The Society's Projects
Please click on photos for enlargements, more photos and information on progress of each project.

Moving railway history to Eldridge Park

The society's two historic Erie Railroad cars are ready to move home to Elmira for full restoration and public display. Here is a recent story that appeared in the Elmira Star-Gazette about the move along with some photos that were taken in July of the ongoing work prepariing for the cars to come to Eldridge Park.

Proposed RAILWAY MUSEUM at Eldridge Park

The Chemung Valley Railway Historical Society is proposing the idea of establishing a full railroad museum at the park. The railway society wants to use land on the east side of the park, along the railroad tracks and north of the pedestrian railroad crossing where the society's Erie Railroad boxcar currently sits.

A new railroad museum would complement existing amenities at the park nicely, said EPCPS President Bob Lyon. It could be a museum and boarding station for the new train we proposed in the next couple of years, so we're very much in favor of it, Lyon said.

ERIE RAILROAD Stillwell Passenger Coach #2387

The Erie once owned nearly 400 Stillwell type passenger cars built in different groups over several years and used for both commuter service and for thru-line service. The cars served the Erie, and later Erie Lackawanna well as many remained in service into the 1970's. Many of the older cars were rebuilt into work train equipment, which was the case with society's car. Only a small handfull of Stillwell cars remain in existence in 2010. The number 2387 is not known to be the car's original number, the correct number has not yet been found.

ERIE RAILROAD Camp Car #464075

Built as a 75000-series boxcar - identical to Erie 75486 also in the CVRHS collection, the car was removed from revenue service and modified for work train service with the removal of the two large side doors and the addition of smaller doors and interior partitians for use by work train crews. The car ended up at the Binghamton, NY Lackawanna depot and was acquired in donation by CVRHS in 2000.

ERIE RAILROAD Boxcar #75486

The "Before" in the before and after with Erie camp car #464075, Erie boxcar #75486 is the last known unmodified Erie 75000-series boxcar known to exist. Built in 1928 for the Erie, the car was used in general revenue freight service for many years. The car spent much of its later life as a storage "structure" in the Elmira, NY freight yard. The car was donated to CVRHS in 2006 by Norfolk Southern Corporation and was moved to Eldridge Park in the fall of 2007.