The R&GVRRM has several years of ALCO-GE News in our collection, and we will share more each month. For now, we will again echo the same sentiment of this newsletter and hopes everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
From the archives... Merry Christmas from ALCO-GE News
The R&GVRRM has several years of ALCO-GE News in our collection, and we will share more each month. For now, we will again echo the same sentiment of this newsletter and hopes everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Last weekend to ride the Holly Trolley!
As Christmas draws closer, it is also means the end of Holly Trolley season is drawing closer as well. The good news is that you have one more chance to ride this weekend, December 18th (10:30AM to 4PM) and 19th (11AM to 4PM). Details are available on the NYMT's website. Don't miss your chance to enjoy this unique holiday event. We hope to see you out at the NYMT this weekend!
Not able to ride this year, but curious about the operation. Here is our latest YouTube video featuring Holly Trolley operations from Saturday, December 11, 2010.
Not able to ride this year, but curious about the operation. Here is our latest YouTube video featuring Holly Trolley operations from Saturday, December 11, 2010.
Latest newsletter available - December 2010
"45 Tons of Fun" in January issue of Railfan & Railroad Magazine
Penn Central Deepwater Green
In 2002, the R&GVRRM repainted ex-Penn Central transfer caboose #18526 back into its as built PC 'Deepwater Green' paint color and Penn Central lettering. Choosing an accurate color was important to the museum and after much research, a paint code for 'Deepwater Green' was uncovered in an online Sherwin-Williams fleet color database. The color listed and used was a General Motors color (supplier color code WA5764 / Sherwin-Williams formula number 2312). With the formula code along with colorimetric measurements made off of the green samples taken from the car prior to sandblasting to insure a match to the mixed paint, the museum worked with its local Sherwin-Williams automotive paint dealer, Rochester Auto Color, to have the formula code 2312 turned into paint for the caboose. With Rochester Auto Color having success in getting paint formulas from Sherwin-Williams, they mixed both Sherwin-Williams Acrylyd Plus urethane enamel for the sides of the car and Acrylyd acrylic enamel for the roof in Deepwater Green. After spraying out some test samples, the resulting paint was colorimetrically very close when measured to samples taken from the car in locations where UV fading would have been minimized. Thus, the car was painted with the supplied paint.
After eight years, the car's paint has stayed in excellent shape. In 2011, we do plan to polish the car to remove a little haze on the paint and return it to its as painted shine, but we remain very pleased with our investment in the Sherwin-Williams paint.
The caboose can be seen here in service at the R&GVRRM in October 2011.
We hope this information helps others restoring Penn Central equipment. There are many other codes for other railroads and construction equipment within that database by searching from this page. There is no guarantee Sherwin-Williams will have a paint formula for the codes, but it is a place to start to get the information needed to work with your local Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes dealer just as we did.
From the archives... The New Empire with WAUGHMAT Twin Cushions...
As we continue to look at materials published in celebration of the relaunch of the New York Central's re-equipped Empire State Express, we find a very high quality brochure put out by the Waugh Equipment Company highlighting many of the details on the new Empire. Most importantly, of course, was Waugh's selling of the WAUGHMAT Twin Cushion draft gear which was installed on all of the couplers of the new Budd built ESE cars. Yet the brochure below spends most of its pages highlighting the train and not their product.
So please take a look at this brochure which has many nice photographs of the interior of the Empire State Express as it went into service on December 7, 1941 along with many details on the train's appointments.
So please take a look at this brochure which has many nice photographs of the interior of the Empire State Express as it went into service on December 7, 1941 along with many details on the train's appointments.
From the archives... An Empire State Express souvenir...
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 & 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 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 help support our museum efforts. 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 & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum.
From the archives... Advertising for the new 'Empire State Express'
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 & 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.
Come ride the Holly Trolley...
The NYMT's Holly Trolley will be running again this weekend. Please stop out to enjoy this fun holiday event.
More details can be found on our Events page or on the NYMT's website.
