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Day Out With Thomas©
 "Thomas the Tank Engine© ©Geno Dailey 2009 - Click to ENLARGE (10K)-(80K)") |
For over 14 years, the Western New York Railway Historical Society has worked with the Medina Railroad Museum to help bring Thomas the Tank Engine© to Medina, NY. Each May, Thomas© delights thousands of young and old visitors to the museum with a 25 minute ride down the Falls Road Railroad. The railroad supplies the power and locomotive crew and the WNYRHS adds the New York Central Coaches and Safety Crew. |  "FRRR #2035 supplies the power at the end of the train. ©Geno Dailey 2009 - Click to ENLARGE (10K)-(80K)") |
| There are actually five Thomas' running around the country. All were built by the Strasburg Rail Road's Mechanical Department. One Thomas© "lives" at Strasburg and is a 1917, 0-6-0T live steamer rebuilt from Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal #15. His four brothers are unpowered replicas which are placed at the head end of the train and the sponsoring railroads' diesel supplies power at the other end. The Strasburg owned rebuilt BEDT #15 is available to rent (for a large fee) for "Day Out With Thomas©" operators who want a real steam engine. The live steam engine costs considerably more to operate than the replica unpowered Thomas'. |  "©2012 - Nicholas A. Tonelli - Thomas 2nd Strasburg #1, 0-6-0T, built by H.K. Porter in 1917. Purchased in 1998 as ex. BEDT #15; converted to look like Thomas the Tank Engine© 1st run, April 29th, 1999. L.W. Moedinger and C.F. Plaisted were the Engineers.") |
 "Thomas fans waiting to board the train. ©Geno Dailey 2018 - Click to ENLARGE (10K)-(80K)") |
In September, 2014 the Strasburg Rail Road built and added Thomas' friend "Percy©" to their locomotive roster. Percy© is an 0-4-0T unpowered replica as well. One of the Thomas© replicas is owned by the National Railway Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Green Bay owns the "franchise" rights for "Day Out With Thomas©" events in Wisconsin and the East Coast. Others are owned by Illinois Rail Museum which covers the midwest and there is at least one outfit on the west coast. |
 "The Medina Railroad Museum really puts on another great show! ©Geno Dailey 2009 - Click to ENLARGE (10K)-(80K)") |
This year, over two weekends, the Museum sponsored 12, 25 minute trips each of the four days, for a total of 48 trips! At the end of the last Sunday in 2014, the Museum celebrated having its 150,000th passenger! In 2011, Senior Safety Conductor Dave F. officially rode his 400th trip! Thanks again Dave for all your dedicated work! Society member Geno Dailey has been there to photograph this wonderful event over many years. Thank you Geno! |  "Geno was able to get an engineers view of the event in the cab. This is the view as Thomas approaches the station. ©Geno Dailey 2018 - Click to ENLARGE (10K)-(80K)") |
 "Thomas fans at the event venue. ©Geno Dailey 2018 - Click to ENLARGE (10K)-(80K)") |
 "Thomas fans at the event venue. ©Geno Dailey 2018 - Click to ENLARGE (10K)-(80K)") |
 "Thomas fans at the event venue. ©Geno Dailey 2018 - Click to ENLARGE (10K)-(80K)") |
 "Thomas© at the station. ©Geno Dailey 2009 - Click to ENLARGE (10K)-(80K)") |
 "#2941 and Medina's pair of E Units make for a fine New York Central classic scene. ©Geno Dailey 2012 - Click to ENLARGE (10K)-(120K)") |
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 "Thomas the Tank Engine© out on the Mainline. ©Geno Dailey 2010 - Click to ENLARGE (10K)-(80K)") |
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The WNYRHS, Inc., 100 Lee Street, Buffalo, NY. 14210 is an independent organization and has no affiliation with any other local or national group.
The Society is a fully qualified organization under 501 (C) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code and all donations to the Society are tax deductible.
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