New York Museum of Transportation
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THE
MUSEUMS MODEL RAILROAD
[Our HO-gauge model railroad is an important part of the visitor experience at NYMT. Recently, long-time volunteer Vern Squire recorded the background of the layout, and we thought we would share the story with you.] The model railroad project had its beginning when Vern was Protestant Chaplain in Monroe Community Hospital, Rochester, New York. He tells us, My interest in model railroading became combined with the Hospitals recreation department, and we began a small HO layout in one of the unused rooms on the 4th floor of the Friendship Building. Shortly after that, a retiring Episcopal Priest needed a good home for his N-gauge layout, and that miniature pike joined the fun. With this deepening of Verns involvement in model trains, he decided to join the Rochester Model Railroad Club where he met NYMTs Dick Lucky Luchterhand and then-President of the club, Bob Achilles. It never rains but it pours. In late 1989, one of Verns good friends at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, on Winton Road, asked him if he'd like to buy an HO layout for $50. It seems there was a model railroad club and layout run by employees at Gleason Works on University Avenue. The building where the layout was housed was up for sale and a new home was needed. Vern took a look and was interested, but there was no room in his home for such a large model railroad, and he couldn't imagine how he would move it anyway. Inspiration struck, and Vern suggested Gleason donate the layout to the hospital where his efforts at model railroading were already being enjoyed by the patients there. The hospital agreed to the proposal as long as Vern agreed in his upcoming retirement to operate and maintain the layout. A joint effort from all sides soon started. The Gleason club members boxed up the rolling stock and related equipment, and helped break down the layout into six large sections. Vern tackled the job of installing Jones plugs and sockets for reconnecting the numerous electrical circuits, both between the sections and from the tracks to the controls. The hospital arranged for County trucks to provide transportation, and once everything was on site, Vern enlisted Lucky, who in turn called in Gerry Doerr and a few other members of the Rochester club, to help put things back together. When the layout was finally in operation again, work by these volunteers included routine maintenance as well as enlarging the freight yard to a double-ended yard and removing a mountain to replace it with a village. This little community eventually included a trolley line leading to a large amusement park. Critically important was making the model railroad accessible for the hospital patients to view and operate the trains. Risers were constructed for wheelchairs and simple control boxes for each mainline were made. After five years of successful operation of the layout, history repeated itself. The hospital needed the space for direct patient care, and the layout had to go. As County property, the layout had to be auctioned off, but in hopes of avoiding that, Vern and Lucky decided to approach NYMT for a possible transfer from one non-profit to another. The contact was made with Jim Dierks, who imagined a four- by eight-foot table-top with a few cheap, plastic buildings. But his jaw dropped on seeing the layout, and the possibility of adding a new feature to the museum was exciting. |
Arrangements were made for a permanent loan and the model pike was again cut into its six parts. County trucks and personnel brought the collected items to the museum where a part of the milking parlor had been cleared to accept them. Monumental effort doesnt do justice to the work that Vern, Lucky and their fellow volunteers launched into. They had to compensate for the various levels of the concrete floor before setting up the layout, followed by once again connecting the complex electrical wiring. Walls had to be built on three sides to create an enclosed room and propane heat installed. During the first winter, the warm, moist air in the room condensed on the exposed concrete roof beams with the resulting condensate dripping on the layout. So, an insulated ceiling had to be put up (as Vern notes, while the layout was still in place!). Lighting was installed by Verns friend, Jon Anderson, a licensed electrician. The model railroad was a magnet for new volunteers as Bob Nesbitt, Bill Chapin, Roger Harnaart, Gerry Doerr and others joined forces to embellish and repair the layout during the week and operate it for the public on weekends and for group tours. Along the way, Lucky got Bob Achilles interested in NYMT too. Rochesterian Ed Van Leer was known throughout the model railroading world for his nicely detailed engines and rolling stock. When he decided it was time to downsize into a senior community, he offered to donate all his equipment to the museum if we would help tear down his layout. Vern and the rest of the crew handled this huge job, and with a design from Jim Dierks they created a 25-foot display depicting the evolution of rail technology using Mr. Van Leers cars and engines. Shortly after, with a safety railing installed on the risers, the volunteers created an N gauge model of the Rochester Subway, with miniature structures representing downtown buildings and the shops at Driving Park. [The current crew is led by Kevin Griffith, Area Manager for the model railroads, along with Bob Nesbitt, Mike Williams, Bob Polvino, Trevor Adams, Al Emens, and Vern Squire. They would be glad to have more help, especially in operating the layout on Sundays for our visitors. If you are interested, let us know at info@nymtmuseum.org .] |
UPCOMING EVENTS AT NYMT
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BOBBIE CORZINE We are saddened by the July 4, 2021 loss of a former member of the museum’s volunteer staff, Bobbie Corzine. She and her husband John "adopted" NYMT in the early 1990’s, and they both contributed their time and talents over many years with us. Bobbie was a mainstay in the gift shop and at the ticket desk, always handling the tasks capably and with a friendly greeting to our visitors. Since their retirement and move to the South, the Corzines have generously maintained their membership in the museum, and John has suggested NYMT as recipient for donations in Bobbie’s memory. |
ROCHESTER STREETCARS......................... No. 105 in a series
One of the most interesting spots on the entire streetcar system in Rochester was the crossing of Lake Avenue by the outbound track near Lake Avenue Station at Kodak Park. Here, the track arrangement shifted from being in the tree lawns on each side of Lake Avenue to both tracks being on the west side of Lake Avenue. In our view and the detail of the car itself, Lake Avenue Station buildings are at left and Kodak Park is at right. The motorman’s tension must have eased a bit since his car is occupying the crossing and in full sight of any nearby motorists. Keehl Street is at left, near the Texaco sign; this is just a few blocks north of Ridge Road. Car 1236 is on a northbound run, and our intrepid photographer is looking southward. We are surely indebted to Maguire. This November 1939 view seems to be the only time this fascinating scene, repeated many times daily for decades, was recorded on film. |
HEADEND Volume 35, Number 2 May-July 2021 HEADEND is a publication of New York Museum of Transportation, © 2021. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.
www.nymtmuseum.org
(585) 533-1113
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Department Leaders
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ALL ABOUT US The New York Museum of Transportation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit museum chartered by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York. We are managed and operated entirely by volunteers, and the welcome mat is always out for anyone wishing to join our work. |
We are located at 6393 East River Road in the Town of Rush, and our mailing address is P.O. Box 136, West Henrietta, NY 14586. www.nymtmuseum.org is the place to find us on the internet and learn much more about us. Also, you can visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NYMTmuseum. Want to contact us? Call us at (585) 533-1113 or send us an email at info@nymtmuseum.org. And, remember to tell your friends! |
Consider becoming a member www.nymtmuseum.org/Membership.php . |