The Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum is a project of the Rochester Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. The museum is run solely by dedicated volunteers and works in partnership with the New York Museum of Transportation to bring the visitor a unique dual museum experience of the railroad and transportation history of Rochester and Western New York.

The museum was founded in 1971 when the Rochester Chapter purchased the Erie Railroad's Industry, NY depot from the Erie-Lackawanna Railroad for a $1.00. Over the years museum volunteers have carefully restored the Industry depot to its 1930's appearance.

Beyond the depot, the museum's volunteers have built a five-track yard around the depot that allows for the display of some of the museum's railroad equipment. In 1995, volunteers drove the golden spike on a two mile standard gauge railroad that joins the museum to the New York Museum of Transportation. The following year the museums began offering track car rides between the two museums for visitors.

The museum currently rosters over 40 pieces of railroad rolling stock including seven operating diesel-electric locomotives, two steam locomotives undergoing restoration to operating condition, six cabooses, seven freight cars, a New York Central Empire State Express trainset, and several other passenger cars amongst other railroad rolling stock. The museum also owns the last remaining Rochester Subway Car #60 which is currently undergoing restoration to operating condition.

In 1998, the museum constructed a 60 foot by 140 foot, two track restoration facility. Work still continues to install the permanent track to the building and complete the interior of the building that will include a locomotive inspection pit and a concrete floor.

The Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum is operated solely by volunteers, so we encourage you to come help out!

Industry Depot
We welcome you to come inside our 1909 rural depot to see what it feels like to be in a railroad station in the 1930's or the 1940's from the completely outfitted ticket agent's office to the waiting room where the original wooden seats surround the perimeter of the room. Imagine all the destinations and stories of the people who sat in those seats starting their journeys or waiting for a loved one to return.

Industry Yard
Various locomotives, freight cars, and passenger cars, are on display with many open for viewing.

Railroad Passenger Timetables
Come out and see a large exhibit of railroad passenger time tables. Serving a dual role as advertising and reference, the passenger timetable was and remains a rail traveler's best friend as they attempt to navigate the railroads across the U.S.A. and the world.

The East Rochester Despatch Car Shops: A History in Pictures
Built at the turn of the 20th century, the East Rochester Despatch Car shops turned out thousands of railroad cars over its multi-decade history until its demise in the 1970's. This exhibit housed in a Merchants Despatch Transportation ice bunker refrigerator car shows the history of the MDT and the Despatch Car Shops in pictures and more!