Buffalo Central Terminal

Hanford Searl Jr. writes:

“Enjoyed the program about the Central Terminal project on WNED-TV Sun. Was well done & informative, getting the word out about your efforts & progress. As a print journalist of 35+ yrs. in both the mainstream & gay media on both coasts (including 17 with “Billboard” in L.A., Vegas & Bflo.), I know the power of broadcasting.

The show reminded me of many, wonderful childhood trips via the NY Central to visit my mother’s mom near Albany, N.Y. Enjoying homemade, fried chicken lunches while we watched the historic Erie Canal, locks & legendary Catskill Mts. pass by-our-window. Priceless memories.

Have forwarded your web site address across-the-country, knowing the impact of PR in having worked for 2, major L.A. firms. A people, village, town, city & country are judged by how they value their past, present & future! Keep up the good work!”

Thank you, Mr. Searl!

There is always talk about what happened to the buffalo at Central Terminal. As many know, the very first buffalo was a stuffed buffalo owned by the Buffalo Science Museum and used as an advertisement.

When they took it back, it was replaced with a plaster buffalo painted to look bronze - and this is the one most people remember. During the 90s it was knocked over by a pick up truck and shattered.

Years later the University at Buffalo was looking for a buffalo to have on campus and tracked down the original molds which were used in the creation of the plaster Central Terminal buffalo. They recast him in bronze and he now sits in front of the Arts building on the North Campus.

Now we need your help. Someone attended Doors Open Niagara in October and said that UB has the molds, that he walks by them ever day. We are looking for more details on the molds, so if you are anyone you know works at UB and knows who to talk to about looking at the molds please contact us at webmaster@buffalocentralterminal.org

On the “Route 66″ video post, we got the following comments:

elizabeth lambert Says:

Wow. That is my Dad sitting at the bar to the left of Tammy Grimes! He had always told us he was on Route 66. But in Dec. of 63 I wasn’t even a month old yet so this is the first I am seeing it. Thanks!!!! What a great surprise.

wm lambert Says:

Got a call from my sister… her coment posted above… pretty cool to see the clip of our dad, just like he said, sitting next to Tammy Grimes… thank you very much for sharing this!

A little story of my own regarding “Route 66″:

My Dad and I were used as extras in a scene shot in front of the city hall in Niagara Falls. I was five years old at the time. The scene was to be in an episode called “I’m Here to Kill a King”, to be aired in November of 1963. That episode was preempted by the assassination of President Kennedy and we never saw it. I’m not sure if it ever aired.

After years of waiting for the show to be released on DVD in its entirety, I finally found it and bought it, only to find that our 15 minutes of fame was left on the cutting room floor.

No regrets though, because I found the 5 plus minutes of the terminal footage (the best pre-damage film we’ve ever seen!) and I got to read those touching comments from the Lamberts.

Lamberts, my Dad passed away 28 years ago. I would have loved to see him in film in his youth, but I am so glad that you got to see your Dad!

Often times people send in stories or little notes with their membership dues to let us know what it is about Central Terminal that they love and remember. Today is no different. Nancy wrote: “I own the former BR&P depot in LeRoy NY. It is now the D&R Depot Restaurant. I grew up in Buffalo and often, with my youth group, sang Christmas carols from the mezzanine to welcome holiday travelers.”

What a great treat that must have been! Hopefully in the future that tradition can be reborn.

Toronto resident Scott Haskill sent along this photograph, taken on May 21 1988, when the Terminal was used as an appliance show room!!