Amherst Railway Society
Encyclopedia
The Amherst Railway Society is a society of railway enthusiasts in the Amherst, Massachusetts
area. The society puts on an annual "Amherst Railway Society Railroad Hobby Show
" at the Eastern States Exposition Fairgrounds in West Springfield, Massachusetts
in late January or February every year.
They also have a modular HO scale subdivision, the Amherst Belt Lines, which uses ABEL as the motive power markers.
The Amherst Railway Society has about 350 members who share some aspect of railroading as a common interest. Monthly meetings cover current topics in railroad news and offer slide shows, movies or a prominent speaker on a railroading topic.
According to written minutes, the Amherst Railway Society came into existence on October 15, 1963 in Goessman Laboratory, Room 151 at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Present at that meeting were Harvey Allen, Maurice Bates, Robert Johnston, William Becker, Michael Cann, Ned Chase, Stowell Goding, Adrian Lindsey, Everett Turner, and Al Wynne. The decision was made to meet at 8:00 P.M. on the 3rd Tuesday of each month, and to have members present programs. The program on October 15, 1963 was "Mexican Steam" by Everett Turner, "American Diesels" by Al Wynne, and some steam shots from around Amherst by Harvey Allen. The Amherst Railway Society quickly grew and soon the organization put on its own Train Show that is held every year in West Springfield.
The annual "Amherst Railway Society Railroad Hobby Show
" has become the biggest railroad show in the country. In 1993 and 1994 the Amherst Railway Society received the Walthers Showmanship Award for sponsoring the event. As a member of the Society you are entitled to receive a free admission ticket for one day of the show. (Members who work at the show can come both days, as well as Thursday and Friday to set up.)
Proceeds from the show are used to promote interest in railroads. Donations have been made to various railroad museums, historical societies, restoration projects and scholarship funds. Organizations that have received donations include: the Fall River and Old Colony Museum, the 470 Club's Boston and Maine diesel locomotive restoration project, the Boston and Maine Historical Society, the Chester Foundation Station Project, the Wiscasset Waterville and Farmington Building and Car Fund as well as trolley museums in Shelburne Falls, MA, Warehouse Point, CT, Branford, CT and Kennebunk, ME.
Amherst, Massachusetts
Amherst is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States in the Connecticut River valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 37,819, making it the largest community in Hampshire County . The town is home to Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts...
area. The society puts on an annual "Amherst Railway Society Railroad Hobby Show
Amherst Railway Society Railroad Hobby Show
The Amherst Railway Society Railroad Hobby Show is an annual show, covering Railroads, Railroad Museums, Model Railroading, and railroad related toys, held at the Eastern States Exposition grounds in West Springfield, Massachusetts by the Amherst Railway Society at the end of January and attended...
" at the Eastern States Exposition Fairgrounds in West Springfield, Massachusetts
West Springfield, Massachusetts
The Town of West Springfield is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 28,391 at the 2010 census...
in late January or February every year.
They also have a modular HO scale subdivision, the Amherst Belt Lines, which uses ABEL as the motive power markers.
The Amherst Railway Society has about 350 members who share some aspect of railroading as a common interest. Monthly meetings cover current topics in railroad news and offer slide shows, movies or a prominent speaker on a railroading topic.
According to written minutes, the Amherst Railway Society came into existence on October 15, 1963 in Goessman Laboratory, Room 151 at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Present at that meeting were Harvey Allen, Maurice Bates, Robert Johnston, William Becker, Michael Cann, Ned Chase, Stowell Goding, Adrian Lindsey, Everett Turner, and Al Wynne. The decision was made to meet at 8:00 P.M. on the 3rd Tuesday of each month, and to have members present programs. The program on October 15, 1963 was "Mexican Steam" by Everett Turner, "American Diesels" by Al Wynne, and some steam shots from around Amherst by Harvey Allen. The Amherst Railway Society quickly grew and soon the organization put on its own Train Show that is held every year in West Springfield.
