Lehigh Valley Railroad Historical Society in Shortsville, NY, Pennsylvania
Rail preservation groupStation museum in Shortsville, New York; check the society's website for hours
The Lehigh Valley Railroad Historical Society keeps alive the history of the Lehigh Valley Railroad, chartered in 1846 to carry anthracite from Pennsylvania's coal fields, from its station museum in Shortsville, New York.
- Lehigh Valley Railroad chartered 1846
- Built to haul Pennsylvania anthracite
- Station museum in Shortsville, NY
- Reporting mark LV
Lehigh Valley Railroad Historical Society at a glance
- Hours
- Check lvrrhs.org for station museum hours
- Admission
- Check lvrrhs.org
- Best for
- Lehigh Valley Railroad fans and historians
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to Lehigh Valley Railroad Historical Society? Bring Rally along.
In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Shortsville, NY.
Rally Takes the Train
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From the anthracite fields to the Finger Lakes
The Lehigh Valley Railroad, reporting mark LV, was chartered in 1846 to move anthracite coal from the coal fields of northeastern Pennsylvania to big markets such as Philadelphia and New York City. It grew into a major carrier of both freight and passengers, eventually reaching from Jersey City, New Jersey, to Buffalo, New York. Its first link to the Finger Lakes region came in 1871 through the Southern Central Railroad. The railroad fell on hard times and was taken over by Conrail in 1976.
The Lehigh Valley Railroad Historical Society works to preserve that story. Its station museum sits in Shortsville, New York, along the railroad's former reach toward Buffalo, and the society shares the railroad's history on its website. Fall foliage excursion trains have stopped at the station museum, including one in October 2019 led by a Finger Lakes Railway diesel painted in the Lehigh Valley's 1950s colors.
The station museum in Shortsville
The society's public home is its station museum in Shortsville, New York. Visiting hours and exhibit details are posted on the society's website, so check there before making the trip. For Pennsylvania travelers, the Lehigh Valley region itself, where the railroad began, has several excursion railroads to ride.
Don’t miss
- The Shortsville station museumThe society's base, on the Lehigh Valley's route through New York.
- Finger Lakes Railway #2201A GE U23B diesel painted in Lehigh Valley 1950s colors that has led fall foliage excursions to the station museum.
For young rail fans
Kids will enjoy the station museum most on a day when an excursion train comes through, like the fall foliage trips that have stopped there. Check the society's website for current events and hours before you go.
Plan your visit: tips for Lehigh Valley Railroad Historical Society
- The station museum is in Shortsville, New York, not in Pennsylvania.
- Watch the society's website for fall foliage excursion days.
A society for the Lehigh Valley Railroad
The Lehigh Valley Railroad Historical Society keeps the railroad's story alive through its station museum and its published history. Its website accepts contributions toward preservation, and visiting the museum or joining the society are good ways to help.
Ride in the valley that named the railroad
Back in Pennsylvania, the Lehigh River country that gave the railroad its name has trains you can ride, including the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway in Jim Thorpe and the Reading & Northern Railroad. The Wanamaker, Kempton & Southern Railroad is nearby too. See more Pennsylvania train museums.
- Wanamaker, Kempton & Southern RailroadKempton, PA · about 16 mi
- Colebrookdale RailroadBoyertown, PA · about 18 mi
- Delaware River Railroad ExcursionsPhillipsburg, NJ · about 20 mi
- Phillipsburg Railroad Historians MuseumPhillipsburg, NJ · about 20 mi
- Lehigh Gorge Scenic RailwayJim Thorpe, PA · about 21 mi
- Reading Railroad Heritage MuseumHamburg, PA · about 22 mi
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
I love the picture of a fall foliage train pulling up to a little station museum and everyone climbing aboard. In our book, climbing aboard is the hardest part for Rally: his corgi legs are too short for the big train steps, so Dad gives him a boost. I wrote that page for every small traveler who needs a hand. Our train books for toddlers list has more.
Free for train families
Print the Rally coloring pages before you go
Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.
Get the free coloring pages
A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)More for train families
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- Every Amtrak route with kids
Work or volunteer at Lehigh Valley Railroad Historical Society?
We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.
Sources
Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.
Lehigh Valley Railroad Historical Society: 20 questions
What is the Lehigh Valley Railroad Historical Society?
The Lehigh Valley Railroad Historical Society is a group devoted to the history of the Lehigh Valley Railroad, the anthracite carrier chartered in 1846. It operates a station museum in Shortsville, New York, and shares the railroad's history on its website, lvrrhs.org.
Where is the Lehigh Valley Railroad Historical Society museum?
The society's station museum is in Shortsville, New York, in the Finger Lakes region, which the Lehigh Valley first reached in 1871. Check lvrrhs.org for the exact address and directions before you go, and allow for a long drive if you are coming from the Pennsylvania coal country.
