The City of Elmira proclaims October 2 as Erie Railroad Day

ELMIRA, N.Y. (WENY) -- On October 2, 1849, the first train of the New York and Erie Railroad arrived in the City of Elmira. Today, 175 years later, the city is honoring this important part of transportation history with a proclamation.

October 2, 2024, is now officially dubbed Erie Railroad Day in the City of Elmira.

When the train arrived all those years ago, passenger services began six days later. Two trains traveled each way, every day before services ended in January 1970.

For over 100 years, the New York and Erie Railroad (later renamed and simplified to the Erie Railroad until 1960) provided vital services for passengers as well as bringing great economic benefits to the city.

"It's important to let people know what the Erie Railroad actually meant to Elmira," said Mayor Dan Mandell of the City of Elmira. "To have the legacy of the Erie Railroad live on forever because it was such an important railway in our city. For all the commerce that came through, [it] also transported our troops during the civil war, and also transported the prisoners to the confederate civil war camps. So it's good for people to realize the importance of the Erie Railroad and what it meant to Elmira and its legacy."

The proclamation ceremony was held at Elmira's Erie Passenger Depot which was constructed in 1867 and is now owned by Hilliard Corporation. Representatives from Hilliard say they have been renovating the depot to preserve this key part of Elmira's history.

"It's a massive part of the history of the city, and I think it's very important that we maintain the history of it, and remember it, and keep it around to show future generations what it was all about and what it meant to the city at the time," said Jan van den Blink, the President, Chairman, and CEO of Hilliard Corporation.

While the Erie Railroad tracks have a rich history, they are still useful almost 200 years later. Today, the tracks that run through the city are still in use by Norfolk Southern.