ALLEN McDONALD, Buffalo. New York.
A prominent and capable engineer is Allen McDonald, who was born in Buffalo on August 13, 1853. His father was Allen McDonald, Sr., a watchman in the employ of the Erie at Salamanca, and after leaving school the young man entered upon his career as a railroad man. In 1868 he secured a position as engine wiper at Salamanca, and faithfully performed the duties that fell to his lot until 1870, when he was advanced to brakeman. He ran one year between Salamanca and Meadville, and then accepted a place as fireman on the Delaware Division of the Erie. Ten years later, in January, 1881, he was promoted to engineer, and ran on the same division until March, 1882, when he resigned and accepted an engine on the New York & New England Railroad. He ran between Hartford and Fishkill Landing for four months, and then returned to the employ of the Erie, where for the past eighteen years he has run freight between Buffalo and Bradford. Mr. McDonald is a single man and is devoted to his calling. He is one of the best and most reliable runners on the division and stands very high in the esteem of his superiors. He is affiliated with Division No. 15, B. of L. E., and was Chief Engineer of this lodge one term.


Excerpted from: "American Locomotive Engineers, Erie Railway Edition," H.R. Romans Editor; Crawford-Adsit Company Publishers, Chicago, IL 1899.

From the January, 1923 issue of Erie Magazine:
Congratulations were extended to Engineer A. McDonald, the occasion being the completion of forty years' service as engineer on the Buffalo & Southwestern Division. Mr. McDonald entered the service of the company first as water boy for his father at the age of 11 years, during the time that Mr. McDonald Sr. was building fences for the company. Later he became fireman for ten years on the Delaware and Susquehanna Division.

From the October, 1923 issue of Erie Magazine:
The Ohio Region has on its roster a veteran engineer who is known throughout the system. He is Allan McDonell, and he was born in Buffalo, August 13, 1853, which makes him 70 years of age.

He entered the Erie service as water boy on the Bradford Division in 1864 and was employed in the maintenance of way department until 1868, when he was transferred to the roundhouse at Bradford, where he was employed as machinist helper and machinist. He began firing on the Delaware Division in September, 1871, and was promoted to engineer in 1881. In 1882 he was transferred to the Buffalo Division, and is now head of the seniority list on that division.

Mr. McDonell has had the unusual experience of running engines on seven divisions of the system.

From the September, 1926 issue of Erie Railroad Magazine:
Engineer Allen McDonald, Meadville Division Engineer, attended the July 21, 1926 meeting of Erie Veterans at Buffalo, NY, where he was honored for his 55 years of service.

From the November, 1927 issue of Erie Railroad Magazine:
Allen McDonell, Erie Railroad locomotive engineer, died on Sept. 30 (1927) at Gowanda, N.Y., aged 74 years.

Entering the service many years ago as a water boy on the railroad he later became a locomotive fireman and then engineer, in which latter capacity he served for thirty-five years at Port Jervis, Buffalo and other points. His later years were spent in running a passenger train on the Buffalo & South Western Railroad between Buffalo and Jamestown. Since the death of his parents, about thirty years ago, he had made his home in Buffalo.

Mr. McDonell was a fine type of a man and an employe, being loyal, upright and honorable in all the relations of life. He had a host of friends. He is survived by his nephew, Eugene McDonell, of Olean, N.Y., and other relatives at Salamanca, N.Y., Independence, Kan., and in the state of Idaho.

He was a member of Division 15, B. of L. K, Buffalo, N.Y. The funeral was largely attended on Oct. 3 from St. Teresa's church, Buffalo, and the burial was in Holy Cross cemetery, Lackawanna, N.Y.