Inside the building... Inside the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum's Restoration Building, we find Plymouth BL #1 with its replica front grill installed. Its replica side frames were off of the engine to allow them to have their steel skins installed.
From F-M to GE... With the passenger cars delivered, the museum shutdown its Fairbanks-Morse H21-44 for the winter. In its shop space, former Eastman Kodak Company GE 80-tonner #6 was brought into the shop for air brake and other work over the winter. The #1 still looks small next to the #6.
Another GE... Another GE "tonner" was also continuing to receive attention inside the museum's restoration shop. Here we see #1941 which has received a successful prime mover rebuild along with other cosmetic and mechanical repairs and improvements. The locomotive's cosmetic restoration will be completed in 2008 thanks in part to a grant from the Amherst Railway Society. The R&GVRRM has also started a Locomotive Preservation Fund to help finance some improvements to the museum's motive power collection. The first will be new starting batteries for Lehigh Valley #211. Would you consider a donation today?
The Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum's Restoration Building north yard can be seen with all of the museum's ex-New York Central Budd built 'Empire State Express' cars. This yard was built through the museum's "Building Tracks to the Future" capital fundraising campaign in May of 2007. It has given the museum a place to relocate its cars to. In 2008, the museum will be expanding the restoration building's south yard to better house all of the museum's railroad collections.
A panoramic view... The restoration building and the cars can be seen in this stitched panoramic image.
A different view... Here the museum's cars are seen on this day after Christmas. This view is looking north.
A wider view... Here we see the cars again looking south at the Restoration Building. The museum plans to further excavate the hill on the left hand side to give additional area to the east and northeast of the restoration building.
Out to the main... Looking north, the yard throat can be seen leading to the R&GVRRM's museum mainline.
At track level... At track level, the all stainless steel Empire State Express cars can be seen on this sunny day after Christmas.
RPO in the yard... Here we see where NYC 5021 landed after being delivered. This is one of two Railway Post Office cars the museum owns. The R&GVRRM also rosters a PRR BM70nb railway post office car. Sadly both cars had their RPO interiors removed prior to coming to the R&GVRRM.
The south side... A view of the south side of the museum's restoration shop. With tracks already coming out of the large door on the left hand side, tracks will be extended out of the right hand side large door in 2008. The shop is 60' by 140' long.
Out of the house... Today marked the day that the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum was taking delivery of its seven ex-New York Central Railroad 'Empire State Express' cars which had spent many years operating on the Ontario Midland Railroad. Here we see R&GVRR #1654 pulling a warm and pre-lubed #1843 from the restoration building to get the #1843 started as both engines would be needed in the car delivery. With a puff of white smoke, #1843 roared to life and both engines set out for the day's work.
Its empty now... To handle the incoming passenger cars, the R&GVRRM moved all of the cars stored in its new restoration building north yard into storage on the museum mainline leaving the yard ready to accept the passenger cars.
RPO delivered... Along with six coaches, the R&GVRRM owns one of the two Railway Post Office (RPO) cars from the original "Empire State Express." Here we see NYC 5021, the "Alonzo B. Cornell" as it comes in and then heads up the hill to storage in the upper yard. Tied on to the north end of the #1843 was the museum's restored Erie caboose #C254. This was used to give the crews a place to warm up in between car moves.
Last car comes in... The last of the seven cars heads for track #4 in Industry yard with R&GVRR #1654 leading the way. The car will soon head to storage in the upper yard.
Out of the barn for Holly Trolley Rides... In December 2007 the New York Museum of Transportation ran "Holley Trolley Rides" in conjunction with Remelt's Evergreen Acres Christmas Tree Farm that sits adjacent to the railroad at NYMT. Here we see NYMT's Car #161 exiting the car barn in preparation for the day's runs. #161 is an ex-Philadelphia & Western 'Strafford' car and shares the car barn with sister #168.
Out on the line... #161 accelerates northbound on its way back to the Remelt's boarding area on the first run of the day. Mother Nature added a nice coat of snow for the first day's operations.
