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,
September 11, 2026
7:00pm
Wheatfield Community Center
2900 Church Road, North Tonawanda, NY
"ANTHRACITE: The Railroad Connection" presented by Tony Schill
Many older homes still have these mysterious "doors" on an outside wall, but these days, only a handful of people know what they were used for. Rarely are they still used for their original intent.... which was to allow for coal deliveries directly to the basement of the home. And if the resident was fortunate, it was not just “ordinary” coal that was delivered; it was ANTHRACITE, mined in northeastern Pennsylvania.
Tony will lift the lid on the incredibly complex industrial system that mined, processed and transported anthracite coal, including a look at Buffalo’s critical role as the most important anthracite coal port on the Great Lakes.
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 New York
Admission to the museum is free but donations are welcome and very much appreciated! Your generous donations greatly assist our restoration efforts on the many pieces of railroad equpiment on our campus. Your contributions also allow us to purchase additional equipment needed to continue the monumental task of cataloging and digitizing our extensive archive collection.
The Musuem is Family-Friendly, Fully Accessible, and Free Parking is available!
