About Us

Our History

While the Erie Turntable project is built on a multi-organizational partnership, “Erie Turntable” is officially a d/b/a name of TOYX, Inc., an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in New York that is the result of an early 2024 merger of Operation Toy Train of New York, Inc. and the Dining Car Society, Inc.

Operation Toy Train runs a special annual Toys for Tots collection train in northern New Jersey and southern New York. The organization owned several of its own pieces of railroad equipment that were used to transport toys and volunteers between the train’s collection stops. As the organization’s efforts grew dramatically through the late 2010s to make Operation Toy Train the largest single contributor to the Toys for Tots Foundation east of the Mississippi River, the organization’s collection of rail equipment also grew, exceeding its then-current storage locations in New Jersey. Since Operation Toy Train’s rail equipment was historic in nature and remained largely unused for eleven months out of the year (including the entirety of the “tourist season” between May and October), it could easily form the basis for a historic exhibit and serve a dual purpose.

In a document presented to the City Council of Port Jervis, New York on June 26, 2020, Operation Toy Train detailed a proposed partnership to create a working historical display on the historic Erie Railroad locomotive servicing facility that had been acquired by the City in 1988. This facility provided a long-term storage solution for Operation Toy Train’s growing roster of railroad equipment while making the equipment available as a public attraction at an otherwise underutilized piece of historic property in the City of Port Jervis. The City approved this proposal on August 10, 2020, and after further collaboration and negotiation, the final agreement for Operation Toy Train’s use of the property was signed on July 26, 2021.

As the name would suggest, the Erie Turntable is located on the historic site of the Erie Railroad’s former roundhouse and locomotive servicing facility. This railyard has been in continuous railroad use since 1848, and it provides a historically accurate setting for ongoing railcar maintenance and public displays. With the original and fully operable 115-foot turntable (built circa 1927) forming the centerpiece, the on-site exhibits, equipment, and volunteers are provided by TOYX, Inc., the Tri-States Railway Preservation Society, and several other railroad non-profit organizations.

The Erie Turntable also provides a home for historic vehicles of all kinds (not just railroad vehicles). Displays will include other varied modes of transportation. Working with other local historical societies, groups, and private owners, the Erie Turntable will be expanded to include automobiles, bicycles, and even boats – essentially any form of locally relevant transportation. Finding storage for these large-scale historic artifacts is always a challenge, and being able to gather them in a single location for proper historic interpretation and public availability will create a more comprehensive display.

The first five pieces of Operation Toy Train’s railroad equipment were moved to Port Jervis on December 12, 2021, and additional pieces of equipment (including those owned by the Dining Car Society) followed in the winter and spring of 2021-2022. After preparations to the grounds, equipment, and exhibits by volunteer staff, the Erie Turntable site was officially opened to the public with a three-day event spanning May 28-30, 2022. All of the railroad equipment presently on display at the Erie Turntable is listed on our equipment roster.

SHORT-TERM PLAN

During the 2022 and 2023 tourist seasons, the Erie Turntable was open to the public on a limited basis during special events and select single dates. While the site is still an ongoing “work in progress,” equipment is at least viewable from ground level, and a few railcars are safely accessible with limited exhibits. These special event dates are helping to build public interest for the Erie Turntable concept and are spurring fundraising efforts while more equipment and exhibits are readied for eventual opening.

LONG-TERM PLAN

Following the limited visitation schedule in 2022 and 2023, a fully functional display should be accessible to the public on a regular basis by the spring of 2024.

It is anticipated that the Erie Turntable’s exhibits and equipment will be open to the public on Saturdays, Sundays, and certain holidays from Memorial Day through Columbus Day, plus other special events as scheduled.

It is anticipated that within five years, the Erie Turntable could generate thousands of visitors each tourist season, bringing additional revenue to other Port Jervis businesses (restaurants, hotels, etc.). Additional expansions of tracks and collections in the future will only serve to increase the attraction to members of the general public, especially given the unique setting in a historic railyard.