The R&GVRRM will also be displaying and have our sales tables at the RIT Tiger Tracks Train Show this weekend in the Gordon Field House on the RIT Campus. Before or after your trolley ride, please come to the show, stop by our tables, say hi and maybe purchase a book or video for your favorite railfan or maybe even yourself.
The R&GVRRM will also be displaying and have our sales tables at the RIT Tiger Tracks Train Show this weekend in the Gordon Field House on the RIT Campus. Before or after your trolley ride, please come to the show, stop by our tables, say hi and maybe purchase a book or video for your favorite railfan or maybe even yourself.
NYC #2567 - Working on the details...
While we continue to work on prepping the upper walls, ceiling and baggage racks for repainting inside NYC #2567, our restoration team is also spending some time working on some smaller details in the restoration of the car. One project is the in-place restoration of the cove lights in the south end of the car. While the cove lights at the north end of the car have been removed for restoration and installation of new internal light fixtures, it was determined that it would be easier to leave the south end lights in place; removing only the internal light fixtures for rebuilding.
One of the steps in the restoration process was to repaint the interiors of the fixtures shells white; returning them to their original state. To make this happen, that portion of the car was cordoned off with plastic sheeting and with the car pre-heated, the fixtures were masked and painted. Here are some before & after photographs of the painting progress achieved during the Tuesday evening work session on November 30th.
One of the steps in the restoration process was to repaint the interiors of the fixtures shells white; returning them to their original state. To make this happen, that portion of the car was cordoned off with plastic sheeting and with the car pre-heated, the fixtures were masked and painted. Here are some before & after photographs of the painting progress achieved during the Tuesday evening work session on November 30th.
Before
After
More progress across the museum...
While the major focus over the past few weeks has been the install of the floor in the museum's shop, other progress has been made across the museum. Here are some photos of other work that has taken place over the past two weeks.
We would also like to remind people that we continue to raise more funds for the ballast needed to complete our new siding. If you can, please Donate-A-Ton. Just $20 donated buys a ton of ballast, but any amount smaller or larger is welcome. Donation mailing information along with links for online donations are available on our R&GVRRM Support page. Thank you!
Progress has continued on the interior restoration of NYC #2567. Museum volunteer, Joel Shaw, paints a window surround. Once the surround is dry, the interior gasket is reinstalled and then the reglazed window module will be permanently reinstalled in the car. Nearly all the windows on one side of the car has been prepped, painted, and windows permanently installed this fall.
The museum has acquired an RTO Cummins diesel to replace the damaged engine in ex-Rochester Gas & Electric GE 45-tonner, #1950. The engine was just delivered and was soon placed in storage out of the weather.
With our dual museum operating season over, it was time to address some track work. Two of the switches in Industry yard along with the switch on top of the hill that allows access to the museum's shop have seen both tie and ballast work over the past two weeks. This work builds on previous work done a few years back.
With stone coming in for the trackwork, additional ballast was also brought in for sub-ballasting for the recently excavated extension to the museum's Empire State Express siding west of the LA&L. Some of it can be seen spread here in anticipation of track installation as the Rochester weather permits.
We would also like to remind people that we continue to raise more funds for the ballast needed to complete our new siding. If you can, please Donate-A-Ton. Just $20 donated buys a ton of ballast, but any amount smaller or larger is welcome. Donation mailing information along with links for online donations are available on our R&GVRRM Support page. Thank you!
Happy Thanksgiving!
The Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum has a lot to be thankful for in 2010. We would especially like to thank our members & volunteers along with all of our visitors and supporters for making 2010 such a great year! And it is not over yet...
We hope you have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!
From the archives... Take a trip on the Erie from Rochester to NYC on May 2, 1899
The broadside poster was once the staple of railroad special trip advertising. Here we find one from the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum'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 November 23, 2010 for a coach round-trip ticket for May 2, 2011 on Amtrak is... $114.00.
The finished product...
Two days after it was poured, the new floor has had all of the forms removed, has been sealed, and some of the protective plastic removed from the surrounding equipment. It will be a month before it is fully cured, and we can start to use the center section to work on our various museum support vehicles. When that time comes, it will be a very nice change and should allow us to do much more much faster and safer.
