2007 SUMMER  SEASON at theEmpire State Railway Museum

The Naturalist John Burroughs - a Catskill Legend

This (composite) photograph depicts John Burroughs arriving at the Phoenicia Station about 1909.

Our  2007 Exhibit will features the Life and Times of  local naturalist and essayist, John Burroughs.

This season starts off with our annual Spring Lecture and slide show by Ed France on John Burroughs, at 7:00 on Wednesday,  April 18th in our historically restored Phoenicia Railway Station.   The Exhibit about the northeastern naturalist will open on Memorial Day weekend at the ESRM Phoenicia Station. 

Befriended by the likes of Henry Ford and Thomas Edison, he often hiked and camped in the area especially in his beloved Woodland Valley.  His writings include an impassioned poem about the Woodland Brook. 
                                
The lecture and the later seasonal exhibit will be held in the Phoenicia RR Station, home of the Empire State Railway Museum on 70 Lower High Street in Phoenicia, NY which also serves as a point of departure for the scenic Catskill  Mountain Railroad tourist rail rides along thebanks of the  scenic whitewater of the Esopus Creek.

Our Gift Shop offers books and videos on local and RR history as well as RR toys and paraphernalia.  With CCMR RR Yards just across the tracks there is much to see including our combined RR related displays and equipment. 

While the ESRM enjoys a positive symbiotic relationship with the CMRR, we are a seperate entity. As a Non-Profit educational institution we are totally dependant on your generous contributions for our daily operations and our costly restoration projects.  Therefore tickets (sold in the stations and on the train) cover only the rail ride and do not directly benefit the Museum.

Thank You All for your continuing support and we hope you enjoy our John Burroughs Exhibit.

Special Notes:

Our sympathies go to Ed Bolsetzian who, just short of his 93 birthday has lost his wife Betty.  Both were long time volunteers who used to serve on our BOD.  Betty will be fondly remembered along with Ed who now resides in the New York Armenian Home in Queens.

Due to a publisher’s change of policy, we can no longer offer the RR Tourist Guide free to our members, however our acclaimed Telegraph Dispatch will continue on a periodic basis and to keep our membership further informed we are publishing a new and more frequent  ESRM newsletter.

Our major ongoing project is the restoration of Engine 23.  The 2-8-0 Consolidation type steam locomotive and it's tender are being fully rebuilt for future operation by the ESRM in our Kingston yard.  While restoration work is progressing with our dedicated, all volunteer staff,  materials and supplies are extremely expensive and are totally dependant on your continued support.

The Phoenicia Station Review the history of the rail station that now houses the ESRM The Messenger View current and past issues of our quarterly newsletter. Historic Video for Sale! A combination of 6 short movie films mostly taken on the tracks and trains of the U&D Railroad in April 1906.