Susquehanna Valley Railway Historical Society in Binghamton, New York
Rail preservation groupFreeFree public meetings on the second Thursday, most months
The Susquehanna Valley Railway Historical Society is the Binghamton area chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, sharing the rail history of New York's Southern Tier and Pennsylvania's Northern Tier through free public programs, exhibits and archives.
- Binghamton area NRHS chapter
- Free monthly public programs
- Meets in a former DL&W station
- Quarterly newsletter The Feedwater Heater
- Exhibits at two Binghamton museums
Susquehanna Valley Railway Historical Society at a glance
- Hours
- Meetings second Thursday (not January, February, June, July or August); doors 6 pm, program 7 pm
- Admission
- Meetings free and open to the public
- Seasonal events
- Annual Meeting of the Membership (October), Railfest (listed on the society's site)
- Plan for
- About 1.5 hours for a meeting
- Best for
- Rail history fans in the Binghamton area
- Best ages
- Teens and older kids
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
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A chapter for the railroads of the Southern Tier
The Susquehanna Valley Railway Historical Society, known as the SVRHS, is the Susquehanna Valley Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. It was founded by a group of railroad enthusiasts and works as a nonprofit to preserve and share the railroad history of the Binghamton area, New York's Southern Tier and the Northern Tier of Pennsylvania.
That history runs deep here. The chapter's programs regularly cover the lines that shaped the region, including the Delaware and Hudson, the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western, the Erie and the Lehigh Valley, as well as later Conrail operations. Members have built up a significant collection of artifacts, photographs and documents, which they keep in an archive open to members for research, along with a video lending library.
The society's newsletter, The Feedwater Heater, comes out quarterly and has reached its 50th anniversary issue, a sign of how long members have been at this work. A periodic digital newsletter, Southern Tier Railroading, adds more. The chapter runs on volunteers who serve on committees for the newsletter, programs, archives, restoration, events, hospitality and the website, and on members who step up to present programs at meetings. Its website has published a record of chapter meetings going back to April 2005.
Where the public can meet the society
The SVRHS does not run its own museum with daily hours. The best way to meet the society is at a chapter meeting, held on the second Thursday of each month except January, February, June, July and August at the Vestal Museum, the former DL&W Vestal Station at 328 Vestal Parkway East in Vestal. Doors open at 6 pm, announcements start at 6:30 pm and the featured program begins at 7 pm. Meetings are open to everyone, members or not.
Recent programs show the range: a presentation by Nate Kaiser on dining car china patterns used on the D&H, DL&W, Erie and Lehigh Valley, and a November 2026 talk by Ben Martin on Conrail and local rail interest. Between meetings, the society displays items of local railroad interest at the Roberson Museum, 30 Front Street, and at TechWorks! Center for Technology and Innovation, 321 Water Street, both in Binghamton. The chapter also takes part in museum displays, train shows and special events across the region.
Don’t miss
- Chapter programs at the Vestal MuseumFree evening presentations in a former Delaware, Lackawanna and Western station, open to anyone who wants to come.
- SVRHS exhibit at the Roberson MuseumItems of local railroad interest displayed by the society at 30 Front Street in Binghamton.
- Displays at TechWorks!Society displays of local rail items at the TechWorks! Center for Technology and Innovation on Water Street; the chapter's site links a Marconi exhibit and a freight sign there.
- The Feedwater HeaterThe chapter's quarterly newsletter on local railroad history, now past its 50th anniversary issue.
Best for older kids who love rail history
Chapter meetings are evening slide and video programs aimed at adults, so they suit older children and teens with a real interest in trains more than young kids. Members can sponsor up to two people aged 18 or under for a small fee, which is a nice way to bring a young rail fan into the hobby. For a younger child, a stop at one of the society's exhibits in a Binghamton museum may be the better fit.
Plan your visit: tips for Susquehanna Valley Railway Historical Society
- Check the chapter's website or Facebook page for meeting updates before you go.
- Meetings are at the Vestal Museum, 328 Vestal Parkway East, Vestal, not in Binghamton.
- Regular membership is $20; family members at the same address are $3 each.
- Members can bring a program to share; the chapter has presentation equipment available.
Run by members, open to all
The SVRHS is a nonprofit run by volunteer members and an elected Board of Managers. You can help by joining (regular dues are $20, with $3 additional family members and $5 youth sponsorships), serving on a committee, giving a program at a meeting, or sending an article to the newsletter at fwheditor@yahoo.com.
Seeing more rail history in New York
The society's own meetings take place at the Vestal Museum, a former DL&W station, and its exhibits sit in two Binghamton museums. We do not yet have other museum pages close to Binghamton, so for a wider trip, see our guide to train museums in New York or the full list of train museums by state.
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
An evening program about dining car china made me smile, because it is the people and small details that make a train trip feel cared for. In our book, Mr. Conductor in his blue uniform holds out a hand to help Rally aboard. My mom built the story around that kind of welcome. My kids are learning to read now, and some of our picks are on the train books for toddlers page.
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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- Train museums in every state: search by town or near you
- Christmas train rides in New York
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- Every Amtrak route with kids
Work or volunteer at Susquehanna Valley Railway 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.
Susquehanna Valley Railway Historical Society: 20 FAQs
What is the Susquehanna Valley Railway Historical Society?
