Hornell had four rail lines, though the companies operating the railroads often changed names, routes, and ownership: The main Erie Railroad line, connecting New York City (terminal in Hoboken, New Jersey) and Dunkirk, New York. Erie's Buffalo line. This began as the Attica and Hornellsville Railroad (1845–1851), which became part of the Buffalo and New York City Railroad, which extended the line to Buffalo and operated it from 1852 to 1861, when it was acquired by Erie. Hornell was the junction and transfer point for the two main branches of the Erie. A line running to the northeast, from a separate depot on Seneca St. near Adsit, connecting Hornell via Wayland with Geneva. The company was the Geneva Southwestern and Hornellsville Railway (1872–1875), then the Geneva and Hornellsville Railway (1875–1876), and the Geneva, Hornellsville and Pine Creek Railway (1876–1879), and the Rochester, Hornellsville and Lackawanna Railroad (1886–1889), then the Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western, or Lackawanna for short. Later the Pittsburg, Shawmut and Northern Railroad ran on this route one train in each direction per day, connecting Hornell with Angelica to the west and Wayland to the north. The Hornellsville Electric Railway Company and Hornellsville & Canisteo Railway Company, consolidated in 1909 as the Hornell Traction Company, provided service to North Hornell, Canisteo, and within the city, linking the Lackawanna and Erie depots, from 1892 until 1926.
Hornell had four rail lines, though the companies operating the railroads often changed names, routes, and ownership: The main Erie Railroad line, connecting New York City (terminal in Hoboken, New Jersey) and Dunkirk, New York. Erie's Buffalo line. This began as the Attica and Hornellsville Railroad (1845–1851), which became part of the Buffalo and New York City Railroad, which extended the line to Buffalo and operated it from 1852 to 1861, when it was acquired by Erie. Hornell was the junction and transfer point for the two main branches of the Erie. A line running to the northeast, from a separate depot on Seneca St. near Adsit, connecting Hornell via Wayland with Geneva. The company was the Geneva Southwestern and Hornellsville Railway (1872–1875), then the Geneva and Hornellsville Railway (1875–1876), and the Geneva, Hornellsville and Pine Creek Railway (1876–1879), and the Rochester, Hornellsville and Lackawanna Railroad (1886–1889), then the Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western, or Lackawanna for short. Later the Pittsburg, Shawmut and Northern Railroad ran on this route one train in each direction per day, connecting Hornell with Angelica to the west and Wayland to the north. The Hornellsville Electric Railway Company and Hornellsville & Canisteo Railway Company, consolidated in 1909 as the Hornell Traction Company, provided service to North Hornell, Canisteo, and within the city linking the Lackawanna and Erie depots, from 1892 until 1926.