The Livonia Avon & Lakeville Railroad was born when members of the Livonia community decided to rescue the railroad after the Erie-Lackawanna declared it planned to abandon its line from Lakeville to Livonia, NY. In 1964, members of the community, led by Chester A. Haak, began a campaign to purchase the soon to be abandoned line from the Erie Lackawanna for $13,000. After its incorporation in May of that year, passenger excursions begin with the use of GE 45-Tonner #97. This engine is later replaced by GE 44-Tonner #10. Number 97 went on to lead a successful career at the Rochester Gas & Electric Bee Bee Station near High Falls in Rochester, NY. Today, the 97 is the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum's #1941 (numbered for the year she was built.) The next year, after acquiring #17, a 2-8-2 steam engine, the LA&L uses this engine for all passenger excursion operations with the old Erie depot in Livonia as excursion headquarters.

In 1968, after #17 begins to develop mechanical issues, it is replaced with #38, a 2-8-0 steam engine. Four years later, the railroad acquires #20, an Alco RS-1. Three years after this, in 1975, #38 is place out of service in need of major boiler repairs. Number 38 was later sold to the Knox & Kane Railroad.

After the governments re-organization of six major railraods in the Northeast, Conrail becomes the LA&L's only interchange point in Avon, NY. Despite the LA&L's desire to operate the Avon-Caledonia branch, the line is excluded from Conrail and is later abandoned. In 1977, growing insurance costs force the LA&L to discontinue passenger excursions.

A year later, after acquiring # 72, an Alco S2, the LA&L sells #10. In 1981, the line to Livonia is abandoned due to a lack of support from the State of New York to repair an aging bridge. After the abandonment, the LA&L builds a team-track in Lakeville to service its customers. In this year, the LA&L also acquires another Alco, this time a C-425, numbered 425. When 1982 rolled around it is decided that a yard is needed in Lakeville to handle the growing amount of traffic that the railroad is receiving. Later in 1988, this five track yard is completed. Two years later, an engine shop and office building are built adjacent to the yard.

In 1995, the LA&L acquires yet another engine, an Alco C-420 numbered 420. The shop is extended to hold two coupled road engines. In 1996, after acquiring Conrail's "Rochester South Cluster", the railroad launches a $1.4 million rehabilitation effort. Later, the LA&L begins operation of the former Champagne Railroad as the Cohocton Valley Railroad Company, previously owned and operated by the Steuben County Industrial Developmetn Agency. With this deal, the LA&L inherits use of the railroads two remaining Alco S1 engines, number 4 and 5 to service the newly acquired railroad. With this acquisition, the railroad grows to 65 route miles. Also, four Alco C-424m locomotives are purchased. The LA&L is also named "Industry of the Year" by the Livingston County Chamber of Commerce.

After CSX and Norfolk Southern decide to split Conrail, the LA&L filed an application to remove the paper barrier that has kept the railroad from interchanging with the Rochester & Southern at Genesee Junction. With fierce opposition from CSX, the STB grants the LA&L trackage rights across the Genesee Junction Yard, trackage rights into the R&S and its yard at Brooks Avenue, and haulage rights on the R&S to Silver Springs, NY. This gave the LA&L access to three Class One railroads including CSX, Norfolk Southern, and Canadian Pacific.

At the conclusion of several infrastructure rehabilitation projects in 1998, the ex-Conrail trackage from Avon to Genesee Junction has 17,940 ties replaced and 11,400 tons of new ballast installed and tamped. The upgrades of this project turn a 5 - 10MPH railroad into a 25 MPH railroad. The Lakeville to Avon section is refitted with 4,123 new replacement ties and 5,600 tons of ballast. The ballast shoulder is widened for future installation of welded rail. Last but not least, the Bath to Cohocton section has 7,704 ties replaced and the Cohocton Industrial Track is replaced with all new track. On the Cohocton Valley Rail Corp. line, ten miles of previously unused rail between Cohocton and Wayland is re-opened. New track is also built to serve a new road de-icer processing facility. Also in this year, the LA&L gains controlling interest in the Ontario Central Railroad. Due to the Conrail split, the ONCT finally receives competitive connections to CSX and NS. LA&L Alco C-424m # 424

During 1999, the bridge on Pole Bridge Road is upgraded to handle 286,000 pound railcars. Avon Yard is also rebuilt into a more simplified configuration. The Lakeville shop is expanded to now accomodate three coupled road engines with additional floor space in a seperate bay to facilitate locomotive repair. Two of the Alco C-424m engine purchased in 1995 are repaired and reactivated. They emerge as numbers 423 and 424.

In 2001, the LA&L begins operations on the ex-Erie Lackawanna mainline between Hornell, NY and Corry, PA as the Western New York & Pennsylvania Railroad. The railroad initially provided rail service between Olean, NY and Jamestown, NY but eventually extends to more of the line as out-of-service sections are reactivated. In October of that year, the Cohocton Valley Rail Corp. is renamed as the Bath & Hammondsport Rail Corp.

Towards the end of 2005, the WNYP, leases more trackage from Norfolk Southern in Pennsylvania and continues to service more of the line. At present, the line extends from Hornell, NY to Oil City, PA.

During the summer and fall of 2006, the Livonia Avon & Lakeville received state funding for a major mainline overhaul. The railroad received several million dollars to replace the entirety of the main line with 127# Dudley CWR. The first welded rail train was spotted during the month of September when about half of the rail required to replace the main line was laid trackside. The mainline was mostly relaid over the course of the summer. In addition, Avon Yard was expanded to help increase its capacity due to increasing traffic. The entire line received a surfacing job and a 25% percent ties replacement program was conducted. After this project was completed, the line was upgraded to Class III status (good for freight up to 40MPH). The Western New York & Pennsylvania also grew in size due to a new acquisition of a large portion of the old Pennsylvania Railroad Buffalo Line.