-speed	Entered service June 5, 1958. 100 named "Silver Queen". 101 named "Transit Queen".
106-107		507, 506	1961 (07)	GMC	PD-4106	Detroit Diesel 8V71	Manual 4-speed
600-629			1958	GMC	TDH-5106			Ex-Buffalo Transit Company 300-329, acquired in 1961.
700-709			1960	GMC	TDH-5302	Detroit Diesel 6V71N	Allison VH	Ex-Buffalo Transit Company 340-349 acquired in 1961.
700-772			1935	Mack	6-CW-3S			Ex-International Railway Company, acquired in 1950.
773-854			1936	Mack	6-CW-3S			Ex-International Railway Company, acquired in 1950.
855-859			1936	Mack	6-CW-4S			Gasoline-Electric Ex-International Railway Company, acquired in 1950.
860-1019			1937	Mack	6-CW-3S			Ex-International Railway Company, acquired in 1950. 38 units still active in 1950.
1000 (2nd)		-	1960	in-house				Bus built In-house.
1100-1149			1939	Mack	CW-3G			Ex-International Railway Company, acquired in 1950. Some buses sold to Wooley Bus Lines in 1953.
3000-3099			1941	Mack	LC-3G	EN-457 Gasoline		Ex-International Railway Company, acquired in 1950.
3100-3164			1942	Mack	LC-3G	EN-457 Gasoline		Ex-International Railway Company, acquired in 1950.
3700-3759		1167-1216 1227-1236	1949	Mack	C-37-DT			Ex-International Railway Company, acquired in 1950.
4000-4034			1942	Mack	CM-3G			Ex-International Railway Company, acquired in 1950. 1 unit rebuilt as a parlor bus.
4100-4149		1183-1232	1947	Mack	C-41-GT			Ex-International Railway Company, acquired in 1950. 4100-4146, 4148-4149 sold to Alexandria Barcroft & Washington Transit Company as 451-499 in 1957. 464, 467, 487, 489 r/n to 51-54 in 1967.
4500-4599		4838-4900 4907-4943	1949	Mack	C-45-DT
4600-4739		5076-5215	1950	Mack	C-45-DT			1 unit rebuilt as a parlor bus Bus assigned serial number 5194 sold/transferred to Bflo Transit, Inc. in 1973. Bus disposed in 1976.
5000-5170		93-102 120-130 542-591 887B-986B	1947	Twin	41-S			Ex-International Railway Company Buses 5071-5170 built in Buffalo (Cheektowaga), New York. Some buses repainted and equipped for school contract service in the Tonawandas. 5064 is one known bus to be converted. 29 buses sold to Fort Wayne Transit, fleet numbers 201-229. 13 buses sold to Cincinnati, Newport and Covington Transportation Company in 1959, fleet numbers 460-469 and 484-487. 38 buses sold to Harrisburg Railways Company in 1959. Only 18 used in service. Assigned fleet numbers 1041-1058. All remaining buses retired by December 31, 1964.
6000-6029		1018-1047	1954 (10/11)	Mack	C-49-DT
6100-6159		1194-1253	1955 (10/12)	Mack	C-49-DT			6157-6159 are the first air-conditioned buses in the fleet, noted by green banners stating "Airyte" the upper sides of the bus. NFTS claims that Buffalo is the first Northern city to have such buses.
6200-6244		1879-1923	1957 (03/04)	Mack	C-49-DT			To Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA-Metro).
6300-6359		2176-2235	1958 (12) 1959 (02)	Mack	C-49-DT "New Look"			102" width and first buses restyled with "New Look" front end. To Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA-Metro).
7000		0045	1953	GMC	TDH-5106 Old Look
7001-7030		0120-0149	1954	GMC	TDH-5106 Old Look			To Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA-Metro).
7100-7114		0972-0686	1957	GMC	TDH-5106 Old Look			To Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA-Metro).
7400-7459		1792-1851	1960-61	GMC	TDH-5301 New Look	Detroit Diesel 6V71N		To Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority
7460-7479			1960-61	GMC	TDH-5301 New Look	Detroit Diesel 6V71N		Originally planned to be purchased by Buffalo Transit Company, but order by Niagara Frontier Transit System instead.
7480-7489		0031-0040 ?	1960-61	GMC	TDH-5301 New Look	Detroit Diesel 6V71N
7501-7549		0282-0331	1963	GMC	TDH-5304 New Look	Detroit Diesel 6V71N		To Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA-Metro).
7600-7684		0984-1033 1481-1515	1966	GMC	TDH-5304 New Look	Detroit Diesel 6V71N		To Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA-Metro).
7685-7719		1566-1600	1967	GMC	TDH-5304 New Look	Detroit Diesel 6V71N		To Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA-Metro).
7720-7794		0081-0105, 0157-0172, 0148-0156, 0173-0197	1968	GMC	T6H-5306 New Look			To Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA-Metro). In 1991, Metro Rail shop employees restored fleet number 7754.