The Dead of winter and I need a list of 5 Railfan things to do?

[CandOforprogress2]

Bored in Buffalo NY,,,So within a 4 hour drive from here what is there to do? If Brightline was up and running I would hop a jet to Florida. What operating museums have winter hours?

[Ulrich]

Bayview Junction in Hamilton, ON.. only 90 minutes from you. 

[Bruce Kelly]

In a couple more weeks you have a short trip running on the Arcade & Attica:

http://www.aarailroad.com/

Otherwise, head east to Attica itself, my mom's hometown. My Grandpa Volk was a highly-regarded doctor there in his day. There's a small exhibit dedicated to him, as well as stuff on the nearby prison and railroads, at Attica's humble little museum:

http://atticamuseum.org/

There's some very interesting and photogenic train watching/shooting locations in and around Attica. The NS Southern Tier (or whatever they're calling it these days) climbs moderate grades west and east from town. Used to be pretty common for pushers (few people called them "helpers") to be needed to shove eastbounds to the summit at Linden.

Continue on down to Letchworth State Park and you have what amounts to the Grand Canyon of upstate NY, plus a tremendous bridge over the Genessee River.

http://www.railpictures.net/photo/529779/

http://www.railpictures.net/photo/541877/

https://parks.ny.gov/parks/79/details.aspx

 

 

 

 

[CandOforprogress2]

So Dr Volk what exactly was he known for? I am sure being probaly the only country doc for miles around

[Boyd]

Try to get a picture of Bigfoot and a train in the backgroun. 

[Bruce Kelly]

My grandfather, Fred Volk, was indeed a small-town doctor, but he managed to make enough of an impact in Attica and surrounding communities that 450 people attended a November 1967 dinner reception honoring his career. From a railroad standpoint, he was listed among the "Company Surgeons" in the Erie Railroad's Buffalo and Rochester Division timetables of the 1950s. The only Erie-approved doctor in all of Attica, of course. 

[CandOforprogress2]

Railfaning in Salamana NY BRP rail museum closed but history and antique mall open.