Research

I chose Hornell NY for my manufactured landscape project. Hornell has a long history of trains. They build subway cars and repair trains at Alstom. The Erie railroad which had passenger trains, landed in Hornell in the mid 19th century and became the stop between Buffalo and NYC. When the city was in it's heyday, the population was 15,000. We now have a population of maybe 9,000 including outlying areas. For many years, the railroad sustained the Hornell population financially. Hornell flourished with the railroad. Early photos of the city showed the streets teeming with people and shops. The town is now a ghost of what it once was. I currently reside in Hornell and find it's history interesting. The local people are proud of being a railroad town and are nostalgic for the days when Hornell prospered.

My grandson loves trains. He started by loving Thomas and at 5 years old, he has graduated to HO trains. We take him to the depot train museum on Wednesday night to watch the progress of the model train track they are building there. The museum is full of train facts and objects. There is even a picture of his great grandfather who used to be a freight train conductor on a train that ran from Hornell to Port Jervis, NY. My object is a subway train car that was produced or repaired at Alstom in Hornell. This business sustains many people in our community though there are often layoffs as they wait for a new contract to go through. We drive by Alstom to check on the cars that wait remodelling.

Since I live in Hornell and am sort of a railroad person(my husband's father worked on the railroad) I am really interested in the history of the railroad. I remember when my Nana would come visit us and arrive by train. It was very exciting to go to the station to pick her up and watch her get off the train. I feel a little sad at the demise of the railroad but have hopes that someday she will get back on track to become a tool of mass transit for us.