Railroad Forums 

  • Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum Discussion

  • Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in New York State.
Pertaining to all railroading subjects, past and present, in New York State.

Moderator: Otto Vondrak

 #1397144  by Otto Vondrak
 
BR&P wrote:Now if we could only get the R&GV museum to let it get realistically "broken in" with dust on the floor, dirty windows, stale cigar smoke lingering in the air, etc!
Within reason :-) I'm actually working on getting appropriate props installed in the cabooses that show bacon and eggs being cooked on the stove, 1950s pin-ups and calendars on the wall... Just enough to lend some ambiance and context.

-otto-
 #1419143  by Otto Vondrak
 
Our museum will celebrate 80 years of preserving Rochester's rich railroading heritage this year! Our organization was founded on February 4, 1937, as the Rochester Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, and has since grown to include the largest collection of historic trains in New York State. We have many special events planned for the coming year. Here's announcements on our upcoming meetings that are FREE and open to the public.

http://www.rgvrrm.org/february-16-museum-meeting/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Join us for our monthly meeting on Thursday, February 16, 2017, located at the 40&8 Club, 900 University Ave., Rochester, N.Y. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. Brief business meeting followed by entertainment program. Member Jeremy Tuke will present photographs illustrating the history of the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern Railroad, which operated a roughly 190-mile mainline between Brockway, Pa., and Wayland, N.Y. The railroad shut down in 1947, though some pieces still remain. Cash bar available. Museum bookstore is open prior to meeting and during intermission. This event is FREE and open to the public.

http://www.rgvrrm.org/march-16-museum-meeting/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Join us for our monthly meeting on Thursday, March 16, 2017, located at the 40&8 Club, 900 University Ave., Rochester, N.Y. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. Brief business meeting followed by entertainment program. Cash bar available. Museum bookstore is open prior to meeting and during intermission. This event is FREE and open to the public. Member Duncan Richards will present an exciting and colorful gallery of scenes around Rochester in the years immediately following the Conrail split of 1999.

Find us on Facebook and give us a like!

https://www.facebook.com/rgvrrm/events/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

-otto-
 #1420636  by Otto Vondrak
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 14, 2017

Railroad Museum Celebrates 80 Years with Steam Engine Visit

Eighty years ago this month, ten railroad enthusiasts met at the old New York Central station in downtown Rochester to found the organization that would grow to become the largest collection of historic trains in New York State. Now known as the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum, the highlight of their 80th anniversary will be the first visit of steam locomotive to the Rochester area since 1954.

The museum found its permanent home in 1971 when volunteers purchased the old Industry depot in the town of Rush from the Erie Lackawanna Railroad. The museum’s collection has since expanded to include more than 40 freight and passenger cars, cabooses, diesel locomotives, and two steam engines. Although the steam engines are years away from operation, the dreams of steam are about to come true. “Having an operating steam engine has always been a goal of our museum,” said president Mike Dow, “With Viscose 6 visiting this summer, it finally becomes a reality.” On August 19-20 and 26-27, the museum will host Viscose Co. No. 6, a vintage switch engine that once operated for the American Viscose Co. in Roanoke, Virginia. Purchased by a private individual in 2004, Viscose No. 6 was restored to operation in 2007 and appears at festivals around the northeast. Not only is this the first steam train to operate at the museum, but also the first to operate in the Rochester area in more sixty years!

A number of special events are scheduled to help mark the museum’s 80th anniversary, beginning with enjoyable Easter Bunny Train Rides on April 15. The following month, local craft breweries partner with the museum to present Rails and Ales on May 20. Visitors will see the progress to restore Rochester Subway Car 60 during Subway Heritage Weekend on June 17-18. The museum will host local artists presenting a craft show along with train rides on July 15-16. In August the museum will host their very first steam engine, Viscose No. 6. A vintage diesel donated by the Livonia, Avon & Lakeville Railroad will be the centerpiece of the museum’s annual Diesel Days celebration on September 16-17. Popular Pumpkin Patch Train Rides will return for the last three weekends October. The museum’s annual Fall Foliage Express will be operated with the cooperation of the LA&L Railroad during the first week of October. The museum’s season will conclude in December with special train rides to the North Pole to visit Santa Claus.