The annual "Amherst Railway Society Railroad Hobby Show
Amherst Railway Society Railroad Hobby Show
The Amherst Railway Society Railroad Hobby Show is an annual show, covering Railroads, Railroad Museums, Model Railroading, and railroad related toys, held at the Eastern States Exposition grounds in West Springfield, Massachusetts by the Amherst Railway Society at the end of January and attended...
" has become the biggest railroad show in the country. In 1993 and 1994 the Amherst Railway Society received the Walthers Showmanship Award for sponsoring the event. As a member of the Society you are entitled to receive a free admission ticket for one day of the show. (Members who work at the show can come both days, as well as Thursday and Friday to set up.)
Proceeds from the show are used to promote interest in railroads. Donations have been made to various railroad museums, historical societies, restoration projects and scholarship funds. Organizations that have received donations include: the Fall River and Old Colony Museum, the 470 Club's Boston and Maine diesel locomotive restoration project, the Boston and Maine Historical Society, the Chester Foundation Station Project, the Wiscasset Waterville and Farmington Building and Car Fund as well as trolley museums in Shelburne Falls, MA, Warehouse Point, CT, Branford, CT and Kennebunk, ME.
Grants
| Year | Requesting Organization | Project | ARS Grant |
| 2009 | Adirondack Scenic Railroad Utica, NY | New Coach Seat Cushions | $1,000. |
| 2009 | Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum, Inc. Lenox, MA | Locomotive #0954 Alco S1 Body Repair and Paint | $2,500. |
| 2009 | Beverly Historical Society and Museum Beverly, MA | Walker Transportation Collection Photograph Digitalization Project | $1,000. |
| 2009 | Boothbay Railway Village Boothbay ME | Complete Restoration of MEC Octagonal Crossing Shanty | $1,500. |
| 2009 | Boston Street Railway Association, Inc. Guilford, CT | Boston Type 5 No. 5706 Restoration | $1,500. |
| 2009 | Branford Electric Railway Association/Shoreline Trolley Museum Branford CT | Connecticut Company Car 865 Restoration | $2,000. |
| 2009 | Chester Foundation Chester, MA | Safety/Security Lighting and Archival Vault | $1,350. |
| 2009 | Connecticut Electric Railway Association East Windsor, CT | Restoration of Diesel Switcher 1 to operational condition | $2,500. |
| 2009 | Danbury Railway Museum Danbury CT | NYC “Tonawanda Valley” Observation Lounge Car restoration | $2,000. |
| 2009 | Flying Yankee Restoration Group Lincoln NH | Bringing Electric Power to The Flying Yankee site. | $2,500. |
| 2009 | Fostoria Rail Preservation Society Fostoria OH | T&OC Depot (NYC Depot/Gray Printing Depot) | $1,000. |
| 2009 | Friends of Bedford Depot Park, Inc. Bedford, MA | Billerica and Bedford Railroad Historical Display | $845. |
| 2009 | Friends of the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad, Inc. Chama,NM | RPO Car 54 Materials for Left Hand Side Framing | $1,500. |
| 2009 | Friends of the East Broad Top, Inc. Robertsdale, PA | Museum Alarm System | $1,500. |
| 2009 | Friends of the Keystone Arches, Inc. Chester, MA | Chester & Becket R.R. Trail bridge | $1,000. |
| 2009 | New England Electric Railway Historical Society/Seashore Trolley Museum Kennebunkport ME | 1906 Atlantic Shore Line wooden electric locomotive No. 100(ASL-100) restoration | $2,000. |
| 2009 | New York Central System Historical Society Mentor, OH | Shipping Historic Materials | $1,500. |
| 2009 | NRHS - Central New York Chapter NRHS Marcellus NY | Martisco Station Museum Library | $1,000. |
| 2009 | NRHS - Lackawanna & Wyoming Valley Chapter Scranton PA | Rebuilding B&M 3713 Locomotive | $2,000. |
| 2009 | NRHS - Rochester Chapter Rush NY | Glass replacement GE 45 tonner RGE #1941 | $1,390. |
