Buffalo Trip

 

Prologue:

 

            In early 2026, Union Pacific announced they were sending restored Big Boy locomotive #4014 to the east coast as part of America’s 250^th celebrations. I learned it would be in Buffalo.

 

            Since Union Pacific doesn’t serve Buffalo, seeing #4014 in Buffalo was rare. I asked for the days off work and planned a trip. I would take Amtrak’s Maple Leaf to Buffalo Depew station and stay in a hotel. On the second day I would see the Big Boy on display. On the third day I would hopefully catch the Big Boy pulling out of Buffalo before catching the Maple Leaf home. The trip unfolded as follows.

 

June 9, 2026:

 

            I got to Union around 7:20 am. I stopped to buy some cheap headphones as I had forgotten a pair. I then went to join the line for the Maple Leaf. Instead of lining up I ended up sitting in an alcove in Union Station.

 

            A VIA employee checked my ticket. I learned that I was required to have had printed both pages from my ticket when in the past I’ve gotten away with the first page. Fortunately, I was able to pull up my reservation on my phone (got to love technology).

 

            Boarding began around 8:00 am. I was seated in Amfleet 1 coach #82729. This coach was still in the Phase 4b livery. I was the first person to board the coach. The train departed on time.

 

            Shortly after departing, we passed the combined VIA trains 62 and 52 running as a J-train. I noticed both trains were Siemens Venture trainsets.

 

            The conductor lifted my ticket. I didn’t have any problems with only one page printed here. I filmed an eastbound VIA train with Siemens Venture trainsets as well as the equipment in VIA’s Toronto Maintenance Center. I saw a Siemens Venture set for the upcoming rebirth of the Northlander. I also got to see some of the equipment owned by the VIA Historical Association including VIA FP9 # 6539, looking sharp in VIA colours.

 

            I worked on this report. An eastbound GO train passed. I went to the café car for a Kit Kat. The trains stopped at Oakville. We departed and stopped at Aldershot 15 minutes later.

 

            As we passed through Hamilton, I attempted to photograph a couple of CN locomotives doing some switching.

 

 

            As we passed by the factory where I’ve photographed CN switcher #7304, I looked for it but didn’t see it. The train passed by the Stoney Creek GO train station which had opened in the last year or so.

 

            The train slowed as it passed through Grimsby. For the first time in years, the train stopped at Grimsby which indicates VIA (and Amtrak by extension) still stops there. I believe that Grimsby is a flag stop. The train soon departed. I went to the café car and bought a can of Coke before it closed prior to St. Catherines.  We briefly stopped at St. Catherines before departing. In comparison, the train was stopped longer at Grimsby!

 

            The train slowed to a crawl as we passed over the Welland Canal. We slowly picked up speed. When was passed near Great Wolf Lodge’s Niagara Falls location, I attempted to photograph it but barely got a glimpse of it. I then shut my computer down prior to crossing into the United States. 

 

            The train stopped at Niagara Falls Ontario. The train made two stops to change engine crews to the Amtrak crew. The train departed and crossed into the United States.

 

            We stopped at Niagara Falls New York where we were made to get off. A dog sniffed our bags before we went in and cleared customs. I had no trouble going through. I went back into the station. It wasn’t long until we were allowed to reboard the train. I was seated in the same coach as earlier. The train left on time.

 

            My ticket was taken. I worked on this report some more. At one point, an Amtrak conductor named Jay said, “Let me guess, Big Boy”. I confirmed his guess.

 

            The train stopped for several minutes. We were soon underway. We stopped at Buffalo Exchange Street. We departed a few minutes later. We were getting close to Buffalo Depew. I readied my stuff in preparation to get off.

 

            Train #64 arrived into Buffalo Depew 10 minutes late. I got off and noticed the platform was still undergoing work as it had been in 2024 when I rode in on the Lakeshore Limited. I took some photos.

 

 

 

            I then sprinted to the parking lot where I was able to get a head end shot.

 

 

 

            I filmed the train departing and took one more photo.

 

 

            I then walked several blocks to a plaza. I had lunch at an Arby’s. I then went to a Walgreen’s and bought the NFTA version of a Presto card. I walked several blocks and caught a bus on route #32 to my hotel. I checked in and went to my room. I phoned my dad and let him know I was in Buffalo.

           

            A little while later, I walked over to the Galleria Mall and caught a bus on route #6 downtown. I decided to ride Buffalo’s light rail line.

 

            I had ridden the light rail in Buffalo way back in 1993. I could have done it back in 2007 after I arrived into Buffalo during my Washington-Cleveland trip but chose not to.

 

            A bus on route #6 came. I boarded the bus and headed downtown. I got off by the Church station on the light rail line. I photographed a couple buses.

 

 

            I then photographed the next train when it arrived.

 

 

            I rode to the end of the line at University. I got off and photographed all three cars of the train.

 

 

 

 

            I then went upstairs and saw light fixtures which made the station look cool. I photographed them.

 

 

            I saw electric Flyer #2253. I photographed it before I got on.

 

 

            I got off at a lot where the driver went for a layover. I took some photos.

 

 

 

 

 

            I filmed #2253 pulling away. I walked to a Dunkin’ Donuts. I then caught a bus back to the light rail. Once I got to University station, I photographed NFTA Nova LFS #1507.

 

 

            I then photographed a train at the platform.

 

 

            I rode to Fountain Plaza station. I got off and photographed the train.

 

 

            I filmed the train departing. I ended up walking to the next station down the line. Part of the light rail line was closed for track work. As a result, they were running on a single line with trains running 20 minutes apart. I took a photo of the older Metro logo and other things in the area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            When the next train arrived, I photographed it before I got on.

 

 

            I rode to the end of line to DL&W station. As we pulled in I noticed the station looked like an old railroad station. I got off and photographed the train.

 

 

 

 

            I would later find out the station was indeed an old railroad station. It served the Lackawanna Railroad’s premiere passenger train the Phoebe Snow.

 

            I proceeded to leave the station and took some photos.

 

 

 

            I wandered around the area. It had started to rain heavily. I took some photos.

 

 

 

 

            I made my way back to the DL&W station. I photographed the next train before I got on.

 

 

            I rode one stop and filmed the train pulling out. I took one more photo.

 

 

            I walked to Amtrak’s Buffalo Exchange Street station. I saw the next train wasn’t due for another hour. I figured there wasn’t much more I wanted to do in downtown Buffalo, so I walked over to catch the route #6 back. While waiting for my bus, I photographed another electric bus.

 

 

 

            The next bus came and I rode to a McDonald’s a short walk from the Galleria Mall. I got off and had dinner. I walked to the Galleria Mall. I had a massage in a coin operated massage chair. I then went to find where I would board a shuttle to see the Big Boy the next day. I then walked back to my hotel. I went online and worked on this report some more. I went out to a nearby store before returning to my hotel. I worked some more. I eventually arranged a wake-up call at 7:00 am and called it a night.

 

Click here to see my report on the Big Boy:             Big Boy