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Northern
Ohio Railway Museum
(NORM) was founded in 1965 and incorporated
in 1976 as a not-for-profit education and historical
organization. Our goals are to collect, preserve,
restore, operate and display streetcars and other railway
related equipment. In essence, to preserve a vanishing
era--the trolley era. The museum is located at 5515 Buffham Road in Westfield Township, Medina
County, Ohio (near Chippewa Lake). There, on two miles of the historic
Cleveland Southwestern Railway, the museum is working towards its
goals to collect, preserve, restore, display and operate streetcars
and other railway equipment for use by the public. We are open for
public display Saturday afternoons Spring thru Fall. To accomplish its
goals N.O.R.M. needs your support. To help please consider
visiting our on line Museum Store.
Many new items have been listed included some special featured
items of local interest!. To learn more about joining N.O.R.M.,
turn to our membership page. There are many benefits to membership
which are outlined there.
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Preserving
the Past, Building for the Future...
On a two mile
section of Former Cleveland and Southwestern Interurban
right-of-way, near Chippewa Lake, Ohio, members of the
Northern Ohio Railway Museum have collected and
maintained over thirty streetcars and Interurbans. From
this simple beginning we are now building a car barn and
restoration facility. In the future our collection ,
restored to it original, elegant condition, will carry
visitors into a fading, bygone era-- The Trolley Era.
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| This view was
taken New Years' Day 2004 from Lake Road, looking South-easterly
at the northern most end of the NORM r.o.w. Directly BEHIND the
photographer is the approach to the long - abandoned Chippawa
Lake Park, which closed its doors in the late 1970's. From this
view,you can clearly see the old telephone poles faithfully
marking the Southwesterns' "Green Line". Soon it will
approach Kennard Rd and curve southward and follow the CSX
towards Buffham Rd crossing, where the main portion of the NORM
demonstration railroad is being built. This end will eventually
have a turning loop constructed on it. |
If you wish
to visit the Museum and view our progress, please stop by
any Saturday afternoon.. The Museum is located
at 5515 Buffman Road at the CSX crossing (click here
for directions). A
member will take you on a personal tour of the
collection.
Please accept this invitation to attend our monthly NORM media night, which is held on the first Friday of each month (Except March, July and August). Our meetings are an equal measure of current
museum news, entertainment and fellowship. See our Museum Events page for time and location.
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The generous
contributions of individuals and corporations has brought
NORM to where it is today.
To continue this growth, NORM
needs your support, both financial gifts and your
volunteered time. Please help in whatever way you can
today so NORM can achieve its goals of preserving the
trolley era for future generations.
Click here to see the Progress of the Museum Grounds, NORM also has a Museum Store. The profits from store help fund the museum. Click here to view our online Store Catalog.
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History
of NORM
Northern Ohio Railway Museum can trace its roots back to 1965 when three railfans, Anson W. (Red) Bennett, Walter B. Stoner, Jr. and Lee D. Smith, wanted to acquire and restore a caboose. NORM was formally incorporated on February 20, 1976. In June of 1977 NORM purchased two miles of former Cleveland, Southwestern and Columbus right-of-way, (Picture to the left) which was abandoned in 1932. In 1984 an additional thirty acres of land were purchased along the right-of-way at Buffham Rd. In 1997 NORM dedicated the Anson W. Bennett Carhouse. Stay tuned as the future is created!
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While
in Ohio
The Northern
Ohio Railway Museum would like to acknowledge other
museums/groups that have helped NORM in the past.
The first is the now defunct Trolleyville USA or, the Gerald E Brookins Museum of Electric Railways. They helped NORM store streetcars prior to the acquisition of NORM's current right of way and Museum grounds. Trolleyville itself owned and operated several trolleys at their Olmstead Township location. Sadly, the Museum closed it's doors in 2005. The collection is now held by the Lakeshore Electric Railway. The cars are in temporary storage on Cleveland's lakefront awaiting the creation of a new Museum.
The second is the Ohio Railway Museum. They have a collection of Traction, Mainline Railroad Equipment, a Gas Electric and 2 Steam Locomotives. They have been in operation since 1948 on the roadbed of the former Columbus, Delaware & Marion Interurban. They can be reached at: Ohio Railway Museum, PO Box 171, Worthington, Ohio 43085
The third is
The Cleveland & Eastern Interurban Historical Society. This group's area of interest is the interurban lines that traveled east out of Cleveland into Lake & Geauga Counties: Cleveland, Painesville & Eastern; Cleveland,
Painesville & Ashtabula; Cleveland & Eastern; Cleveland & Chagrin Falls. They hold meetings at 7:30 pm on the first Thursday of each month (except December) at the Chardon Chamber of Commerce, located at 107 South Street, next door to the former Cleveland & Eastern freight depot (just off the south side of the square). Guests are always welcome. They can be reached at The Cleveland & Eastern Interurban Historical Society & Museum, P.O. Box 34, Chardon, Ohio 44024.
Last but not least is
the Midwest Railway Preservation Society (MRPS). The group has a collection of vintage railway equipment currently under restoration and they are working to rebuild and preserve the former B&O Railroad Roundhouse at 2800 West 3rd Street in Cleveland's Industrial Flats. They also run public excursions from June through October in cooperation with the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad. Several NORM members are also members of this group.
The Nothern Ohio Railway Museum is a member of the Association of Railway Museums.
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Last Updated 10/18/08
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