| 2009 | NRHS - Western Connecticut Chapter SoNo Switch Tower Norwalk CT | Restoration of Cos Cob Electrical Board | $1,500. |
| 2009 | Old Colony & Fall River Railroad Museum Fall River, MA | Museum Entrance Loading Dock | $1,300. |
| 2009 | Old Colony & Newport Railway Middletown RI | “West Side” Coach Repair | $1,000. |
| 2009 | Palmer Public Library Palmer MA | Railroad Research Center Microfilm vault cabinet | $1,100. |
| 2009 | Railroad Museum of Long Island Riverhead, NY | GE 25 tonner LIR 399 Restoration Project | $500. |
| 2009 | Railroad Museum of New England, Inc. Thomaston CT | Naugatuck Coach 5805 restoration | $2,500. |
| 2009 | Railway Restoration Project Project 113 Minersville, PA | Restoration of Jersey Central Engine 113 | $1,000. |
| 2009 | Railways to Yesterday, Inc./ Rockhill Trolley Museum Furnace PA | Johnstown Traction Company 311 Phase 2 Truck and Motor Rebuilding | $1,000. |
| 2009 | Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes Railroad Phillips ME | Car Barn building | $2,500. |
| 2009 | Shelburne Falls Trolley Museum Buckland, MA | Car Barn phase 1 | $1,500. |
| 2009 | Windham Rail Trail Alliance Windham, NH | Windham Depot Buildings Renovation | $1,000. |
| 2009 | Windsor Locks Preservation Association, Inc. Windsor Locks CT | Preservation & Restoration of Windsor Locks Station | $1,000. |
| 2009 | Wiscassset, Waterville and Farmington Railway Museum Alna, ME | Car Shop Improvement | $1,500. |
| 2008 | Railways to Yesterday/Rockhill Trolley Museum, Rockhill Furnace PA | Johnstown Traction Co #311 Restoration | $1,000 |
| 2008 | Lackawanna & Wyoming Valley NRHS Chapter, Scranton PA | Restoration of B & M #3713 | $2,000 |
| 2008 | Bay State Model Railroad Museum Roslindale MA | Interior Renovations | $900 |
| 2008 | Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum Inc Lennox MA | Coach#341 Restoration | $3,000 |
| 2008 | Boothbay ME Railway Village | Carhouse construction | $2,000 |
| 2008 | Branford Electric Railway Association/Shoreline Trolley Museum Branford CT | Connecticut Company #865 renovations (1905 Wason Car) | $4,000 |
| 2008 | Central New York Chapter NRHS | Library Relocation Project | $750 |
| 2008 | Chester MA Foundation | Roofwalk restoration on vintage freight cars | $3,106 |
| 2008 | Connecticut Eastern Chapter NRHS Willimantic CT | Repair/Restoration of McWilliams Spot Tamper | $1,500 |
| 2008 | Danbury CT Railway Museum | Turntable repairs/restoration | $3,000 |
| 2008 | Flying Yankee Restoration Group Lincoln NH | Restoration of Flying Yankee | $2,500 |
| 2008 | Fostoria OH Rail Preservation Society | Relocation of T&OC Depot to Fostoria Iron Triangle Rail Park | $2,000 |
| 2008 | Friends of the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad. Chama NM | Antonito Car Barn construction | $1,800 |
| 2008 | Friends of the Keystone Arches, Huntington MA | Keystone Arch Bridges Trail Maps | $1,000 |
| 2008 | New England Electric Railway Historical Society/ Seashore Trolley Museum, Kennebunkport ME | 1906 Manchester Street Railway Car #38 restoration/repair | $1,500 |
| 2008 | Old Colony & Newport Railway Middletown RI | Door replacement on part car #74 | $675 |
| 2008 | Palmer MA Public Library | Digital microfilm scanner | $4,860 |
| 2008 | Railroad Museum of New England Thomaston CT | Restoration of Naugatuck Coach 5046 | $3,000 |
| 2008 | Rochester Chapter NRHS Rush NY | Restoration of WA&G X3710 snowplow (née-B&M#3710) | $650 |
| 2008 | Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes Railroad, Phillips ME | Restoration of P&R coach #4 | $3,000 |
| 2008 | Windsor Locks CT Preservation Association | Preservation and Restoration of Windsor Locks Station | $1,000 |
| 2008 | Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway Museum Alna ME | Restoration Shop Construction | $2,000 |