Is the Lehigh Valley Railroad Historical Society in Pennsylvania?
Its station museum is in Shortsville, New York, not Pennsylvania, even though the railroad itself was born in Pennsylvania's anthracite coal fields. Pennsylvania travelers who want to ride trains in the Lehigh Valley region can try the excursion railroads around Jim Thorpe and Kempton.
What are the Lehigh Valley Railroad Historical Society museum hours?
The society posts visiting information for the Shortsville station museum online. Check the society's website, lvrrhs.org, for current open days and any seasonal changes before you plan a trip, especially if you are driving a long way to visit.
How much does the Lehigh Valley Railroad Historical Society museum cost?
Check lvrrhs.org for current admission prices or donation suggestions at the Shortsville station museum before you visit, since details can change from season to season. The society's website also accepts contributions to support its preservation work.
When was the Lehigh Valley Railroad founded?
The Lehigh Valley Railroad was originally chartered in 1846 to carry anthracite coal from the vast coal fields of Pennsylvania. It later grew into a major carrier of both freight and passengers between Jersey City, New Jersey, and Buffalo, New York.
What did the Lehigh Valley Railroad carry?
It was built mainly to haul anthracite coal from the Coal Region of northeastern Pennsylvania to big consumer markets such as Philadelphia and New York City. Over time it also became an important passenger railroad on its route between Jersey City and Buffalo.
What happened to the Lehigh Valley Railroad?
The Lehigh Valley Railroad fell on hard times and was taken over by Conrail in 1976. Its history is now kept by groups such as the Lehigh Valley Railroad Historical Society, which runs a station museum in Shortsville, New York.
When did the Lehigh Valley Railroad reach the Finger Lakes?
The railroad's first connection to the Finger Lakes region came in 1871, through the Southern Central Railroad. That reach into New York is why the society's station museum stands in Shortsville, far from the Pennsylvania coal fields where the railroad began.
What does LV stand for on railroad equipment?
LV is the reporting mark of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. Reporting marks are short letter codes painted on locomotives and cars so railroads can identify who owns each piece of equipment as it travels across connecting lines.
Does the Lehigh Valley Railroad Historical Society run train rides?
The society does not advertise regular train rides of its own, but excursion trains have visited its station museum. In October 2019, a fall foliage excursion stopped there behind Finger Lakes Railway engine 2201. Check lvrrhs.org for any upcoming excursion days.
What is Finger Lakes Railway engine 2201?
Engine 2201 is a General Electric U23B diesel locomotive operated by the Finger Lakes Railway and painted in the Lehigh Valley Railroad's color scheme of the 1950s. It pulled a fall foliage excursion train to the society's station museum in Shortsville on October 12, 2019.
Is the Lehigh Valley Railroad Historical Society good for kids?
A station museum is a good stop for kids who love trains, especially on a day when an excursion train visits. Check the society's website for events, hours and anything planned for families before you go, since family programs can vary from year to year.
Does the Lehigh Valley Railroad Historical Society have a Christmas event?
The society does not advertise a regular Christmas event, so check lvrrhs.org or its announcements for any seasonal programs. For holiday trains in Pennsylvania, our state guide lists heritage railroads that run Santa and Christmas excursions.
How can I support the Lehigh Valley Railroad Historical Society?
The society's website has a Donate button for contributions toward its preservation work. You can also visit the station museum, join the society, or share its history pages with fellow rail fans. Check lvrrhs.org for membership and volunteer information.
Can I donate Lehigh Valley Railroad items?
If you have photographs, documents or artifacts from the Lehigh Valley Railroad, the Lehigh Valley Railroad Historical Society is a natural place to ask. Reach out through lvrrhs.org to describe the items and ask whether they fit the society's collection.
How do I contact the Lehigh Valley Railroad Historical Society?
Use the society's website, lvrrhs.org, which has its history pages, museum information and contact details. The website is the best starting point for questions about visits, membership, donations or research, and it also hosts the society's history of the railroad.
Is the Lehigh Valley Railroad Historical Society the same as the Lehigh Valley NRHS chapter?
No. The Lehigh Valley Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society is a separate Pennsylvania group known as Railroad Historians of the Lehigh Valley. The Lehigh Valley Railroad Historical Society focuses on the Lehigh Valley Railroad and runs its museum in Shortsville, New York.
Where did the Lehigh Valley Railroad run?
From its start in Pennsylvania's anthracite coal fields, the Lehigh Valley Railroad grew to connect Jersey City, New Jersey, with Buffalo, New York. It reached the Finger Lakes in 1871 and carried coal toward Philadelphia, New York City and other markets.
Where can I ride a train in the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania?
The Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway in Jim Thorpe, the Reading and Northern Railroad and the Wanamaker, Kempton and Southern Railroad all run excursions in eastern Pennsylvania. Our Pennsylvania train museum page lists them with details and links.
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