Rochester Chapter NRHS

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2010-10-13T21:21:00.001-04:00

Please come and visit us at the blog for the
Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum.

Attention please!

2010-05-12T22:40:00.000-04:00

In the archives of the Rochester Chapter NRHS are several reel to reel tapes of Penn Central train announcements which were played in many stations across of the Penn Central and previously the New York Central System. The Chapter has transferred these and would like to share two of them here with you as MP3s.

'Attention please! Empire Service...' - A Penn Central Railroad train annoucement announcing Train 61 departing from Harmon Station.

'Atention please! A local train to NY...' - A Penn Central Railroad train annoucement announcing a local train departing from Harmon Station and headed toward Grand Central terminal.

We will share more of these announcements in the future. We hope you enjoy them.

Air Brake Class Rescheduled, Rules Class Continues

2010-05-04T12:33:00.003-04:00

Due to circumstances beyond our control, we will have to cancel the Air Brake class scheduled for 1:00 P.M. on Sunday, May 9. We are sorry for any inconvenience caused by this. We will be re-scheduling the class to a date to be determined. The R&GVRRM Rules Class from 9:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. will still be held as planned.

Latest Rochester Chapter newsletter available

2010-04-15T23:36:00.000-04:00

Interested to learn more about what is going on with the Rochester Chapter NRHS and the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum? Read the April 2010 issue of our newsletter, The Semaphore, online in PDF. And if you want to read more, please check out our online newsletter archive.

Safety Wherever!

2010-04-09T21:49:00.007-04:00

Safety has been something that railroads have tried to keep in the forefront for many years. They have used many different methods to try to convey good safety practices which are typically spelled out by the railroads' rulebooks. Here we have a few examples of New York Central Railroad safety posters from the 1950s from the Rochester Chapter's collection.

Latest Rochester Chapter newsletter available

2010-03-23T23:09:00.000-04:00

Interested to learn more about what is going on with the Rochester Chapter NRHS and the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum? Read the March 2010 issue of our newsletter, The Semaphore, online in PDF. And if you want to read more, please check out our online newsletter archive.

Car illustrations from a 1928 MDT calendar

2010-03-10T22:21:00.000-05:00

Merchants Despatch Transportation called East Rochester, NY home and most of its railroad cars were built there starting in 1898. Here are several illustrations scanned from a 1928 MDT 12-month calendar showing some of the different cars and specifically refrigerator cars that were built by MDT for different purposes.

Another trip from the past - Steam Power in Ontario on July 19, 1959

2010-03-03T23:49:00.005-05:00

Another trip from the Rochester Chapter's past. This time a trip behind Canadian steam on the Canadian Pacific Railway, Toronto-Hamilton & Buffalo Ry. and the New York Central on Sunday, July 19, 1959. Motivepower... Two CPR D-10 class 4-6-0 steam engines dating from between 1908&1913 pulling 14-16 cars. The trip departed Ft. Erie, but bus service was available from Buffalo, Rochester & Jamestown. Cost for the trip only: $7.50. Cost from Rochester: $9.75. As we have asked with other trips, we would welcome any recollections, photographs or other information about this trip from the Rochester Chapter's past. Please contact us if you have anything to share.

Advertising for the new 'Empire State Express'

2010-02-28T00:01:00.001-05:00

In 1941, the New York Central was preparing to re-launch its Empire State Express passenger train in its golden anniversary year. Print advertising was critical to getting the word out about how this already famous train was about to become the "World's Newest and Finest Streamliner" when it was re-equipped with all new Budd built stainless steel passenger cars. A sample of the advertising is shown to the left. It is interesting to see the different points they used to sell the train including, "...historic murals and fluorescent lighting beautify its spacious parlor cars and coaches...". The Empire was relaunched on December 7, 1941.

The Rochester Chapter's Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum is proud to have preserved seven of the cars from the original 1941 Empire State Express. The R&GVRRM has six coaches and one of the two Railway Post Office cars. The cars are currently located at the R&GVRRM with work underway across all of the cars including the replacement of all of the window glazing; a job that was recently completed with the window modules completely rebuilt in the five in service coaches. Additionally, NYC #2567 is currently in the museum's restoration shop receiving restoration work on both the interior and exterior.

