Depew, NY: Gould Steel Foundry (Buffalo, NY), Niagara Junction and Aban Coal Pumping Station

Foundry: (Satellite)

Junction: (Satellite)

Pumping Station: (Satellite)

Bubba Dubs posted 13 images with the comment:

Gould Coupler was a enterprise started by Chauncey Depew, president of New York Central Railroad. This steel mill made couplers, trucks and other assorted railroad specific items. 

They had (4) open hearth furnaces, and later an electric arc furnace plant. 

Started in the late 1890’s, the facility lasted until the late 70’s, early 80’s as a Dresser Rand interest. Today Buffalo Tungsten runs a plant on the property.

I took a run from my house into the old plant today and thought I’d do a little post. The old overhead shot is at a local Denny’s, and I hopped in just to shoot the picture! Hahah the employees most likely think I’m nuts, but it’s all in the name of steel history!

1
Overall shot of the property

2
The open hearth building being constructed

3
The open hearth building today in a serious state of disrepair

4
My route

5
Corner stone

6

7
Former electric arc furnace building. Legend has it, this furnace was sent to China

8
Original building, seen in later pictures from the other side

9
Old mill architecture

10
Open hearth

11
Coal gasification plant

12
Building in the first couple of photos

13
Scrap area to the left, replaced later by electric furnace building

I included the land to the west to get the railroad names.

1950 Lancaster Quad @ 24,000

Bubba Dubs posted again with four additional photos.

Bob Serafin: Chauncey Depew was the Chairman of the New York Central railroad. 4 railroad lines came through and he with some investors bought the land and formed the village of Depew. He then setup the NYC locomotive repair shops. Jay Gould set up Gould Couple and Gould Battery. A number of other rail related industries were set up. Depew was a thriving village. Two street car lines to connect with Buffalo. Olmsted's nephew laid out the village park and street design on the Southside. Buffalo did not want Depew to grow so they limited its availability to water. Depew then formed the Erie County water authority with other villages.

a
The building to the right is a original structure

b
DL&W tracks on left of property

c
1 of 4 open hearth furnaces from inside

d
Similar shot from above [of photo 13] and you can see the electric furnace building where it replaced the scrap run.

Brian R. Wrobelewski posted

Telestrator Time! Here's all the different lines at the old Niagara Junction in Depew.

Black = New York Central (now CSX)

Red= Lehigh Valley (now abandoned)

Green= DL&W (now operated by the 80s era shortline also called "DL&W" but abandoned EAST of Lancaster)

Blue= Erie (Now NS)

Bill Stone commented on Brian's post
That round shape next to the Lehigh Valley was the old Depew water pumping station reservoir. It was a coal fired pumping station. The property is now owned by ECWA.