National Railway Historical Society facts for kids

The National Railway Historical Society (NRHS) is a non-profit group in the United States. It was started in 1935 to help people learn about and appreciate the history of railroads. The NRHS has its main office in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It has 16 regions and 170 local groups, called chapters, in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The NRHS also runs a cool summer program called RailCamp. It works with Amtrak and the National Park Service to give high school students hands-on experience in the railroad world.

About the National NRHS Group

How the NRHS Started

The NRHS began on August 18, 1935, in Baltimore, Maryland. A group of railfans (people who love trains) from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Trenton, New Jersey, and New York City met there. They were on a special trip to say goodbye to the Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Electric Railway, which was closing soon.

Leaders from the train clubs in these cities decided to join forces. They wanted to create a national organization. They named it the "National Railway Historical Society." Leon Franks from the Lancaster club became the first chairman. William P. Hamilton III from Trenton was the first NRHS president.

What the NRHS Does Today

As of October 2015, the NRHS has about 10,000 members. It is one of the biggest groups focused on train history in the U.S. The NRHS is a non-profit organization. This means it uses its money to help its cause, not to make a profit. Al Weber from St Louis, Missouri, is currently the national president.

The NRHS is a "historical preservation charity." Its main goals for the future are education and saving railroad history.

NRHS Activities and Programs

The Society holds a big national meeting every year. At this meeting, they show off old trains and even take trips using historic locomotives and railcars.

The NRHS also publishes a magazine called the National Railway Bulletin. It comes out every two months for members. This magazine has articles, photos, and news about trains from the past and present. It also shares what the local chapters are doing.

In 1991, the organization started a "Railway Heritage Grants Program." This program gives money to groups that teach about, publish, and save railroad history. This helps future generations learn about trains. The grants help with many different projects. These include fixing up old train stations and restoring old steam locomotives. They also help with organizing and storing important railroad documents.

"RailCamp" for High Schoolers

The NRHS runs two week-long "Railcamps" every summer. These camps are for high school students. The program gives them a chance to experience train history and operations firsthand. It is offered with the National Park Service, Amtrak, and other companies in the train industry.

For example, in 2008, campers visited Steamtown's roundhouse and shops. They even got to operate some of the shop machines. The students also visited Amtrak's huge maintenance center in Wilmington, Delaware. There, they went inside locomotives and met with Amtrak employees. They learned about different jobs in the railroad industry. One student later wrote that the experience "truly increased my respect for the men and women who ... care for these huge machines."

Local NRHS Chapters

Local NRHS chapters usually focus on the history of trains in their specific area. For example, chapters in the Mid-Atlantic Region are very interested in lines like the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the Pennsylvania Railroad. These lines used to operate in that area.

Besides studying and saving old train items, local NRHS chapters do other things. They might have special trips using historic train equipment, like steam locomotives. Some chapters work on restoring old train equipment and buildings. Others run train museums or own locomotives. For instance, the Central New York Chapter owns two old Pennsylvania Railroad EMD E8 diesel locomotives. A few chapters even own and operate entire short-line railroads, like the New Hope Valley Railway.

See also

• Cooperstown and Charlotte Valley Railroad
• Delaware Otsego Corporation
• Hull Street Station
• Rochester Subway
• Henry H. Rogers
• Ulster & Delaware Railroad Historical Society
• Union County Industrial Railroad
• Hawaiian Railway Society

Images for kids

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  SP&S #700 pulled a special train for the 2005 NRHS national convention in Portland, Oregon.

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  The Dover Harbor train car, owned by the Washington DC chapter, on display in New York.