Ride the Auburn Road on October 3, 1965

2010-02-27T22:37:00.001-05:00

On Sunday, October 3, 1965, the Rochester & Buffalo Chapters of the National Railway Historical Society ran an Autumn Leaf Special with a portion of the ride on the then freight only New York Central 'Auburn Road'.   The trip started in Buffalo with the route being the New York Central main to Lyons with stops in Batavia & Rochester then the Fall Brook to Geneva then the Auburn Road to Syracuse and then the main line all the way back from Syracuse to Buffalo.   Cost for this all day excursion?   $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for kids!

This flier was originally posted to our blog a few months back, yet we didn't receive any new info.   We would still like to hear from anyone that rode this trip.   Have any recollections to share?   What was the consist? Any pictures to share?   Please contact us.

Thanks for looking.   And more to come... From the archives of the Rochester Chapter NRHS...

Take a trip on the Erie from Rochester to NYC on May 2, 1899

2010-02-21T22:24:00.003-05:00

The broadside poster was once the staple of railroad special trip advertising. Here we find one from the Rochester Chapter's archives advertising a May-Day trip from Rochester, NY to New York City for "Only $7.00 Round Trip!" It helps that this poster is for May 2, 1899, and to get this price, you need to return before May 7, 1899. Departures were 6AM or 5PM from Rochester, and you needed to see the Passenger Agent if you wanted to make Pullman accommodations. Jump ahead 111 years, the cost as of 2/21/2010 for a coach round-trip ticket on Amtrak... $110.00.

February (2/18/2010) general membership meeting notice

2010-02-12T22:23:00.002-05:00

The Rochester Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society is pleased to announce that it will hold its February 2010 general membership meeting this coming Thursday evening, February 18th at the 40&8 Club.

The meeting will feature "A History of Dining Car Operations on the Erie, Lackawanna, and Erie Lackawanna" - a look at the origins and growth of dining car operations as well as how hundreds of meals were served every day through the end of service as well as the effort to recreate the dining car experience today by Tim Stuy.

Tim is currently the President of the Erie Lackawanna Dining Car Preservation Society (www.eldcps.org). He worked briefly for the Communications & Signals Department of Conrail. He was membership chairman of the Erie Lackawanna Historical Society 1985-1988. Tim founded the NYS&W Technical & Historical Society in 1988 and served as president for 5 years. Tim founded the New Jersey Midland Railroad Historical Society in 1994 and served as its president from 1994 to 2008.

Visitors are always welcome! You do not need to be a Rochester Chapter NRHS member to attend. The meeting starts at 7PM with some time to socialize and peruse the Rochester Chapter's book store. You can also check out our railroad library co-located at the 40&8 Club. A short business meeting will take place between 7:30PM and 8PM with the show starting around 8:15PM. The meeting is held at the 40&8 Club which is located at 933 University Avenue(Across from the Gleason Works between Culver Road and Goodman Street) in the City of Rochester.

We hope those in the greater Rochester area will come out to see this great program.

Latest newsletter available - February 2010

2010-02-08T23:11:00.000-05:00

Interested to learn more about what is going on with the Rochester Chapter NRHS and the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum? Read the February 2010 issue of our newsletter, The Semaphore, online in PDF. And if you want to read more, please check out our online newsletter archive.

From the roof - East Rochester Car Shops

2010-02-06T21:38:00.000-05:00

The Rochester Chapter NRHS and its Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum have worked very hard to preserve the history of the Merchants Despatch Transportation East Rochester Despatch Car Shops in both artifacts and images. The R&GVRRM rosters two MDT reefer cars (one built in East Rochester) and one caboose built in East Rochester. They also have an exhibit on MDT and the Despatch Car Shops in one of their MDT reefer cars, MDT #14053. The exhibit features images and artifacts from MDT including the following photographs from the Rochester Chapter's collection taken in color from the roof in what we believe to be the late 1940s or very early 1950s. Have a better idea of when they were taken? Please contact us.

