Rochester Subway anniversary marked with gala and history day

May 2, 2026, 3:00 a.m. ET

The Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum will hold two June events to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of Rochester Subway service and the 110th birthday of Rochester Subway Car 60, which the museum is restoring. A gala at George Eastman House will be held June 21, followed by Subway Day on June 27.

The Rochester Subway Gala, a 1950s-themed fundraiser featuring classic cocktails, cinema and history, will be held at the George Eastman House and Museum, 900 East Ave., from 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday, June 21. Attendees are encouraged to wear period “Mad Men”–style attire.

All proceeds will raise money for the restoration of Car 60, the subway’s last surviving car.

After a cocktail reception, “End of the Line – Rochester’s Subway 2.0” will be shown in the Dryden Theatre, followed by a moderated Q&A with the film’s producers. It explores the history of the line that operated from 1927 until 1956.

Tickets are $125 per person and include one complimentary drink ticket, cocktail reception, and admission to the screening and Q&A. A cash bar will be available.

Rochester Subway Day & Train Rides will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 27 at Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum.

Special exhibits will explore the history of the Rochester Subway, from its origins in the bed of the old Erie Canal until its final run on June 30, 1956, as well as a display of the museum’s progress restoring Car 60.

Attendees can also ride on the museum’s vintage diesel trains, which leave every 30 minutes, and look at the state’s largest collection of preserved railroad equipment.

Tickets cost $15 for adults 18-64, $12 for people 65 and older, $10 for young people ages 5 to 17 and free for younger children.

For more information, go to https://rochestertrainrides.com/.…Read more by t, o, D, r, e, a, c, i, C, h, n, s, d, l, m, R