Click on the director’s name for email address.
NYCSHS Directors and Officers for 2016 – 2017
President
Dave Mackay
Vice President
Recording Secretary
Treasurer
Noel Widdifield
Archivist
Central Headlight Editor
Richard L. Stoving
NYCentral Modeler Editor
Directors At Large
Richard J. Barrett
Tom Gerbracht
Mike Vescelus
Nick Ariemma
Noel F. Widdifield Webmaster
Directors Emeritus
Joseph P. Quinlivan
Paul Carver
Information Contacts
Click on the director’s name for email address. Phone #s are listed below the name.
Noel Widdifield – Treasurer, Business Manager, Webmaster, Editor, NYCentral Modeler
703-407-3059
Nick Ariemma – Membership Chair
201-745-5447
Mike Vescelus – Collinwood Shop
502-727-4524
Jim Suhs – Secretary
815-588-1504
Dave Mackay – Modeling Committee Chair
201-960-1873
Darwin Simonaitis – Calendar
Joseph Epperson – Archivist
Tom Gerbracht – Engineering Drawings
Rich Stoving – President – Editor, Central Headlight
570-724-7709
Sheldon Lustig – Vice President
440-823-7762
Richard Barrett – Director
Ralph Schiring – NYCS Knowledge Coordinator – I can get you answers to your questions about the NYCS.
Please note we have no railroad employment records.
Contact the Railroad Retirement Board for more information on genealogy searches.
U.S. Railroad Retirement Board Pension Records
You can now search a free index of 1.5 million US Railroad Retirement Board pension records on the Midwest Genealogy Center (part of the Mid-Continent Public Library in Independence, Mo.) website.
The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) administers a federal retirement benefits program similar to Social Security, but for railroad workers. The RRB index covers records from 1936 to the early 2000s . The program started in 1936, so these records don’t cover earlier railroad workers, or workers for local streetcar or interurban lines. Those who worked for railroads on a short-term or casual basis also might not have participated in the program.
Start your RRB index search on the Genealogy Quick Look website http://quicklook.midwestgenealogycenter.org/index.php—choose US Railroad Retirement Board from the Collection menu.
The results give you the last name and usually just a first initial, along with dates of birth and death (month and year for birth and death, and occasionally the day). Once you find a relative, you can order copies of the pension records for about 80 cents per page from the National Archives Atlanta office. Use the provided link on the search results to Print This Page and then click on Submit Your Request, which gives instructions on how to request copies.
Before this index, you had to pay $27 to have RRB staff check their index to see if your ancestor was part of the retirement system. The Midwest Genealogy Center’s RRB index saves you the $27 and gives you the flexibility to do further research on potentially relevant search results.
This article was written by May Ann Boggs for the South Suburban Genealogical and Historical Society. The Midwest Genealogy Center at the Mid-Continent Public Library in Independence, MO has the index on their website. We thank all of them for allowing us to publish this article on our website.
http://quicklook.midwestgenealogycenter.org/index.php
Under the “Collection” title click on the dropdown to “U.S. Railroad Retirement Board”.
General Research Questions:
PLEASE NOTE: While we try to respond to all inquires, due to the overwhelming amount of mail received, our volunteers cannot possibly answer general inquiries in a timely manner. Please consider asking your historic or general interest question in one of the many friendly discussion groups, such as the New York Central Forum.
Official Address (Do not send membership forms or money to this address)
New York Central System Historical Society, Inc.
P. O. Box 130
Gates Mills, OH 44040-0130
Membership Address (Please mail all membership forms and payments and address changes to this address)
New York Central System Historical Society, Inc.
P. O. Box 264
Emerson, NJ 07630
Treasurer Address
New York Central System Historical Society, Inc.
P.O. Box 328
Shady Side, MD 20764
I Found in a junkyard close to me about 2 years ago a cast iron railroad depot sign .The name of the depot is Amlin it was a stop on new york central railroad in Franklin county with is near Columbus,ohio.Question is what was the colors of the sign.