The Rochester Chapter NRHS and the R&GVRRM are always looking for additional images and artifacts to add to our collection and our exhibit. We also welcome people to come and see the exhibit during our operating season.

Latest newsletter available - January 2010

2010-01-13T22:00:00.003-05:00

Interested to learn more about what is going on with the Rochester Chapter NRHS and the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum? Read the January 2010 issue of our newsletter, The Semaphore, online in PDF. And if you want to read more, please check out our online newsletter archive.

AFT at Rochester's Regional Market

2009-12-14T23:14:00.007-05:00

In a recent thread on railroad.net on Rochester's Regional Market (see our original post on the Market), a follow-up question was asked if the American Freedom Train was on display at the Regional Market. The answer was yes. The AFT was at the Market from May 7-12, 1975. The engine #1, ex-Reading T-1 #2101, is seen here in an image from the Charles Belt Collection of the Rochester Chapter NRHS.

According to this timeline, the train traveled to Cleveland, OH following the Rochester stop where there was finally time to give the engine, "a proper paint job." The auxiliary tender seen behind #1 above appears to be in primer. The timeline also states that at Cleveland, "Artist Bob Lorenz gives the former #2101 the second of three paint schemes she will wear during her Bicentennial journeys."

And more to come... From the archives of the Rochester Chapter NRHS...

Latest Rochester Chapter newsletter available

2009-12-11T23:34:00.000-05:00

Interested to learn more about what is going on with the Rochester Chapter NRHS and its Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum? Read the December issue of our newsletter, The Semaphore, online in PDF. And if you want to read more, please check out our online newsletter archive.

68 Years Ago...

2009-12-07T00:00:00.018-05:00

While December 7, 1941 is best known for one anniversary, Pearl Harbor Day, it is also an anniversary for those interested in the passenger operations of the New York Central Railroad.   On this day, the New York Central debuted its newly re-equipped Empire State Express.   Two trains of new Budd built streamline equipment went into service as the Empire celebrated its 50th anniversary. To let riders know about the special day, a souvenir was offered. A postal cover from the first run canceled on the train's RPO car which included a specially printed envelope and the card to the left highlighting details of the streamliners inaugural run.

Here we have two examples of the cover's specially printed envelope.   One for Mr. Earl Horsington in Skaneateles, NY and one for Mrs. M. Munson in Whitesboro, NY.   One typed and one handwritten.

Thus as we remember Pearl Harbor Day, some railroad historians take note of this New York Central anniversary. It has a special meaning for the Rochester Chapter NRHS and its Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum as the museum rosters seven cars from the 1941 re-equipping of the Empire.    Six coaches and one RPO (possibly the RPO that made the cancellations above) are under active restoration at the museum for continued use in excursions.    So the Empire State Express lives on here in the archives of the Rochester Chapter NRHS and in the preserved equipment of the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum.    Want to help us continue to preserve both? Please consider a donation to our annual fund drive.   We also welcome people to come out to help us work on both our archives and our equipment.

And more to come... From the archives of the Rochester Chapter NRHS...

Rochester's Regional Market - Rochester Railroad Association - 1966

2009-11-20T23:12:00.000-05:00

In a posting on railroad.net, a question was asked about rail service to Rochester's Regional Market. One poster told of a 1966 trip of the Livonia, Avon & Lakeville's steam engine #17 to the Regional Market for a display for the Rochester Railroad Association. Digging into the Rochester Chapter's photo archives, we found the following images of the #17 traveling to the market via Batavia and photographs of the event at the market. The images are taken from the Harold Caulkins Collection of the Rochester Chapter NRHS.

The Rochester Chapter NRHS would welcome information on the photographs to better document the images. Please contact us if you have something to offer. Thanks!

And to add some more detail to the images, this was offered by one poster:

"The Regional Market also hosted at least two open houses for the Rochester Railroad Association in the mid 60s'. All the carriers serving Rochester participated. Most supplied the newest and best appearing on the rails at that time, although some older albeit freshly repainted equipment appeared as well.

