Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum: 2002

2002 Christmas Tree Trains at Remelt's

On December 7 and 8, the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum operated caboose train rides in cooperation with Remelt's Evergreen Acres Cut-Your-Own Christmas Tree Farm. Using Eastman Kodak Company 80-tonner #6 as motive power along with Penn Central transfer caboose 18526 and Erie cupola caboose C254, rides were offered from Remelt's farm (located adjacent to the New York Museum of Transportation) south to the R&GVRRM and return. Passengers enjoyed hot apple cider warmed on the caboose stove, and museum volunteers were on hand to answer questions about the railroad. The trips were a success for both Remelt's and the Museum. We hope to continue and build on this new special event in the year's to come!

Our Christmas Tree Train headed south toward the R&GVRRM.
Photos by Chris Hauf

New Caterpillar D-8 tractor put into service!

The Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum is pleased to report that we have added another historic piece of construction museum to our operating collection. While acquired several years back at a cost of only $200.00, this tractor required some major radiator repairs before it could enter service. Thanks to the generosity of George Worden Jr. of Worden's Ag Service of York, NY, the D-8 has been returned to service! Mr. Worden took the D-8 for several months and installed a new radiator amongst other repairs in trade for a surplus piece of shop equipment from the R&GVRRM.

The D-8 was returned on Friday, November 8, and volunteers from the R&GVRRM's Construction Department had the unit running on Saturday morning. In the photo above, volunteer John McDonald sits ready to move the the newly operational tractor connected to the Cat tractor pan recently donated to our Museum. The plan is to team this brute with our tractor pan and use it to continue our excavation around our restoration facility. There are also plans to repaint this tractor in 2003 to match our restored Cat D-7 dozer. Please stay tuned for more pics of the unit in service soon! Photo by Chris Hauf

Diesel Days 2002 a real success!

On August 17th and 18 the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum, in cooperation with the New York Museum of Transportation, held its annual Diesel Days event. Nearly 500 people came out over the two-day event to ride the diesels and cabooses from the Museum's collection. Running were Eastman Kodak Company #9 (ALCO RS-1), Nickel Plate Road #79 (ALCO S-4), and US Army #1843 (FM H12-44) along with restored cabooses, Erie C254 and PC18526. Thanks to everyone for their continued support of this annual event, and a special thanks to our volunteers for making it all possible.

Some of the volunteers from the R&GVRRM pose in front of Indsutry Depot after a job well done at Diesel Days 2002. Photos by Chris Hauf

New roof completed on Industry depot!

Only ten days after receiving a grant to fund in part the replacement of the roof on the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum's Industry depot, the work has been COMPLETED! Started on July 8 by Sunset Construction, the firm hired by the Museum, the roof was completely torn off, the underlayment repaired where needed, and replaced with new 40-year architectural shingles designed to mimic the building's original slate roof. With the roof failing, the Museum had already "done its homework" this spring on exactly who and what it wanted for a roof, had put aside most of the money to carry out the project, and was waiting to see whether or not the NRHS Railway Heritage Grant was awarded before starting the work. With the grant received, the contract was signed and the work is now done, looks great and will provide a new level of protection of this historic structure from the sometimes harsh Rochester elements. Thanks to Sunset Construction for their great work and thanks again to the NRHS for their generosity! We hope they are pleased to see what their grant has done for the R&GVRRM! Photo by Chris Hauf

NRHS Railway Heritage Grant awarded to help replace roof

The Rochester Chapter NRHS is pleased to announce that it was a recipient of a 2002 Railway Heritage Grant from the National Railway Historical Society totaling $3000.00! This grant will be used to fund in part the complete replacement of the roof on the Industry depot which is the cornerstone of the Chapter's Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum. The original slate roof has been failing, and while our museum volunteers have taken great pains to restore and maintain the roof, we have determined complete replacement to be the best option. The work will be undertaken by a professional contractor selected by the Chapter. The Rochester Chapter would like to thank the NRHS for their generosity and continued support! We would also encourage interested parties to contribute to the NRHS and its Railway Heritage Grant Program. Since 1991, the NRHS has awarded 76 grants totaling $190,880 to 46 NRHS Chapters and 30 to non-NRHS organizations.

Museum completes restoration of Caterpillar D7E bulldozer

The Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum is pleased to announce that is has completed the mechanical and cosmetic restoration of its Caterpillar D7E bulldozer. The photo at left shows where we started. The unit was purchased a few years back as military surplus with a bad engine. A new engine was acquired through the generosity of the International Operating Engineers Local 832 and was installed during the winter of 2001-2002. The unit is now running and has been repainted from military camouflage to its original Cat "Hi-way" Yellow.

Here are a series of photos of the cosmetic restoration work starting with the dozer leaving the shop under her own power with her new engine. You will note the yellow diesel inside the camo dozer.