Russell
For the cast iron signs from what I have seen, the background is black and the lettering and borders are a gold color.
Jim Kehn
That is correct.
I am contacting in regards to color century green. I have had no luck going thru Elkhart chapter. I am waiting on return answer on a possible loan of a paint chip for century green. I may be reached at 270-816-2662. Any help is appreciated. I have been searching for about month.
Check here on our webstie for the listing of paint colors available. https://nycshs.org/modeling-technical-data/
To Whom It May Concern,
Can someone tell me when the book “Know Thy Hudsons” will be sent?
I am John Frink, member #6324. Sent the app and check last year.
Thank you very much for your tiem,
John Frink
We were just notified yesterday that the book will be printed by the end of April and will be shipped shortly after that. We have been working with the publishing company to ensure the book is completely accurate and finished properly. It will be a great book.
Thanks, NYCSHS
I work with the Mississippi Coast Model Railroad Museum in Gulfport ms. We are a non-profit organization dedicated to teaching the history of American railroads through models. Since the NYCRR has such a great history, it was a natural to contact you about our project. To help raise funds for the museum we are putting together a cookbook/history book based on the dining car and it’s evolution. If possible we would like to feature recipes that were served on your Railroad in the past. We are more than happy to give your society credit for the recipes that you send us. Thank you for your help and time on this matter.
Tim,
I will see what we can find for you. Someone will know about the food served on our dining cars.
Thanks, Noel
NYCSHS Director
NYCSHS Webmaster
Hello
Im Mike. Im looking to find out what road diesels were assigned to the Boston and Albany. Between 1950 xnd 1960. Is thereant info on that. My email is matternmike@yahoo.ca.
Thank you
Mike
Mike,
Be back to you soon with an answer.
Thanks, NYCSHS
Mike,
As steam was winding down in the 1950’s, diesel road power was not generally assigned to specific regions. While certain passenger trains were assigned E-units instead of road-switchers, freights got whatever power was available at Selkirk.
That changed when the NYC assigned power to various points on the system based on the builder, with Selkirk and Dewitt being the bases for ALCO units. There are many photographs of B&A freights with up to 7 units, all ALCO’s, mixed FA’s, FB’s, and RS’s. The “New England States” and “Paul Revere” and the through M&E trains were assigned E’s as they ran through from / to Chicago, while the secondary trains and commuters usually drew RS-2’s & 3’s.
Hope this helps.
I’m looking for any info on Horse Cars. Hopefully I can kit bash an existing HO passenger car into a model.
One of our experts will get back to you shortly.
I was a member a number of years ago, and I let it lapse. I thought I rejoined earlier this year and paid through Pay Pal. Bit, I mever heard anything. So I will rejoin. Can I get my old number? Can you please send me a paper application? For me the old ways of doing things are just better.
We show that you last paid for membership in 2010. If you rejoin you will receive your old membership number. You can download a form to join by clicking on https://nycshs.files.wordpress.com/2016/08/2017-new-membership2.pdf Just print out the form and mail to the address shown on the form with a check for membership.
Do you have any material relating to George H. Daniels?
Many thanks,
Daniel
We have no information on NYCS employees. Go to https://www.rrb.gov/mep/genealogy.asp to obtain info on employees.
Good afternoon. I am researching the bridge collapse and disaster at Ashtabula in 1876. I was looking to see if there were any records to settlement payments made to victims or families by the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway. I have access to the stockholder reports but they do not do an itemized breakdown of payout just an overall figure with the number of families settled. Any help would be quite valuable. Thanks.
-Blake
We have nothing like that in the archives. Sorry, NYCSHS
Thank you Ibwill undertake to rejoin. BDS
I am looking for the heavyweight consist and color for the commodore Vanderbilt train of the early 1930’s. I blieve it was green with black tops, maybe some could have been Pullman. any help–john herr———j.herr104@hahoo.com
We will see what we can find for you.