The Rochester Railroad Association was comprised mainly of Traffic, Sales and Marketing representatives from all the railroads with both an operating and non-operating presence in the Rochester area. At that time out of town carriers such as the Southern, Missouri Pacific and others had sales offices in Rochester to call on the traffic departments of area manufacturing companies.

The event was popular and in previous years was hosted at such places as the Exchange Street yard of the Erie/E-L.

In 1966 the LAL departed Livonia with steam engine #17 and two Stillwell coaches. At Avon we picked up a new EL bay window caboose. At G&W Junction near P&L we picked up the GNWR office car Edward II. The whole menagerie then operated over the EL to Batavia, where we crossed over to the NYC downtown trackage thence proceeded east on the NYC main to Chili Jct then down the shore to the Regional Market. This was a whole day trip in the most miserable wet weather. A lot of area railroad officials rode this trip along with a few stowaways.

The weekend event on the other hand was in stellar weather and a good turn out was had."

Auditing the Erie's Rochester station - 1/24/1927

2009-11-16T12:20:00.006-05:00

The Erie Railroad had a station in downtown Rochester.   Located on the south side of Court Street on the west side of the Genesee River, the station was the end of the line for the Erie's Rochester Division which passes by the Rochester Chapter's Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum in Rush.    Long gone having been torn down many years back, one can only wonder about the details of the daily operation of the Erie's downtown station.    Well... Here is a snapshot in time of the station; an audit form from January 24, 1927 showing its employees with their wages, its scope & equipment and its revenue.
The Erie station had ten employees, at least two of which were women.   We find that Mr. C.J. Gilbert was the ticket agent at the time.   He made $198.00 per month.   There were 3 ticket clerks, one telegraph & information clerk, one station baggage agent, one day baggage man, one night baggage man, one baggage agent's helper, and one janitress.
We find that the office was 20'x20' with 9250 square feet of passenger platforms. The depot was equipped with three two-wheel and five four-wheel baggage carts along with a Fairbanks Standard #23 platform scale.
Monthly revenue was $8582.00 while the station handled 600 bags and 2100 parcels "under check" while serving a population of 330,000.
   Finally we note that at this time, the Erie's Rochester station not only served the Erie, but also included the interurban lines, the Rochester & Syracuse RR and the Rochester, Lockport & Buffalo RR.
   A very interesting snapshot in time of one of Rochester's several railroad stations with...

More to come... From the archives of the Rochester Chapter NRHS...

Three ways to Rochester - Just on the New York Central

2009-10-19T22:18:00.004-04:00

At one time in Rochester's history, a passenger who found themselves in Syracuse, NY had at least three choices of how they could come to Rochester by rail... Just on the New York Central! From the Central's Water Level Route main line coming out of Grand Central Terminal in New York City to the Hojack Line or the Auburn Road, a passenger had choices on how to get to Rochester and its surrounding communities.

Here we have three New York Central cash fare receipts from the Rochester Chapter's archives for three different routes that included both Syracuse and Rochester which lets us see just how many communities one railroad served and how one could travel just between two of upstate New York's larger cities and beyond.

New York Central - Main Line
Fare was for travel between Rochester & Buffalo

New York Central - Auburn Road
Fare was for travel between Camillus and Martisco

New York Central - Hojack Line
Fare was for travel between Rochester and Forest Lawn (one stop from Webster, NY)

While a passenger no longer has three choices, they still can travel between Rochester and Syracuse by rail via Amtrak on the former New York Central 'Water Level Route' main line.

More to come... From the archives...

A trip from the past - October 3, 1965

2009-10-14T00:00:00.001-04:00

The Rochester Chapter NRHS has a very long heritage of operating railroad excursions, and many of those excursions took place during the fall.    As we look into the Chapter's archives again, we find a flyer advertising one of those trips which was to take place on October 3, 1965 on the New York Central.    Like so many trips of the past, this one was co-sponsored by the Rochester and Buffalo NRHS Chapters.

Billed as the "Annual Russell H. Shapley Memorial Trip", this all New York Central routing including the NYC main, Fall Brook line, and Auburn Road.   And all of that for $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for children!   Plus you could choose to ride in an open gondola on the freight lines only.

