Experience the allure of train travel from when journeys were as much about the ride as the destination onboard a heritage train or trolley. Listen to the rhythmic chugga-chuggas and whistling choo-choos while you relax and enjoy the scenic rural landscape passing by on a Rochester-area train ride.
If you want to relive the transportation of yesteryears, there are four heritage train museums around Rochester offering a unique and immersive experience. Each museum takes you back in time to witness the evolution of rail transportation through the ages, from early steam engines to modern electric trains. You will get to ride on some of the well-preserved vintage trains that were once the backbone of the transportation industry. These museums are perfect for train enthusiasts, families, and anyone looking for a fun and educational experience.
Fall Events
🚂 New York Museum of Transportation
🎟️ nymtmuseum.org
“Fall Foliage Trolley Rides” – Sundays: October 6, October 13, and October 27. Enjoy the beauty of autumn in New York from the window of a vintage electric trolley car! Trolley rides are included in your admission to the museum today!
“Halloween Trolley Express” – October 20. Ride to the Pumpkin Patch to decorate a baby pumpkin to take home. Trick-or-treating in Halloween-decorated trolley cars in the museum. Reservations are required.
🚂 Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum
🎟️ rgvrrm.org
“Pumpkin Patch Train Rides” – October 12-13, 19-20, 26-27. All aboard for the pumpkin patch! Enjoy a mile-and-a-half train ride through our rural museum grounds in the scenic heart of the Genesee Valley! Ride aboard authentically restored vintage trains to the Pumpkin Patch, where every child will choose a small pumpkin to take home to decorate. Complementary juice, cookies, and coloring books for everyone. Fresh kettle corn for sale by Mountain Top Kettle Corn! Enjoy self-guided tours of historic trains, our restoration shop, and a special exhibit of operating Lionel trains by the Flower City Tinplate Trackers. Don’t forget to visit the friendly petting zoo!
🚂 Arcade & Attica Railroad
🎟️ aarailroad.com
“Fall Foliage Train Excursions” – Multiple Dates. Come enjoy some of the most beautiful country in Western New York as the trees turn from their vivid greens to their vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows. Delicious local cider and homemade donuts are available for purchase.
“Haunted Halloween Train Ride” – October 26, 27. Enjoy a spooky round-trip train excursion starting at the train station! At the halfway point, you depart the train at Curriers Station, where you can enter the haunted house (if you dare!). Kids’ activities and concessions are offered. Restrooms are available on location.
🚂 Medina Railroad Museum & Train Rides
🎟️ medinarailroadmuseum.org
“Autumn Adventure Train Ride” – October 12, 13, 17, 19, 20. Fall is the perfect season to visit the Medina Railroad Museum and enjoy a leisurely, old-fashioned way to experience the beauty of autumn in western New York. Enjoy a two-hour round-trip train ride through the wooded scenery and along the Erie Canal. As the leaves transform into brilliant hues of reds, oranges, and gold, you won’t miss a beat as you pair your trip in our vintage cars with the magnificent sights of the season. There is no better time to enjoy a train ride than during the autumn, as the trees are ablaze with fall foliage!
All aboard for a day trip down memory lane!
Monroe County
1. New York Museum of Transportation
Rush
Explore NYMT’s vast collection of train and trolley cars, buses, signs, photos, model railroad displays, and two Midtown Plaza monorail cars. During special events, enjoy a scenic two-mile round-trip ride on a 90-year-old electric trolley car—the only trolley ride in New York State. Admission fee. 6393 E. River Road, Rush, (585) 533-1113, nymtmuseum.org
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New York Museum of Transportation
Enjoy a scenic two-mile round-trip ride on a 90-year-old electric trolley car at the New York Museum of Transportation.
2. Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum
Rush
Dedicated RGV volunteers are expanding, restoring, and preserving New York’s most extensive collection of historic railway equipment. Visit the restored 1930s Industry Depot to purchase a ticket and hop aboard a train departing every 30 minutes. You can sit back and relax or grab a spot at the back of the caboose for an open-air view. Enjoy a 1.5-mile round-trip ride to the restoration shop as often as you desire. Admission fee. 282 Rush Scottsville Road, Rush, (585) 533-1431, rgvrrm.org
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Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum
Spend a day riding the train during special events from May to October at the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum.
Greater Rochester
3. Arcade & Attica Railroad
Arcade
The steam train excursion lasts two and a half hours, including a 45-minute ride to Curriers Station, a 30-minute break to explore the yard and have lunch, and a 45-minute return to the depot. Enjoy the scenic countryside from your assigned seat or the open-air car. From June to December, the train offers themed events such as Murder Mystery, Great Train Robbery, Father’s Day, Civil War, World War II, Superhero, Haunted Halloween, and Santa’s Wonderland Express. Admission fee. 278 Main Street, Arcade, Wyoming County, (585) 492-3100, aarailroad.com
4. Medina Railroad Museum & Train Rides
Medina
Housed in one of America’s largest surviving wooden freight depots, the museum contains one of New York State’s most extensive HO-scale model train layouts and a vast collection of freight-related artifacts. Visitors can also enjoy a train ride during special events such as Day Out with Thomas the Tank Engine, Autumn Adventure, and Polar Express. Admission fee. 530 West Avenue, Medina, Orleans County, (585) 798-6106, medinarailroadmuseum.org
More Train-Themed Day Trips
Edgerton Model Railroad Room
You’ll love visiting the detailed model railroad room if you’re a fan of transportation heritage and Rochester history. Each of the four season-themed layouts showcases a different story from the 1950s, featuring operating model trains touring throughout the scene. You can explore the intricate details of each display during open house tours held on the last Saturday of each month from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and during special hours throughout December. 41 Backus Street, (585) 428-6769, edgertonmodelrailroadclub.com
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Rochester’s railfans can appreciate the remarkable structures preserved by dedicated preservationists who recognize their value.
Instead of being an escape, I see these places as opportunities that encourage us to transcend space, time, and our state of mind.
Discover the breathtaking beauty of the Great Lakes, Genesee River, Erie Canal, and Finger Lakes on one of these Rochester-area boat tours.
Unlock the Wonder: 12 Ways to Fully Experience the Erie Canal
Experience the beauty, history, and community of the Erie Canal through activities that offer a unique perspective of life along the canal.
Explore the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor
Enjoy each Erie Canal city, town, and village along the 115-mile stretch between the Cayuga-Seneca Canal and the Niagara River.
Which are your favorite heritage train rides around Rochester?
Your insights and experiences are valuable. Please share them in the comments.
People often ask me if I get free access to places while exploring. The answer is no unless I’m invited to previews or granted behind-the-scenes access as part of my media role. Generally, I don’t mention my project, Day Trips Around Rochester, NY, because I want the same experience you would have. I create and share content simply because it brings me joy. I would appreciate your support—a cup of coffee or two to help fuel future field trips—if you have found valuable information here that has helped you explore the Rochester area.
Not having the opportunity to take modern day trips around Rochester, I can only relate my train experience going to Rochester in December 1959.
We moved from Brighton to Short Hills, New Jersey . I missed my friends so after Christmas I made the train trip to Rochester on New York Central train from Grand Central Station in NYC. What a fun trip it was at the ripe old age of 17. Thank you New York Central!!
Jean, thank you for sharing your treasured memory of riding the train! I, too, cherish memories of riding a heritage train in Essex, Connecticut, with my grandparents and taking Amtrak to NYC for my daughter’s 16th birthday.