R&GV RR Museum | Railroad Equipment


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About the Museum > Railroad Equipment

The Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum rosters a wide variety of railroad equipment. From our operating diesel locomotives to our track cars, the backbone of our Sunday operations, we hope you enjoy this chance to take a look and learn more about our railroad equipment. Make sure to also check out all the fun stuff like our sounds and video clips.

And we hope that if are in the Rochester area, we might see you out at the museum for one of our work sessions, summer membership meetings, special events or regular operating days.

Diesel or, more accurately, diesel-electric locomotives were introduced to American railroads in the late 1920's. Their popularity grew gradually through the 1930's and 1940's, but did not become commonplace until after the Second World War. During the period of 1946-1958, diesel locomotives virtually wiped out steam locomotives on America's railroads. The age of steam was dead. The diesel was now king.

The diesel electric locomotive uses one or more diesel engines to turn a generator which creates electricity. Electric traction motors are what actually move the locomotive using the electricity produced by the generators.

The museum currently rosters seven different diesel electric locomotives covering three different manufacturers from five different railroads. All units are serviceable and see regular service on museum trackage during the summer months. Four of the locomotives have antifreeze for coolant, so they see service year round!

Eastman Kodak 6
General Electric 80-tonner

Built in 1946
Ex-Eastman Kodak Company (Kodak Park Railroad)

Eastman Kodak 9
Alco RS-1

Built in 1950
Ex-Eastman Kodak Company (Kodak Park Railroad)

Lehigh Valley 211
Alco RS-3m "Hammerhead"

Built in 1953
Ex-Lehigh Valley
Ex-Pennsylvania Railroad

Nickel Plate Road 79
Alco S-4

Built in 1950
Ex-New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad
(Nickel Plate Road)

Rochester Gas & Electric 1941
General Electric 45-tonner

Built in 1941
Ex-Rochester Gas & Electric

United States Army 1843
Fairbanks-Morse H12-44

Built in 1953
Ex-United States Army

Rochester & Genesee Valley 1654
General Electric 80-tonner

Ex-United States Navy

The first steam locomotives in America came from England to power the railroads of the late 1820's and early 1830's. However, it was not long before the building of steam locomotives became one of America's first boom industries. Initially, these locomotives were wood-burning. However, the conversion to coal took place on most major railroads in the wake of Civil War. As American industry grew so did the demand for ever larger, even more powerful steam locomotives. The steam locomotive reached its zenith of size and power in the 1930's and 1940's. However, after the Second World War, diesel electric locomotives began a serious challenge to the steam locomotive.

When most Americans think of steam locomotives, we think of large road locomotives, but other types of steam locomotives existed in large quantities. In railroad yards, switch engines moved cars back and forth making up trains for the larger locomotives to haul across the land. At large industrial complexes, small industrial locomotives placed and removed cars at factories, chemical plants, steel mills, etc.

The Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum has two of these small industrial locomotives: one which is capable of generating its own steam and one which required an external boiler to charge the locomotive with steam to make it operate. We are planning to return both to operation.

Brooklyn Navy Yard 12
Vulcan 0-4-0T

Built in 1918
Ex-Brooklyn Navy Yard

Connecticut Light & Power 37
Heisler 0-4-0 "Fireless Cooker"

Ex-Connecticut Light & Power

Gas mechanical locomotives are another interesting class of locomotives. Where diesel-electrics use diesel engines that turn electric generators to create electricity to power electric motors in the trucks that move the locomotive, gas-mechanical locomotives use gasoline powered engines and mechanical transmissions to link the output of the engine to the wheels. Most gas mechanical engines were small industrial type locomotives used in factories, mines, and other locations to move a small number of cars a small distance.

The Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum rosters one true gas-mechanical locomotive, a Plymouth Model BL. The museum also rosters several Trackmobiles. These unique "gas-mechanical" locomotives are a small locomotive with a set of rubber tires which can be deployed so the Trackmobile can drive over the road to reposition itself over the rail. We have listed our Trackmobiles here since they use gas engines and mechanical/hydraulic transmissions. Some larger Trackmobiles use diesel engines, so they are not all gas-mechanicals, but this was the best fit for these neat little "engines".

Plymouth Model BL

Built in 1920
Ex-Odenbach Ship Yard
Ex-Despatch Car Shops

Filled with bunks, running water, a toilet, a stove for heat and for cooking, and table for the conductor to do his paperwork and for the crew to eat, the caboose was the traveling home and office of the train crew. In the early 1980's, modern technology and relaxed government regulations permitted the elimination of the caboose on most mainline freight trains, replacing it with an electronic device that monitors brake line air pressure, emits a flashing light, and signals the engineer in case of trouble.

The Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum currently has six cabooses from six different railroads, many of which served part of their active lives in and around the Rochester area. The museum's five cabooses represent both wood and steel or all-steel construction and include examples of cupola, bay window, and transfer type cabooses.

Currently the museum would like to acquire a cabooses from the Lehigh Valley Railroad, CSX, and Conrail. Any leads on available cabooses would be greatly appreciated. Please contact us with any information.

Baltimore & Ohio C2493
Steel Wagontop Caboose