Ready for track!

After some hard work and real determination, the R&GVRRM has phase three of our west siding project ready for track to be installed.   In just over two weeks, the museum brought the next 150+ feet to grade and have stone spread, leveled and rolled in preparation for ties to be put in place.

Ready for track...  The R&GVRRM has the next phase of the siding west of the LA&L ready for track.   The stone that is ready for track can be seen in the center of the image.  Compare this to this panormic image which was taken just a week ago and taken just to the other side of the Cat bulldozer to the left of this image.

 Close up of the newly spread and rolled sub-ballast.

Once the track for phase three is in place, the R&GVRRM will have just over 600 feet of siding that is going to need to be ballasted, tamped, and leveled.    This is going to require a significant investment in ballast.  The museum is going to need 300+ TONS of stone to complete the job.    On the heels of our very successful Partners in Panels fundraiser which was successfully completed, we are starting a new fundraiser called Donate-A-Ton to help raise the funds needed to purchase the ballast needed.
 

 

For every $20.00 you donate, the museum can buy one of the three hundred tons of ballast we need.  Where else can you donate $20 and know you have purchased a TON of material.    Every ton helps so please consider donating $20 or more! 

Donations can be made online via the Donate button on our Support page.   Donations can also be made by mail.   Checks should be made out to the Rochester Chapter NRHS and mailed to: Rochester Chapter NRHS, Attn: Adopt-A-Ton, P.O. Box 23326, Rochester, NY 14692-3326.   Donations to the Rochester Chapter NRHS and its Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum are tax deductible to the extent allowable by law.

Please helps us fill our cars full of the ballast we need.   Thanks!

Back in the dirt!

With the nice spring weather back with us, the R&GVRRM has cleared the way for the grading for Phase 3 of our new siding west of the Livonia, Avon & Lakeville Railroad.   This phase will see the addition of an additional 200 feet of track added to the 400 feet of track that has been installed, but not yet ballasted, tamped & leveled.   Before the additional new track can be put down, the land had to be taken down to grade.   As has been done in the past, the R&GVRRM is able to do all of its own excavation.    Here are some images and YouTube videos of the earthwork from two different work sessions.   It only took four work sessions to complete the grading for this phase.   Some really nice work!
  

A panoramic image looking at the area to excavate in the forefront with the currently installed siding to the back left side.  The track passing through the center of the image is the Livonia, Avon & Lakeville Railroad.

The R&GVRRM's 1968 Cat D7E dozer makes quick work of the project as it piles up some of the earth.

 

The R&GVRRM's Bucryus-Erie 20-H hydraulic excavator helps in the process.

 

 The D7E finishes up some grading duties.  Some of the railroad equipment on the new siding can be seen in the background.

The R&GVRRM's Huber-Warco road grader finishes the fine grading duties.   In just four work sessions, the museum had the next phase to grade and ready for stone & track install.

NYC #2567 - Two more milestones reached!

The R&GVRRM is pleased to report that we have reached two more milestones on the interior restoration of ex-New York Central Empire State Express coach #2567.   First we have completed the installation of all of the lower wall panels and have secured them both on the top and on the bottom.

f

Looking from south to north at the completed lower wall replacement on NYC #2567.

We are now working on completing the new trim and window sills, and we are nearly 80% complete with that part of the project.   Once some additional small repairs are made to the upper walls, we will start to prep and perform a complete interior repaint before we reinstall our newly re-upholstered seats completing the interior.

As for our second milestone achieved, all of this work on the car's interior has been funded from our Partners in Panels fundraiser.   We are pleased to also report that we have reached and surpassed our fundraising goal with seventeen panels sponsored when we need just sixteen!

 

We want to thank everyone that donated to support the interior restoration of the #2567.   As you can see, your donations are allowing us to make great progress on the car.  

Planning on donating to the project, but didn't get the chance?    We will be launching two new fundraisers very soon or we welcome additional support for the continued restoration of our entire Empire State Express train set, our online donation link and our mailing address can be found here.

Thanks again!

Images from opening day - May 16, 2010

The R&GVRRM and the New York Museum of Transportation opened the 2010 joint operating ride season on Sunday, May 16, 2010.   The NYMT's interurban met the R&GVRRM's diesel powered train on this sunny May Sunday.  Please take a look at some images from the day, and we hope you will come visit us soon in 2010!

Through the Agent's Window...

Latest video posted to the R&GVRRM's YouTube site. Enjoy!

Ready for visitors - Rides start May 16th!

The Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum and the New York Museum of Transportation are ready for the joint museum operating season to get underway.   We welcome you to visit us on our opening day this Sunday, May 16, 2010.   Please come on out & enjoy a ride on our trains and trolleys.   Information on visiting is available here.

NYC #2567 - East wall replacement complete!

As of this past Tuesday evening's (May 11, 2010) work session, all of the replacement wall panels on the east side of ex-New York Central Empire State Express coach #2567 have been fitted and installed.

The east (left side of image) lower install is complete.  There is only 1 1/3 panels left to do on the west.

On the west side, there only remains one and one third panel left to install which will complete the total replacement of all of the wall material under the windows for the entire length of both sides of the car.   Work on the wall installation began here and steady progress has been made.   Much more work still needs to be done to complete the job including a complete interior repaint, but the museum has made great progress.    

Here are some additional images taken during the May 10, 2010 work session.

Looking from the other end of the car at the progress.  The east side is now on the right.

 

Volunteer open house - Saturday May 8

The Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum is celebrating National Train Day by hosting a Volunteer Open House this Saturday, May 8, for people who may be interesting in volunteering with us.   This is a great opportunity to come out and learn about all that the R&GVRRM has to offer to volunteers.   The open house starts at 10AM.

Can't make it.   Please feel free to contact us to schedule another time to meet or simply come out during one of our regularly scheduled volunteer work sessions on Tuesdays or Saturdays.

Air Brake Class Rescheduled, Rules Class Continues

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.