The
Niagara
Frontier's
Rail History Source
A non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and education of railroad history in Western New York State, the Province of Ontario, and neighboring regions.
The Niagara Frontier Chapter NRHS is one of the oldest chapters of the National Railway Historical Society. Originally named the NRHS Buffalo Chapter, we received our charter on February 1, 1942. Charter members were listed as Russell H. Shapley, John M. Prophet III, Charles A. Erler, and Albert D. Kerr. Beginning in 1938 and up until 1942, we were the Buffalo Division of the Railroad Enthusiasts.
To better reflect our mission, the Chapter's name was changed on February 29, 1988 to Niagara Frontier Chapter NRHS, Inc.
On June 1, 2003 the long anticipated opening of our Railroad Museum of the Niagara Frontier was celebrated. Housed in the historic Erie Railroad Freight Depot in North Tonawanda, New York, our museum contains various railroad artifacts which celebrate the rich heritage of railroading in the Niagara Frontier Region.
Next Monthly Meeting
Friday,
October 9, 2026
7:00pm
Wheatfield Community Center
2900 Church Road, North Tonawanda, NY
We're pleased to welcome our friend Devon Lawton back to the podium to give us a program on the history and operation of the Tonawanda Island Railroad. According to Wikipedia, "The Tonawanda Island Railroad operated on a 1.5-mile branch of track extending from the Conrail Niagara Branch in North Tonawanda, New York to Tonawanda Island. The railroad ceased to operate after the Federal Railroad Administration imposed an emergency order to prevent operation over a swing bridge that was found to be structurally deficient. The wood and metal bridge, known as bridge 7708810, crosses the Little River, a navigable waterway formed by the Niagara River, Ellicott Creek and Tonawanda Creek."
Don't miss this great program! All are welcome!
The Railroad Museum of the Niagara Frontier
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NOW OPEN EVERY SATURDAY
11:00 am to 4:00 pm
111 Oliver Street, North Tonawanda, NY 14120
Admission to the Railroad Museum of the Niagara Frontier is FREE, but donations are always welcome and greatly appreciated!
Your generous support helps us restore and preserve the historic railroad equipment throughout our museum campus. Donations also help provide the equipment and resources needed to catalog, care for, and digitize our extensive archival collection, with the goal of making these materials more accessible for research, education, and public use.
Every donation, large or small, helps us preserve and share the rich railroad heritage of the Western New York region.
The Museum is Family-Friendly, Fully Accessible, and Free Parking is available!