By Railfan & Railroad Staff

SALAMANCA, N.Y. — A railroad museum in western New York is trying to raise $12,000 to repair more than 30 windows that were smashed last week in the middle of the night. 

According to Christopher Costello, president of the Salamanca Rail Museum, the vandalism occurred on the night of January 17. At least 31 windows on nine rail cars owned by the museum were smashed and it appears the perpetrators also got into the rail cars and slashed some of the seats. Costello said it was the worst instance of vandalism the museum has ever experienced. Police are investigating the incident. 

—Salamanca Rail Museum photo

“We’ve had minor vandalism in the past, but never something like this,” he told Railfan & Railroad Magazine. “Nothing like this.”

Costello estimates that it will cost $9,000 to repair the windows. The museum would also like to invest in a new security system, expected to cost about $3,000. On Monday, the group had raised just over $1,000 of its $12,000 goal on GoFundMe. The museum volunteers were looking forward to repainting and restoring additional pieces in their collection this year, but now all attention has shifted to repairing the damage and improving security.

—Salamanca Rail Museum photo

Along with a number of rail cars from local roads like the Erie Railroad, the museum maintains the historic Salamanca depot, built by the Buffalo, Rochester, & Pittsburgh Railway in 1912.