On the east side of the shop, the new slab will allow us to create a more permanent place for our tools and the install of a new shop air compressor.
Finally, it was nice to finally have a real use for one of these inside our shop. I had to borrow this one from our depot! We continue to look forward to the day we will be able to use it across the entire shop. We will soon be releasing details on a new fundraiser to help raise the needed additional funds to complete the rest of the floor and our inspection pit in 2011. Please stop back soon for details...
The shop floor...
For twelve years, there has been dirt...
For one day, there was stone...
And finally there was concrete!
While only the first phase, the install of this piece and another piece of the floor to the left of the RG&E #1941 (shown below) marks a major milestone in the completion of the interior of the museum's restoration shop. Kudos to all who helped make this portion a reality and here is looking forward to the coming phases and completion in 2011!
More progress on the west ESE siding.
Unable to see the slideshow, check it out the images on Flickr here.
Latest newsletter available - November 2010
From the archives... Three ways to Rochester
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 the Rochester area 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 R&GVRRM'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.
Here we have three New York Central cash fare receipts from the R&GVRRM'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
Fare was for travel between Rochester & Buffalo
New York Central - Auburn Road
Fare was for travel between Camillus and Martisco
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)
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...
More to come... From the archives...
From the archives... Car illustrations from a 1928 MDT calendar
NYC #2567 - More progress
New paint including the window openings and four permanently installed windows!
New paint at the north end as well with the water cooler bump out, electrical locker, and toilet retention tank cover getting their first coats of paint.
Last chance for 2010 - Fall Foliage by Trolley & Train this Sunday, Oct. 31st...
Our Fall Foliage by Trolley and Train special events have been taking place every Sunday in October. This coming Sunday, October 31, is the last Sunday of this special event and the last day of joint museum operations and rides between the R&GVRRM and the New York Museum of Transportation.
Enjoy the later Autumn in western New York State from the window of an authentic 80-year-old electric trolley car. One of the R&GVRRM's diesel locomotives with two cabooses will meet the trolley each day for the continuation to the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum. Trolleys depart every half-hour starting at 11:30, and no reservations are required. We hope to see you this weekend as the weather looks to be nice!
Enjoy the later Autumn in western New York State from the window of an authentic 80-year-old electric trolley car. One of the R&GVRRM's diesel locomotives with two cabooses will meet the trolley each day for the continuation to the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum. Trolleys depart every half-hour starting at 11:30, and no reservations are required. We hope to see you this weekend as the weather looks to be nice!
From the archives... Attention please!
In the archives of the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum 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 Museum 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 announcement announcing Train 61 departing from Harmon Station.
'Atention please! A local train to NY...' - A Penn Central Railroad train announcement 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.
Fall Foliage by Trolley&Train continues through October...
Our Fall Foliage by Trolley and Train special events have been taking place every Sunday in October, and they continue this Sunday through Halloween. Enjoy the beauty of Autumn in western New York State from the window of an authentic 80-year-old electric trolley car. One of the R&GVRRM's diesel locomotives with two cabooses will meet the trolley each day for the continuation to the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum. Trolleys depart every half-hour starting at 11:30, and no reservations are required. We hope to see you this weekend as the weather looks great!
Volunteer open house this Sunday, October 24, 2010
On Sunday October 24, 2010, the Rochester and Genesee Valley Railroad Museum will be hosting a fall open house for prospective volunteers at 10:00 am.
Reservations for this event are recommended. Please contact us if you are interested in attending.
This event is a great way to get an inside look at the many different ways that potential volunteers can participate in museum activities. There are hands-on opportunities ranging from railroad equipment restoration, railroad operations, to operating/maintaining the museum's construction equipment. We are also looking for people to help with creative services such as graphic design, marketing and publicity, exhibit creation, and historical research.
The volunteer open house will be held at our Industry depot with a tour of the depot, museum exhibits, railroad equipment, restoration facilities and projects, and our construction equipment.
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