The museum enjoyed record-breaking attendance last year, and wants to continue that momentum. “With five major railroad companies serving Rochester at one time, our founders realized the important part the industry played on the development of our community,” Dow says. “Eighty years later, our volunteers are carrying on their original mission and growing. We intend to be here another 80 years, and then some.”

For more information about the museum, visit http://www.rgvrrm.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, and for train schedules and tickets, visit http://www.RochesterTrainRides.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

##

-otto-
 #1420641  by Otto Vondrak
 
2017 R&GV Schedule

- April 15 – Easter Bunny Train Rides

- May 20 – Rails and Ales Train Rides

- June 17-18 – Rochester Subway Heritage Weekend

- July 15-16 – Craft Show and Train Rides

- August 19-20– Real Steam Train Rides
- August 26-27– Real Steam Train Rides

- September 16-17 – Diesel Days Train Rides

- October 14-15 – Pumpkin Patch Trains
- October 21-22– Pumpkin Patch Trains
- October 28-29– Pumpkin Patch Trains

- December 9 – Santa Trains
- December 16 – Santa Trains

Please visit http://www.RochesterTrainRides.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; to purchase your tickets today.

The Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum reserves the right to alter the schedule or substitute equipment without prior notice.
 #1420700  by NYCRRson
 
Wow, Eighty years already...

I remember way back in the old days when a volunteer's contributions "Above and Beyond" where remembered with a special ceremony, like naming one of the cars in the excursion car fleet for an instrumental member that helped made that happen, or installing a plaque on the first locomotive to arrive on the property in honor of the volunteer that made that happen, or a ceremony to thank that volunteer that helped collect many of the pieces and maintain the locomotives in operable condition for almost two decades.... Or the folks that donated effort and money to build the restoration building and equip it with rails and machine tools.... And the folks that operated the excursion cars before they arrived at their new home thereby raising funds to "keep the lights on"

Here's a really good chance for Otto and Mike to thank all of those folks that came before them and enabled this museum.... Surely they appreciate all those efforts....

Cheers, Kevin
 #1420743  by Otto Vondrak
 
NYCRRson wrote:I remember way back in the old days when a volunteer's contributions "Above and Beyond" where remembered with a special ceremony...
You're right, Kevin, recognizing volunteers is very important. Since your departure from the museum, many of the ceremonial actions you suggest continue to take place, along with new recognition methods instituted by the board. Our monthly newsletter is also another way we highlight the contributions of our members and volunteers. There's so much activity, sometimes it's hard to keep up.
Here's a really good chance for Otto and Mike to thank all of those folks that came before them and enabled this museum.... Surely they appreciate all those efforts...
Sure do. I'm just one trustee on a board of 12, decisions of any kind of Special Recognition are not just the decision of one person alone. The good news is we have more new volunteers than ever before, and we are welcoming new faces every day. If anyone is interested in becoming a member or a volunteer, we'd be interested in hearing from you.

http://www.rgvrrm.org/volunteer/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

-otto-
 #1420911  by NYCRRson
 
Otto, your "history" of the museum seems to be lacking two whole decades when the "Motive Power Department" maintained and safely operated the Locomotive "Fleet". The Motive Power Department did in fact support successful "Diesel Day" operations for almost a full decade with fun and safe train rides offered to paying customers.

Perhaps you and your board of "12" directors could revisit the actual factual history of the museum and correctly record the simple fact that safe and enjoyable train rides with historic diesel locomotives occurred for well over a decade before you "inherited" an operating railroad museum. Inheriting an already operating historic railroad museum is a whole heck of a lot easier than starting one from scratch, which is what the people that came before you did in fact do.

Simple fact, you should report it accurately to respect the folks that made it happen.

