Come and see our greatest artifact of all—our over 100 year old NYC freight depot! This beautifully restored, air-conditioned building houses our huge collection of artifacts and unbelievable HO scale layout. The refinished freight depot office area serves as the lobby to the museum. The desk and two typewriters are those used in this office during New York Central times. The replica ticket booth was designed to blend with the original character of the depot office.Our ever-growing number of exhibits and interactive displays show how the railroad influenced our culture, industry, and history.The central corridor leads to the main exhibit hall. In the alcove is a display of the NYC 999 locomotive, the Empire State Express and the Twentieth Century Limited. Also shown is an exhibit of the Dec. 23, 1968 freight train wreck which occurred on the main line right in front of the depot. The broken coupler fragment was recovered from the yard in 1996.
The Grand Exhibit Hall features artifacts, memorabilia and models of the great railroads that helped develop Western New York and the nation. Displays feature the The Empire State Express, 20th Century Limited, the Black Diamond, the Phoebe Snow, the Burlington Zephyr, the Pennsylvania Railroad and many more. This hall is 240 ft by 34 ft. The center of the hall will contains the largest HO scale train layout and diorama assembled on one floor.Artifacts on display range from tools used in the construction of the railroads, the the chinaware used on the lavish dining cars of famous trains. From lanterns to locks, you will see every aspect of the railroad industry, past and present.