The SVRHS is the Susquehanna Valley Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, a nonprofit based in Binghamton, New York. It preserves and shares the railroad history of New York's Southern Tier and Pennsylvania's Northern Tier through public programs, exhibits, a quarterly newsletter and an archive.
What area does the Susquehanna Valley Railway Historical Society cover?
The society describes its focus as rail transportation and history in the Southern Tier of New York State and the Northern Tier of Pennsylvania, centered on Binghamton. In railroad terms, that means the country once served by lines such as the D&H, the DL&W, the Erie and the Lehigh Valley.
Where is the Susquehanna Valley Railway Historical Society located?
The society is based in Binghamton, New York, with a mailing address of PO Box 2415, Binghamton, NY 13902-2415. Its regular meetings take place at the Vestal Museum, the former DL&W Vestal Station, at 328 Vestal Parkway East in Vestal, New York.
When does the Susquehanna Valley Railway Historical Society meet?
Regular meetings are on the second Thursday of each month, except January, February, June, July and August. Doors open at 6:00 pm, announcements begin around 6:30 pm and the featured program starts at 7:00 pm. Check the website or Facebook page for changes.
Can the public attend SVRHS meetings?
Yes. The society says its meetings are open to everyone, members and non-members alike, and there is no charge to attend. It is an easy way to hear a railroad history program, meet local rail fans and learn about the chapter before deciding whether to join.
What programs are coming up at the SVRHS?
As of October 2026, the October 8 meeting was the Annual Meeting of the Membership, followed by Nate Kaiser's program on dining car china of the Southern Tier lines. On November 12, 2026, Ben Martin presents a program on Conrail and local rail interest. New dates are posted on the website.
Does the Susquehanna Valley Railway Historical Society have a museum?
The society does not run its own museum with daily hours. It meets at the Vestal Museum, a former DL&W station, and displays items of local railroad interest at the Roberson Museum and at TechWorks! Center for Technology and Innovation, both in Binghamton.
Where can I see SVRHS exhibits in Binghamton?
The society displays items of local railroad interest at the Roberson Museum, 30 Front Street, and at TechWorks! Center for Technology and Innovation, 321 Water Street, both in Binghamton. Check each museum's own hours before visiting, since the SVRHS does not set them.
What is the Vestal Museum?
The Vestal Museum is housed in the former Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Vestal Station at 328 Vestal Parkway East in Vestal, New York. The SVRHS holds its regular chapter meetings in the meeting room there, so it is the main place to find the society in person.
How much does it cost to join the Susquehanna Valley Railway Historical Society?
Regular SVRHS membership dues are $20. Additional family members at the same address are $3 each, and members may sponsor up to two people aged 18 or under for $5 each. You can pay by cash or check at a meeting or by check mailed to the society's PO Box.
What do SVRHS members receive?
Members get The Feedwater Heater quarterly newsletter, the digital newsletter Southern Tier Railroading, and digital newsletters from 22 other rail organizations. They can borrow from the video lending library, use the archives for research, and join chapter events and committees such as programs, archives and restoration.
What is The Feedwater Heater?
The Feedwater Heater is the SVRHS quarterly chapter newsletter, covering local railroad history and chapter news. A sample 50th anniversary issue is offered on the society's website. Members can submit articles and features for upcoming issues by emailing fwheditor@yahoo.com.
Do I need to join the NRHS to join the SVRHS?
The society encourages National Railway Historical Society membership but handles it separately. To join or renew with the NRHS, you go directly to the national organization's membership page. SVRHS membership itself is handled through the chapter by form, at meetings or by mail.
How do I contact the Susquehanna Valley Railway Historical Society?
Email svrhs2011@gmail.com or write to the Susquehanna Valley Railway Historical Society, PO Box 2415, Binghamton, NY 13902-2415. Membership questions can go to the attention of the Membership Chairman, Bob Pastorkey, at the same address. The chapter also posts updates on Facebook.
Can I give a program at an SVRHS meeting?
Yes. The society is always looking for volunteers to present programs, which can be anything railroad related, such as slides with narration, an educational talk or a video. The chapter has several media devices available for presenters. Contact the society by email to offer a program.
Is the SVRHS good for kids?
Chapter meetings are evening presentations meant mostly for adults, so they suit older kids and teens with a strong interest in railroads. Members can sponsor up to two young people aged 18 or under for $5 each, which can be a good way to support a budding rail historian.
Does the SVRHS have an archive?
Yes. The society has gathered a significant collection of railroad artifacts, photographs and documents, and members can use its archives for research. There is also a video lending library. Ask by email about access if you are researching a Southern Tier railroad topic.
Does the Susquehanna Valley Railway Historical Society hold a Railfest?
The society's website description mentions an annual Railfest among the things it covers, along with chapter information and local rail history. Current dates and details are not posted in the information here, so email svrhs2011@gmail.com or check the chapter's website and Facebook page.
What railroads does the SVRHS study?
Programs and exhibits focus on the railroads of the Southern Tier, including the Delaware and Hudson, the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western, the Erie and the Lehigh Valley, plus later Conrail operations. The society's website also has a local railroad history section and historic photos.
How do I find other train museums in New York?
Our New York state page lists the train museums, heritage railroads and depots we cover across the state. Near Binghamton, the society's own exhibits at the Roberson Museum and TechWorks! and its meetings at the Vestal Museum are good starting points for a local rail history outing.
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