
NYCSHS 2025 Annual Convention - Rochester
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When: Friday, Saturday, and Sunday - June 6 - 8, 2025
Where: Hyatt Regency Rochester - 125 East Main Street - Rochester, NY 14604
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Cost: (See registration and accommodation details below)

The beautiful city of Rochester, New York, will be our host for the 2025 NYCSHS Convention on June 6, 7, and 8. At one time, Rochester was served by five different divisions of the New York Central, including the main line, West Shore, Falls Road, Auburn Road, “Hojack” (Ontario Division, former RW&O), and “Peanut” (Tonawanda and Batavia Branch). Today, the former NYC main line is operated by CSX Transportation, with passenger service provided by Amtrak. The old Falls Road is operated by Genesee Valley Transportation as the Falls Road Railroad, while the Auburn Road is operated by Finger Lakes Railway (FGLK). A small portion of the Hojack is also operated by Ontario Midland.
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Our 2025 convention kicks off Friday, June 6th with registration and a day of presentations and layout tours. Saturday, June 7th, the plan is for an excursion on the Medina Railroad from Brockport to Medina, where we will disembark to tour the Medina Railroad Museum. Among the attractions is a restored set of NYC E8s on display. Following our tour and train ride, we will pay a visit to the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum to explore the largest collection of historic trains in New York State. Our tour will include rides on their museum railroad and tours of the restoration shop. The day concludes with a reception, our banquet (with guest speaker), and our annual business meeting. Sunday, June 8th, we'll conclude our convention with a train show in the morning and more presentations; wrapping up convention activities by mid-afternoon.
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Rochester is easily accessible by Amtrak Empire Service from New York City, as well as Lake Shore Limited from Chicago or Boston, or Maple Leaf from Toronto. Convenient flights operated by major airlines are available through Greater Rochester International Airport (ROC). Our convention hotel is the Hyatt Regency Rochester, located in the heart of the city and convenient to both Amtrak and the airport.​
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Our Current 2025 NYCSHS Convention Schedule of Events (as of 4/7/25)
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Registration
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Layout tours
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Presentations - Covering various aspects of New York Central history and modeling
Friday
6
June
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Private passenger excursion on Medina Railroad from Brockport to Medina and tour the Medina Railroad Museum
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Visit to the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum in nearby Rush to explore and ride the largest collection of historic trains in New York State
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No-host reception, banquet, speaker, and Annual Business meeting
Saturday
7
June
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All-scale train and memorabilia show
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Wrap-up by mid-afternoon
Sunday
8
June
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Cost
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Registration - $199 for NYCSHS members / $248.00* for non-members (*includes 1-yr of Central Headlight)
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Accommodations - Rate* at the Hyatt Regency Rochester in Rochester, NY is $139.00 for single, $149.00 for two persons, and $164.00 for three persons - plus taxes and hotel fees. To make a reservation: Either call 800-233-1234, or reserve your room(s) online.
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*IMPORTANT: To qualify for the reduced room rates listed above for our 2025 NYCSHS convention, you MUST:
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Make your reservations by March 29, 2025
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Call and ask to book your room(s) in the "New York Central System" block (Group Code "G-NYCS"). If booking online, enter "G-NYCS" in the "Corporate or Group Code" text box under the "Special Rates" drop-down menu.
The Collinwood Shop will be open all three days of the convention. Details and vendor table registrations coming soon!​
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We look forward to seeing you in Rochester! ~Joe Burgess and Otto Vondrak, Convention Co-Chairs​​​
Additional information on activities and attractions in the Rochester, NY area
Besides the busy CSX main line (former NYC Syracuse Division), there are also a number of options for the visiting railfan within an hour of downtown:
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Batavia, NY - Site of NYC Empire State Express 999's historic 112 mph run
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CSX Goodman Street Yard (former NYC Goodman Street Yard) - Public Viewing Areas ONLY [Map]
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Wayneport, NY - Former site of NYC 4-track coal facility
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While you attend the convention activities, your family might enjoy visiting the following:
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Genesee Brew House at High Falls
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Ontario Beach Park on Lake Ontario
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Red Wings Baseball at Innovative Field
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New York Central System Historical Society