This is all we have in the archives from this trip.   Did you ride this trip?   Have anything you would be willing to share with us? Recollections... Photographs... Souvenirs...    Please contact us.   We are very interested in continuing to grow our knowledge about the history of the Rochester Chapter National Railway Historical Society.

More to come... From the archives...

Latest Rochester Chapter newsletter available

2009-10-08T21:22:00.000-04:00

Interested to learn more about what is going on with the Rochester Chapter NRHS and its Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum? Read the October issue of our newsletter, The Semaphore, online in PDF. And if you want to read more, please check out our online newsletter archive.

A wonderful surprise inside a small envelope...

2009-10-02T23:05:00.004-04:00

While looking through the Chapter's archives, I came upon a small envelope. Inside was a letter, business card, and a punched New York Central passenger cash fare receipt. Not much at first until I read the letter.

Then I realized this was a really neat piece of Rochester railroad and Rochester Chapter NRHS history. A last ride on a last New York Central train... A souvenir saved... A nearly by-gone form of communication in a type written letter... An experience shared between friends (A. Whitman Crittenden & Wallace Bradley) now preserved and left to share with us...

The Rochester Chapter NRHS is always looking for new people to help us with our archives and to see what other discoveries there are to find and share. Interested? Please contact us or come to one of our monthly membership meetings.

August meeting's railroad operations in HD!

2009-09-18T12:32:00.001-04:00

For those who may have missed our August meeting, you can check out some of the evening's railroad operations in this YouTube video from the Chapter's Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum's YouTube site.

September meeting announcement

2009-09-16T23:06:00.008-04:00

The Rochester Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society is pleased to announce that it will hold its September 2009 general membership meeting this Thursday evening, September 17th at the 40&8 Club.

The meeting will feature a multimedia presentation by Rochester Chapter NRHS member, John Stewart, called The Rome, Watertown & Ogdensburg (known as the “Hojack”) from Model City to Oswego. This is a change from the program listed in our events section of our website.

Visitors are always welcome! You do not need to be a Rochester Chapter NRHS member to attend. The meeting starts at 7PM with some time to socialize and peruse the Rochester Chapter's book store. You can also check out our railroad library co-located at the 40&8 Club. A short business meeting will take place between 7:30PM and 8PM with the show starting around 8:15PM. The meeting is held at the 40&8 Club which is located at 933 University Avenue (Across from the Gleason Works between Culver Road and Goodman Street) in the City of Rochester.

This will be a great show, and we hope those in the greater Rochester area will come out to see it!

Night photo session a success!

2009-08-22T23:39:00.014-04:00

The night photo session held as a part of the Chapter's August membership meeting was a success. Over a dozen photographers participated as Chapter member, Chris Hauf, provided the flashbulb lighting. Thanks goes out to the R&GVRRM's Operating Department for running and positioning the trains for the session.

Erie C254 & R&GVRR #1654 waits at a rural interurban waiting room.
Photo & lighting by: Christopher R. Hauf

Lehigh Valley Railroad #211 and Penn Central caboose #18526 takes its turn in front of the museum's ex-Rochester, Lockport & Buffalo Railway rural interurban waiting room.
Photo & lighting by: Christopher R. Hauf

Lehigh Valley Railroad #211 and Penn Central caboose #18526 has its front brakeman on board and is ready to depart.
Photo & lighting by: Christopher R. Hauf

Lehigh Valley Railroad #211 passes the Rochester, Lockport & Buffalo Railway rural interurban waiting room.
Photo & lighting by: Christopher R. Hauf

August meeting to feature night photo session

2009-08-20T10:49:00.003-04:00

One of the night photographs taken during the August 2008 Rochester Chapter NRHS meeting

Photo & lighting by: Christopher R. Hauf

For interested photographers, the Rochester Chapter NRHS is planning another night photo session, weather permitting, as part of the events for the August Rochester Chapter meeting on August 20, 2009 at the Chapter's Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum. The meeting will start around 6PM and will feature operations of the museum's railroad equipment collection. Visitors are always welcome!

