The Delaware & Hudson Railway Historical Society, Inc., (D&HRHS) on Jan. 17 announced its establishment. Its goal is to not only “preserve, interpret, and celebrate the rich history of the Delaware & Hudson Railway and its predecessors,” but also “reinvent what it means to be a member of a historical society in the digital era.”
This New York 501(c)(3) non-profit organization “is about more than just preserving artifacts,” D&HRHS President and Director Brad Peterson said. “It’s about keeping the spirit of the Delaware & Hudson [D&H] Railway alive for future generations, using 21st century tools to connect enthusiasts worldwide.”
D&H—“the longest-running transportation company in U.S. history”—operated from 1829 to 1991, when it was purchased by Canadian Pacific (now Canadian Pacific Kansas City).
The new railroad historical society said is it distinguishing itself from similar groups “by operating almost exclusively online, with membership options … available exclusively via Patreon.” Additionally, it will produce the Champlain Shield digital newsletter, host virtual events featuring interviews with D&H veterans and historians, and partner with other preservation organizations “to maximize impact while maintaining low overhead costs.” Now up and running and available to members is the organization’s interactive online archive of more than 1,700 D&H documents, drawings, maps and photographs.
D&HRHS also reported acquiring the historic D&H RS3 locomotive #4085 on Nov. 24, 2024, which it aims to preserve. The project, it said, reflects the group’s commitment “to protecting and showcasing significant artifacts” that tell the D&H story, and locomotive #4085 represents a key piece of the railway’s legacy, “embodying the innovation and engineering that defined the D&H.”
Currently located at the Erie Turntable in Port Jervis, N.Y., the unit is slated for restoration at the Saratoga, Corinth & Hudson Railway, which operates a portion of the former D&H Adirondack Branch based in Corinth, N.Y.
D&HRHS’s senior advisors include Carl Belke, former President, D&H Railway; Dennis Shaffer, former Vice President of Marketing, D&H Railway; Bill Collins, former Vice President of Administration, D&H Railway; and Jim Howarth, former General Manager of Marketing, D&H Railway.
To learn more about the group and how to become a member, click here.