“Auburn Road Special” Excursions To Aid URHS

Published: February 27, 2026

The United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey (URHS) and the Finger Lakes Railway have jointly announced a special series of rare-mileage passenger excursions scheduled for April 18–19, 2026, offering rail enthusiasts a unique opportunity to travel historic trackage in central New York while directly supporting railroad preservation efforts.

Known as the Auburn Road Special, the one-weekend-only event represents one of the most significant heritage rail excursions planned in the Northeast this spring and will serve as a major fundraiser for URHS restoration initiatives.

Finger Lakes Railway GP38 #2005 leads eastbound train GS-2 past the restored depot at Martisco, New York on October 2, 2020. Doug Kroll photo.

Rare Mileage Over Historic New York Central Territory

The Auburn Road Special will operate over the eastern end of Finger Lakes Railway’s system, traversing the former New York Central Auburn Road, a historic corridor linking Syracuse and Auburn that has not hosted regular passenger service since the 1950s.

Each excursion will depart from Solvay, New York, near Syracuse, and operate a six-hour round trip to Seneca Falls, providing passengers access to seldom-traveled freight-only trackage rarely opened to excursion service.

Only one train will operate per day, with capacity limited to approximately 78 passengers per trip, emphasizing an exclusive, premium heritage travel experience. Tickets officially went on sale February 27, reflecting strong anticipated demand among railfans and preservation supporters alike.

A major highlight of the excursions will be travel aboard three authentic New York Central passenger cars preserved by URHS:

Hickory Creek — famed rear observation car from the 20th Century Limited
Swift Stream — sleeper-lounge car with Pullman accommodations
Tavern-Lounge No. 43 — classic mid-century lounge car

These cars represent some of the finest surviving examples of postwar streamlined passenger equipment and will operate in a single-locomotive consist typical of modern excursion operations.

Passengers will receive first-class onboard service, catered meals or luncheon options depending on seating class, and period-attired staff recreating the ambiance of mid-20th-century luxury rail travel.

Photo Runbys and Historic Station Visit

Beyond the onboard experience, the excursion has been carefully designed with rail enthusiasts in mind.

Trip highlights include:

Two planned photo runbys
A guided stop at Martisco, New York
Tour access to the restored 1870 Martisco Depot
Scenic operation along lightly used branch-line trackage

The Martisco station itself is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and serves as an interpretive reminder of early railroad expansion in New York State.

Fundraising Mission: Restoring Hickory Creek

Proceeds from the Auburn Road Special will directly support restoration improvements to URHS’s flagship passenger car, Hickory Creek.

According to URHS officials, ongoing historical research has recently identified missing original interior details from the 1948 car, including the correct carpet pattern and a painting once displayed in the observation lounge. Funds raised through the excursions will allow these historically accurate elements to be recreated and installed, bringing the car closer to its original 20th Century Limited appearance.

The project reflects URHS’s broader mission of preserving railroad equipment for eventual display within a proposed New Jersey Transportation Heritage Center and educational programs tied to railroad history.

Part of the Growing Finger Lakes Rail Experience

The April excursions also mark an early-season expansion of the Finger Lakes Rail Experience, a tourism initiative launched in 2025 through partnerships between Finger Lakes Railway, excursion operators, nonprofit organizations, and regional tourism groups.

The program carried more than 11,000 passengers during its inaugural season, demonstrating strong public interest in heritage rail tourism throughout the Finger Lakes region.

The Auburn Road Special will precede the operation’s second full season of excursions, helping build momentum for continued passenger offerings across the railroad’s 167-mile network.

Events like this increasingly illustrate how freight railroads, preservation nonprofits, and tourism operators are collaborating to sustain historic railroad equipment while introducing new audiences to rail travel.

For Finger Lakes Railway, the excursions provide community engagement and regional tourism benefits. For URHS, the trains generate critical funding needed to maintain nationally significant passenger equipment that might otherwise remain static museum pieces.

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