Andrew Grahl/photos as noted
Since the early 1980s, railfans have had the pleasure of photographing Century-series Alcos on the Livonia, Avon & Lakeville Railroad. With newer, refurbished EMD power scheduled to be delivered to the LA&L in 2027, the time to see Alcos in daily service is coming to the end.
The railroad has a rich history, dating back to the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad in 1851, the northern part of today’s LA&L. By 1869, the line was part of the Erie Railroad. After a decline in business, eight miles of the line was purchased by the community of Lakeville from the Erie Lackawanna and incorporated in May 1964 as the Livonia, Avon & Lakeville Railroad. Additional trackage was purchased from Conrail in 1996, adding trackage from Avon north to Genesee Junction, forming today’s 27-mile railroad.
The modern engine house/shop in Lakeville was built in 1990 and can be photographed from the Sweetners Boulevard crossing. The Lakeville Yard switcher goes on duty at 8:00 a.m., switching the businesses in town south of Sweetners Boulevard and the yard to the north of the shop. LA&L carries food products, building materials, grain, fertilizer, and timber. Do not enter or trespass on railroad property without prior permission.
A northbound road train with three Centuries hustles past the Industry station on a very mixed sky day. Historic equipment from the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum can be seen in the background. — Richard W. Jahn – Aerial View
On the Road
The Livonia, Avon & Lakeville road train is on duty at 11:00 a.m. Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday to operate north to Rochester. On Wednesday and Friday the crew is on duty at noon, and it operates to Avon to switch Kraft and/or Barilla. On Sunday mornings a crew is called at 7:00 a.m. to run to Avon to service Barilla.
If CSX or Rochester & Southern get off schedule, LA&L will occasionally run all the way up to the interchanges on Wednesday or Friday.
CSX is scheduled to work Genesee Junction on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and primarily brings the cars for Barilla. R&S runs to Silver Springs generally every other day and will bring back many cars for the LA&L.
LA&L has run all the way up to Henrietta just to switch out Diamond Packaging with hot cars.
INDUSTRY DEPOT– Livonia, Avon & Lakeville Alco C-425 425 leads a southbound road freight past the former Erie Railroad’s Industry depot, now part of the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum in Rush, New York, Monday, July 20, 2026. The station was built in 1909. — Andrew Grahl
After a bit of switching in Lakeville, the road train departs north. The northbound run can be difficult to photograph in midday high sun, but here are a few tips: Departing north from Lakeville Yard, the first shot is at Conesus Lake Junction on South Lima Road in Avon, where Alcos can be photographed climbing the 3 percent grade. The former Erie branches from Lakeville and Livonia to meet at Conesus Lake Junction north of the South Lima Road grade crossing. The branch that formerly extended to Livonia was reactivated in 1994 for a short distance to serve Howlett Farms at Bronson Hill Road.
The railroad continues north from Conesus Lake Junction, then curves west for a short distance, providing good afternoon light at the railroad deck bridge over Pole Bridge Road in Avon. The line again curves north and provides photographers a chance to catch the train at either Papermill Road or Littleville Road crossings before reaching the station in downtown Avon…