Cheers, Kevin
 #1420918  by lvrr325
 
History all depends on those who write it. If you were involved perhaps you could put together the missing informatiion so that all Otto or whomever edits their website needs to do is copy and paste your text where appropriate.
 #1420951  by Otto Vondrak
 
lvrr325 wrote:History all depends on those who write it. If you were involved perhaps you could put together the missing informatiion so that all Otto or whomever edits their website needs to do is copy and paste your text where appropriate.
That fact of the matter is that there have been literally hundreds of volunteers and members who have contributed to the museum's success and growth over the years. It's not "my" history, though Kevin is correct that Motive Power is one of the departments that contribute to that success. The brief history posted on our web site is in no way a detailed and exhaustive record of 80 years of activity, that could fill a book!

-otto-
 #1423004  by Otto Vondrak
 
80th Anniversary Museum Banquet
Saturday March 18, 2017


We are pleased to announce our guest speaker will be none other than Doug Eisle. Besides being a life-long railfan, Doug has just wrapped up a 23-year career at Genesee Valley Transportation. He worked as a conductor, engineer, and superintendent at the Depew, Lancaster & Western and the Falls Road Railroad through the 1990s, and later because director of Operations, Safety & Regulatory Compliance for all five GVT railroads. While Doug’s slide collection dates back to 1968 and numbers more than 250,000, he has promised to share only a few choice selections during our banquet program. We are pleased to have Doug join us, as you’ll learn from his presentation that the story of GVT’s growth and development is tied closely with our own.

Join us at the River’s Edge Party House, located off Scottsville Road, near the airport. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. for cocktail hour (cash bar), dinner seating begins at 7:00 p.m. Award presentations, guest speaker, and dessert service follow buffet dinner. Proceeds from the event go towards funding our various museum activities.

This event is open to the public. Tickets are $35.00 each and can be purchased online at http://www.rgvrrm.org/march-18-80th-ann ... y-banquet/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

-otto-
RGVRRM
 #1428350  by Otto Vondrak
 
April 20 – Bob Zimmerman presents “Cleveland 1975-1983”

Join us for our monthly meeting at the 40&8 Club, 933 University Ave., Rochester, N.Y., located across the street from Gleason Works. Free parking in Greek Othrodox Church parking lot next door. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. Brief business meeting followed by entertainment program. Cash bar available. Museum bookstore. This event is FREE and open to the public.

Bob Zimmerman presents “Cleveland 1975-1983.” In the mid-1970’s, many of Penn Central’s Alcos and F-units migrated from western New York to Cleveland, Ohio. On October 31, 1975, Amtrak inaugurated the Lake Shore Limited, providing service west of Buffalo. Cleveland has had an extensive rapid transit system, making it possible to travel from the lakefront Amtrak station to Collinwood Yard and other points of interest without a car. Take a look at early Conrail operations, plus Norfolk & Western, the industrial flats, Shaker Heights PCC’s, and the Airporter line, with a few surprises along the way.

http://www.rgvrrm.org/april-20-bob-zimm ... 1975-1983/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

-otto-
rgrvrrm
 #1428744  by Otto Vondrak
 
May 6 – Day Trip to Buffalo

The Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum is sponsoring a special railfan day trip to Buffalo, N.Y., on Saturday, May 6. The trip will depart from our museum parking lot at 9:00 a.m. sharp where we will travel via deluxe motorcoach to Buffalo. Our group will tour two important pieces of Buffalo transportation history.

We will ride the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority’s Metro Rail line, the only light rail transit operation in the state. Following our end-to-end ride, we will tour the NFTA shops, which are located in the old Lackawanna train shed. In January, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced state backing for a proposed extension of Metro Rail into Amherst to serve UB North Campus. Following the tour, we will break for lunch at a local downtown restaurant (on your own).

After lunch, we will be the guests of the Central Terminal Restoration Corp. for a special private tour of Buffalo Central Terminal. Built in 1929 by the New York Cetnral, the last Amtrak train departed in 1979, and Conrail moved their dispatching offices out the following year. CTRC has been working since 1997 to stabilize the property and find a responsible partner for development. Following the tour, we will return via motorcoach to the museum.

