 The Cleveland , Painesville and Ashtabula became the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway in 1869 , and absorbed the Buffalo and Erie Railroad later that year . The Pennsylvania Railroad leased the Erie and Pittsburgh for 999 years in 1870 . On March 5 , 1902 , nearly 10 @,@ 000 people turned out at Union Depot to greet Prince Henry of Prussia during his tour of the United States ; the prince remained in Erie for approximately 10 minutes before his train continued to Buffalo and Niagara Falls , New York . On December 22 , 1914 , the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railroad was merged with the New York Central . 
