Bob Groman spent many years developing 3,000+ negatives into B&W photographs, digitizing 16mm film, and developiong Kodchrome Slides. He then traveled across the US and Canada researching the photographs and movies taken by Dr. Groman during the construction and operation of Rail City Museum. Many presentations have been given throughout the northeast United States to various organizations, including the annual convention of the National Railway Historical Society, to all associations having an interest in the history of Rail City and the equipment acquired during it's 19 years of operation. For more details refer to the information below.
Multi-Media Presentation of Rail City for your
Organization or NRHS Chapter
Bob Groman
Rail City Museum was constructed by Dr. Stanley A Groman from Syracuse, NY and was considered to be the first steam-operating railroad museum in the United States. It was located in the Oswego County Town of Sandy Creek (New York State) on the shores of Sandy Pond near Lake Ontario. The museum opened the same day as the first Disneyland in California - July 4, 1955. In its first year it hosted over 30,000 visitors. At its peak Rail City had 16 steam locomotives and over 50 pieces of rolling stock that included streetcars, inter-urbans, coaches, and cabooses as well as original structures from the New York Central Railroad that included a 50,000 gallon water tower and railroad station from Deer River, NY to mention just a few.
During the constructions years Dr. Groman traveled across the US (and Europe) in search of equipment and structures for his unique museum and Bob recounts the many adventures and noted railroad iconic individuals that he met along the way traveling with his father (Al Kalmbach, David P. Morgan, Mrs. John Luther “Casey” Jones, Simeon Taylor Webb (Casey's Fireman), Robert Richardson, etc.). And Dr. Groman's H&BTM RR Locomotive Old 38 made The Final Steam Passenger Run on the former New York Central Railroad in New York State.
In 1991 Bob discovered his father's negatives and in a basement darkroom spent many years developing over 3,000 B&W negatives and Kodachrome Slides into 8 x 10 inch prints (and more recently Bob converted Dr. Groman's 16mm film to digital media). He then researched each photograph traveling across the country to piece together Rail City's history. For 18 years Bob operated the Rail City Historical Museum on the former site of Rail City. Today, equipment from Rail City is in operating condition all over the United States and Canada in various museums and historical sites.
“The railroad museum field is booming today, with scores of attractions welcoming millions of visitors each year. But back in the 1950's, as the steam era faded, it took people like Stanley A. Groman and a few other visionaries to begin the work of saving locomotives, cars, and structures for generations to come. For 19 years, Dr. Groman's dream, Rail City, gave tens of thousands of people a taste of steam railroading.”
TRAINS MAGAZINE.
Contact Bob Groman at rchm@railcitymuseum.com or at our current address noted on the home page.
