Rochester & Genesee Valley museum adds Alco S1 to collection

RUSH, N.Y. — An Alco S1 switcher from the Rochester-area short line Bath & Hammondsport Railroad will be joining the collection of the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum.

The combined efforts of the museum, the Steuben County Industrial Development Agency, and the Livonia, Avon & Lakeville Railroad has allowed the museum to purchase the 75-year-old locomotive. built in 1950 as part of a fleet of 71 of the 660-hp units on the New York Central.

Assigned to NYC’s Despatch Shops in 1965 and renumbered to No. 5, when the shops closed in 1970, the locomotive was sold to Steuben County for operation on the B&H. It became part of the Livonia, Avon & Lakeville when the county named the LA&L as the operator of the B&H lines in 1996, but eventually became surplus. The Flour-by-Rail project in Buffalo, N.Y., presented the museum with the opportunity to acquire the engine, and purchase from the development agency was completed in February.

“We are excited to preserve this historic diesel locomotive and return it to Rochester,” museum vice president Jackson Glozer said in a press release. “Besides helping preserve the history of Bath & Hammondsport Railroad, this diesel also worked locally at Despatch Shops in East Rochester, replacing a steam locomotive of the same number which we also just added to our collection a few years ago.” Said Jamie Johnson, executive director of the development agency, “The Steuben County IDA is pleased to be working with our partners at the Livonia Avon & Lakeville Railroad and the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum to preserve this important piece of local railroad history.”

The museum is seeking donations to help offset the costs of transporting the locomotive. A GoFundMe campaign is available here.

The Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum is located in Rush, N.Y., about 20 minutes south of downtown Rochester. More information on the museum is available at its website.