NY & Erie RR museum in Dunkirk (NYLE in Gowanda)

I am typing this exactly as I see it from a road atlas. Is this "NY & Erie RR Museum" down just south of Dunkirk? I tried this in a Google search, but just kept giving me "Genesee Valley RR Museum" stuff, which I generally consider FRRR and the museum in the town of Rush. Next time I'm out on Rt 77, I'm going to head south and check it out. It's one I haven't yet visited.

I was last there a couple of years ago. Lots of rolling stock and they were building their own excursion trackage separate from the ROW. Worth a visit.

calorosome, if they were building their own separate line a few years back, it must be closer to completed by now. This sparks my interest. Do you know of a link to the museum? Thank you.

I'd be interested in learning more about this museum in Dunkirk, especially if they are building their own excursion line! Anyone know what's in their collection?

-otto-

Whoops I was talking about the museum near Rush. It's west of 390 on rt 251 toward Scottsville - long way from Dunkirk. I don't know of any links.

The only things in that collection that stand out in my memory is a DL&W electric from the Jersey commuter line and a couple of diesels. I don't remember the rest of the rolling stock. None of it is protected from the elements.

The Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum, located at Industry Depot in Rush, NY: http://rochnrhs.org/rgvrrm.html

If anyone finds more info about the place in Dunkirk, let me know!

There is a display, just South of Dunkirk, at the Chautauqua County Fairgrounds. Last time I was there, some five years ago, it consisted of a Boston & Maine 0-6-0 that was manufactured by Brooks of Dunkirk, as well as a wooden D&H boxcar and a wooden 19000 series NYC caboose. It's a pretty nice display, in my opinion. There was no direct connection with the New York & Erie, as far as I know.

There was reference to Rte 77. State Rte 77 runs from Lockport to the Batavia area, and then turns due South. It does not, to my knowledge, go near Dunkirk.

Also, with regard to the R&GV RR Museum, they erected a steel building for the rolling stock several years ago. A portion of the collection now resides inside that building.

JR

For those of you who care:
NY 77 starts at Java Center and heads North East and ends at NY 31 just East of Lockport.

The routes in Dunkirk are US 20, NY 5, NY 39, and NY 60
I have been to Dunkirk a couple of times, but have not seen any museum.

There a former shortline called the NY and Lake Erie Railroad in Gowanda, which is directly East of Dunkirk (on NY 39).

Could that be what you saw in the atlas?

The NY&LE stopped service in 2002 due to increased liability and decreased ridership.

WNYRailfan wrote: There a former shortline called the NY and Lake Erie Railroad in Gowanda, which is directly East of Dunkirk (on NY 39).

Could that be what you saw in the atlas?

The NY&LE stopped service in 2002 due to increased liability and decreased ridership.

Yes, this is the one from the atlas. So it's been closed for some time now. Closing's never a good thing. I must really be out of touch with museums ... either that or New York's historical railroad sites are just going to heck in a handbasket. Probably a little of both.

We have a pretty good list of current railroad attractions at the top of this forum. Check it out!

http://railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4696

other information can be found here:

http://www.newyorkrailroads.com/

-otto-

I don't believe there was ever any kind of museum. The New York and Lake Erie RR is an operating short line. They discontinued passenger excursions and dinner runs but still move freight. Alcoman or Patarack should have the scoop on this.

As JR has already mentioned, there is a small museum at the Chautauqua County Fair Grounds. The highlight is a Brooks-built 0-6-0, #444 built for the Boston and Maine Railroad in 1916, later serving the Fletcher Granite Company in Massachusetts.

For more information, check the link:

http://www.s363.com/dkny/display.html

Dunkirk was quite a railroad city at one time. The original western terminus of the New York and Erie Railroad (when Dunkirk was projected to become a major Great lakes port in the early 1800s), it also was served by the New York Central, Nickel Plate and Pennsylvania, the latter operating between Buffalo and Oil City, PA, with the line joining the NKP at Brocton.

The Dunkirk, Allegheny Valley & Pittsburgh originated here, heading south through Chautauqua County, making it only as far south as Titusville, PA, many miles short of Pittsburgh. Dunkirk was also home to two locomotive builders-the aforementioned Brooks (later Alco-Brooks) Locomotive Works and Dunkirk logging locomotives.

Union Pacific's famed 4-12-2's were built in Dunkirk. Somewhere in my "impeccably maintained" archives I have a photo of a 4-12-2 that was supposedly offered to the city fathers of Dunkirk for display when the locomotive was withdrawn from service. As with most politicians, regardless of political stripe, they failed to see the value of what had been offered to them and turned the UP's generous gesture down.

Well, I suprised myself and actually found the article on the first try. Titled "The Big One That Got Away" from the Jamestown (NY) Post-Journal, November 17, 1984.

"Above, the Union Pacific's 9000 makes its last run April 12, 1956, hauling 100 freight cars from Omaha, Neb., to Cheyenne, Wyo. The engine carries white flags, indicating it is a Special. The next day this locomotive was taken to the shops, where it was overhauled, repainted and fitted out for delivery to the City of Dunkirk. The Union Pacific offered it free to the city, with freight prepaid. Unfortunately, the City Council turned it down. It was then given to the Southern California Railway and Locomotive Historical Society and is now on display in the Los Angeles County Fair Grounds at Pomona, Calif. This locomotive, a three-cylinder, 4-12-2 was built for speed and power at the Brooks Works of the American Locomotive Company in Dunkirk in 1926. The Union Pacific was so pleased with its performance that they ordered 88 more of them. This was also Alco's last big order in 1927." Louis Van Wey, President emeritus, Historical Society of Dunkirk.

Incidentally, the last locomotive built by Alco in Dunkirk was a tank engine for an Oregon logger in 1930.

Sorry to have strayed so far from the original topic but thought some of you may find this of interest.

Brad Smith wrote:I don't believe there was ever any kind of museum. The New York and Lake Erie RR is an operating short line. They discontinued passenger excursions and dinner runs but still move freight. Alcoman or Patarack should have the scoop on this.

Thanks for the update...I didn't realize that their freight business was still active. Back in 2003 I took pictures of most of their [NY&LE] entire roster from passenger cars to locomotives. If anyone is interested I can post the pictures.

FYI...

NYLE ran a Christmas train this past winter, so they still CAN run passenger excursions, they just don't do it on a regular basis.

BWP