For those who wish to participate in the night session, there is no rubber tired vehicle access to the shoot so we will be heading up by train from the R&GVRRM Industry depot around 7:45PM to get setup. If you want to participate, please come to the R&GVRRM and be ready to go around 7:45. In addition to their camera capable of a bulb (b) exposure, participants should bring a tripod, cable release and a flashlight to aid in walking. The areas we will be shooting may also be a little muddy so please dress appropriately. We are going to also ask a $5.00 donation to the museum from each photographer to help offset the costs of operating the equipment for the session. Anyone wishing to just observe can do so for free!

We hope to see you out at the meeting & the night photo session!

Video from July Chapter meeting... in HD!

2009-07-20T11:00:00.002-04:00

Chris Hauf put together an excellent video of railroad operation during the Rochester Chapter meeting at the Chapter's Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum on July 16. For your viewing pleasure, this video is available in HD format! Enjoy...

If you missed the train rides this time around, please join us for the next Chapter Meeting at the museum which will be August 20! Guests are always welcome!

For additional videos of museum operations, please visit the museum's YouTube site.

2009 Chapter-Sponsored Amtrak Tours

2009-05-01T01:36:00.001-04:00

John our Chapter tour guides Jim and Dianne East for another exciting year of chartered rail tours. Take Amtrak from Rochester to the heart of New York City for dining, shopping and a Broadway show. Or consider a Bermuda cruise departing Boston, or an exciting Vacation in New Hampshire’s White Mountains?

Bermuda Escorted Cruise, Departs Boston
Friday, May 8-Friday,May 15
Motorcoach to Boston, 7 days cruising aboard NCL Spirit, then Amtrak from Boston back to Rochester. This trip is currently sold out, but we do have a waiting list.
White Mountains Escorted Fall Foliage Tour
Friday, October 12-Tuesday, October 20
Amtrak to Albany, then motorcoach to Laconia, NH. Escorted tour includes rides on the well known Conway Scenic, Mt.Washington Cog Railway, and Hobo Railroad. Motorcoach back to Albany, then Amtrak to Rochester. This trip is currently sold out, but we do have a waiting list.
Pre-Christmas Escorted New York City Trips
Thursday, Dec. 3-Saturday, Dec. 5
Friday, Dec. 11-Monday, Dec. 14
Take Amtrak to New York City, enjoy shopping and dining before you take your orchestra-level seats for the Christmas Show at Radio City Music Hall.

Don’t wait, make your reservation now! For price details and detailed information, contact Jim East at (585) 377-5389 or email at raileast@aol.com.

2009 Falls Road and Winery Trip

2009-04-30T22:33:00.001-04:00

Attendees meet at the Henrietta Town Hall, 475 Calkins Road, Henrietta, at 8:00am on Sunday, June 28, 2009. Buses will transport us to Lockport, NY where we board the train. Train runs on the Falls Road Railroad using coaches leased by the Medina Railroad Museum. After our 10:00am departure from Lockport, “continental breakfast" will be served on board the train.

Our train arrives at the Medina Railroad Museum about 11:00. We will spend one hour at the museum. Coffee and refreshments will be served. Re-board the train and head west to the Spring Lake Winery, located just east of Lockport. We will enjoy a wine tasting and lunch.

Re-board the train and return to Lockport at approximately 3:30. Re-board the buses and return to Henrietta Town Hall at approximately 5:00 PM.

$85.00 per person, all-inclusive!

Download order form

Night Photo Session at the New York Museum of Transportation

2008-11-17T19:23:00.002-05:00

As part of the Rochester Chapter's July membership meeting, a night photo session was held for all interested participants at the New York Museum of Transportation featuring their former Philadelphia & Western 'Strafford' cars. Several setups were done both at the NYMT's carbarn and along the electrified portion of the joint NYMT/Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum demonstration railroad. Another night photo session featuring both the trolleys and diesels from the R&GVRRM's collection is planned for the August Rochester Chapter NRHS membership meeting. All interested photographers are welcome. Please see our Events section for more details. Photos & lighting by Christopher R. Hauf.