Tickets are $80.00 per person ($75.00 for RGV members), and are available by pre-sale only. Your ticket includes round-trip deluxe motorcoach service (restrooms and air conditioning), the ride on NFTA Metro Rail, tour of the NFTA shops, and tour of Buffalo Central Terminal. Seats are limited, purchase your tickets today!

http://rochestertrainrides.com/event/ma ... o-buffalo/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

-otto-
rgvrrm
 #1428745  by Otto Vondrak
 
May 20 - Rails & Ales

The craft brew movement is sweeping the nation. According to the New York State Brewers Association, new breweries grew from just 95 in 2011 to more than 240 in 2015! As part of this growth, the Rochester area is home to scores of new breweries with their delicious and unique craft beers. All aboard for Rails & Ales at the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum on Saturday, May 20, to discover more about Rochester’s craft brewing scene and enjoy our railroading heritage. A limited number of tickets will be available to enjoy beer tastings and train rides at the museum between 12:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Participating breweries include Iron Tug Brewing, Railhead Brewing, 810 Mead Works, OSB Ciderworks, Swiftwater Brewing, Triphammer Bierwerks, Blue Toad Hard Cider, Rootstock Ciderworks, and the Upstate New York Homebrewers Association. Talk to the brewers and enjoy tastings from several local breweries and visit New York’s largest collection of historic trains.

The event begins at our restored 1909 Erie Railroad train station located off Route 251 in the town of Rush. You will be greeted by friendly volunteers as you board your train ride that tours our museum grounds. A self-guided tour of our exhibits is part of the mile-and-a-half round-trip. Refreshments will be available for purchase. Tasting tickets are $20.00 per person. Designated drivers are $15.00. Please ride responsibly, 21 and over only please (I.D. required).

Trains depart every half hour from 12:00-5:00 p.m. from our train station on Route 251 in the town of Rush. Purchase your advance tickets today at RochesterTrainRides.com, and see our full schedule of events.

http://rochestertrainrides.com/event/ma ... -and-ales/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

-otto-
rgvrrm
 #1429042  by Otto Vondrak
 
New photos have been posted to our museum's Flickr account showcasing some of our activity from 2017. Enjoy!

Easter Bunny Train Rides:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/rgvrrm/al ... 9423373194" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

2017 Museum Activities:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/rgvrrm/al ... 8696115362" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You can also visit our Flickr site to find a wide variety of history photos related to Rochester and the surrounding areas:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/rgvrrm/al ... 8696115362" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Enjoy!

-otto-
rgvrrm
 #1441476  by Otto Vondrak
 
Ride behind a real steam train on August 26-27

You’ve heard of Thomas the Tank Engine™, here’s his real-life cousin! For the first time in more than fifty years, the hills will once again echo with steam whistles when the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum hosts real steam train rides on August 19-20 and 26-27. The museum will host Viscose Co. No. 6, a vintage steam locomotive that once operated for the American Viscose Co. in Roanoke, Virginia.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/aug-26-27- ... 6570822314" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Enjoy a ride in our new open-air touring car so you can experience all the sights and sounds of the steam locomotive as it works hard to pull against the steep grades. Seats are also available inside our caboose if you prefer a quieter ride. Thanks to the cooperation of the neighboring New York Museum of Transportation, visitors will be able to enjoy an extended two-mile round trip through our bucolic museum grounds.

https://www.facebook.com/pg/rgvrrm/videos" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Live entertainment will be provided by banjo player Mike Kornrich. Visitors will also enjoy a live blacksmithing demonstration while they tour our museum exhibits and our large collection of historic trains. Refreshments will be available for purchase, including a full grill menu. Our museum gift shop is stocked with many railroad souvenirs for any train buff. Take a ride through history… ALL ABOARD!

ADULTS: $20.00 ea. - YOUTH (5-17)/SENIORS (65+): $15.00 ea.
Age 4 and under ride free, no ticket required.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/aug-26-27- ... 6570822314" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
  • 1
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11