Our Organization's Mission Statement:
To promote public education, interest, visitation, and volunteerism at the Manchester Railroad Memorial Park in Manchester, New York through the planning, construction, and operation of a model train layout that represents the Lehigh Valley Railroad in Manchester, built in a historic boxcar at the park.
Our regular monthly membership meetings are held on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at the Village Hall in Manchester, NY beginning at 5:00pm. Anyone with an interest in local history and model railroading is invited to attend. New members always welcome!
How it all started:
Once the site of a LVRR railway station, signal tower, and bunkhouse, the Manchester Railroad Memorial Park started as a shared vision of Michael Buttaccio, now the mayor of Manchester, and Doug Parmelee, both former LVRR workers in Manchester, NY. The MMRA was formed to promote interest in the park through the construction and operation of a model railroad representing the LVRR rail yard and historic roundhouse. For a more in-depth look at the park and how it came to be, follow this link to an article from Life in the Finger Lakes. Photo by Laurel C. Wemett .
New York State Historical Marker
The NYS Historical Marker at the Manchester Railroad Memorial Park honors the loss of life in the derailment at the Manchester trestle in 1911. The installation of the marker was made possible by a donation from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation. For more information about the tragic accident, visit this page on the foundation's website.
The LVRR 30 Stall Roundhouse:
The historic Lehigh Valley Roundhouse still stands just off Merrick Circle in Manchester, New York. Our layout includes a 6 bay representation of the roundhouse and its service facilities. More information about the roundhouse, including a Request for Expression of Interest by Ontario County for the rehabilitation and possible uses for the existing structure, and related reports and background information is available on the County's website.
Manchester History:
For more information on the local history of the village of Manchester, visit Village of Manchester History.
