The Central Chapter of the NRHS (National Railways Historical Society) roots began on Friday, February 23rd, 1940, when six Syracuse members of the group Railways Enthusiasts Inc met to discuss a local division to be formed. The site is located 16.4 miles from the centre of Syracuse, just under one mile south of Central Square, NY.
While on a road trip in 2022, I chanced visiting on a Monday, incurring a small diversion, thinking I may have been able to at least take some pictures of the circus rail carriage. As luck would have it, there was someone working there who greeted me, smiling, and gave me a tour around the exhibits.
The circus menagerie was a joy to visit with lots of memorabilia inside, including model railway coaches with circus liveries and an excellent model railway layout. This also featured an awesome circus setup with tent area and animal tent stable.
Also on display at that time was:
The Central Chapter of the NRHS is one of 165 chapters nationally, having 150 members and is a non-profit organisation. The NHRS has a national total membership of around 13,000.
Their aim is to preserve and share railway interests in the area, while hoping to educate visitors to the site and sustain the history of the chapter through the people who dedicate their time to this passion.
CNY NRHS also have a library and archives with digital files you can access with their permission, which would probably be simpler to navigate if taking out a membership.
Remember, donation of any kind will help to keep these museums operational.
Central New York Chapter is also linked with:
Amenities:
While listed as wheelchair accessible, I would add that the main grounds are good, however there are rail lines to navigate and also steps up to the coaches and locomotives.
Open on Sundays only, 12-3pm from Memorial to Columbus days
Free entry, donations encouraged
https://cnynrhs.org/web/museums/central-square/
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Graham Lovegrove is from Southampton, Hampshire, England and is a retired construction industry worker and an enthusiastic road-tripper. His son-in-law Richard M Jones (a regular contributor to Mainly Museums) suggested he might share his experiences photographing museums and Americana from his vast travels across the USA over the years.