Historic Black & White Photo - Buffalo, New York - Central Terminal Construction, 1928

Buffalo Central Terminal, an iconic Art Deco train station located in Buffalo, New York, was constructed between 1926 and 1929 by the New York Central Railroad. The terminal was designed by architects Alfred T. Fellheimer and Steward Wagner, who were also responsible for parts of New York City’s Grand Central Terminal. Built to accommodate the growing demands of passenger rail travel in the early 20th century, the structure was intended to consolidate Buffalo’s multiple train stations into a single, grand facility.

The terminal was constructed using steel framing with brick and terra cotta cladding, giving it both durability and aesthetic distinction. At its peak, the 17-story tower stood as a prominent fixture in Buffalo’s skyline. The main concourse, with its soaring 60-foot ceilings, elegant marble finishes, and massive arched windows, reflected the opulence and optimism of the era. The facility included waiting areas, ticket counters, baggage handling systems, and retail spaces, exemplifying state-of-the-art rail infrastructure for its time.

Construction of the terminal cost roughly $14 million (equivalent to over $200 million today) and employed thousands of workers during the late 1920s. The location, in Buffalo’s East Side, was chosen for its proximity to the city’s railway arteries, allowing for efficient routing of passenger and freight trains.

Though the station declined after the mid-20th century due to the rise of automobile and air travel, its construction remains a testament to Buffalo’s once-central role in American rail transportation and the architectural ambition of the period.