New York, Lake Erie and Western RR

The railroad  began as the Erie Railway, from 1861 to 1878.  Because of financial battles between Cornelius Vanderbilt and Jay Gould as well as the problem of a standard railroad gauge, the Erie went bankrupt and was reorganized as the New York, Lake Erie and Western Railroad.  By June of 1880, the railroad’s standard gauge conversion was completed.  The NY,LE&W RR lasted until 1893 when it too went bankrupt.  It was reorganized as the Erie Railroad.  Note the name change from Railway to Railroad.