# Top railroad museums in the country



## Chessie (Jun 12, 2017)

What in your opinion are some of the top railway museums in the country?

California State?

Illinois?

Colorado?

Any other particular ones you would recommend?


----------



## Seaboard92 (Jun 12, 2017)

Illinois definitely has to be in the top ten.

B&O is also in the top ten in Baltimore. Even though they need to decide if they are trains or civil war. And decide.

Tennessee Valley deserves to be on the list they have two operating mainline steam engines.

California should be there too.

Underrated is North Carolina transportation museum.

Overrated is Virginia Museum of Transportation.


----------



## JohannFarley (Jun 12, 2017)

I personally love the Strasburg Railroad and Railroad Museum of PA in Strasburg, PA. The museum has many engines and rolling stock from the many railroads of PA, and the Strasburg Railroad has a short steam excursion which takes you from Strasburg station out to their connection with the keystone corridor.

Much railroad history, also near to many Pennsylvania Dutch history in the heart of Lancaster County.


----------



## Bob Dylan (Jun 13, 2017)

I agree that the Strasburg in PA is great as is the Cali State in Sacramento!

Underrated ones in Texas are the Texas State Railroad in Palestine/Rusk and the Santa Fe Rail Museum in Temple.

Another good one is at Union Station in Kansas City!


----------



## dogbert617 (Jun 13, 2017)

There's a smallish train museum that's worth a quick look(with some past railroad memorabilia), in case you're ever in Kankakee. It's within the Amtrak station house in Kankakee, IL, and is open during daytime hours. They do have a few old railroad cars you can walk inside of as well parked just outside of that station house, if you ask those who are working that you want to take a look at those. The model railroad display they have in that museum is cool to look at, as well. There's also a really good model railroad display in the lower level of the Clarendon Park Field House in Chicago, that's worth a look in case you're near there. Nothing beyond the model railroad display at the latter, but it's cool to take a look at whenever it's open.

I really want to badly revisit the Illinois Railway Museum, one of these days. It's too bad you have to drive or bike there from Crystal Lake(or Woodstock) on Metra(and back of course, though I wouldn't mind biking the distance between CL or Woodstock to Union and back), to get over there. I'd been meaning to buy a new bike, but just hadn't done so yet. And also don't own a car. I'm sure I'll get there again, one of these days.


----------



## Skyline (Jun 13, 2017)

Not a railroad museum per se, but a museum about iconic B&W railroad photography from the glory days is the O. Winston Link Museum in Roanoke, VA. It's in a nicely restored station. Definitely worth your time if you find yourself within a couple hours of Roanoke. Recently merged with a more general Roanoke history museum.

http://roanokehistory.org/?page_id=907


----------



## VentureForth (Jun 13, 2017)

My favorite was the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Salisbury, NC, located at the former steam backshops of the Southern Railroad.

It was better when it was free.

Savannah's Roundhouse museum is OK, but nothing fancy. Way overpriced for its offerings.


----------



## jis (Jun 13, 2017)

Steamtown in Scranton PA (covered by National Park Passes, since it is run by the National Park Service). Nice excursions, sometimes Steam hauled, sometimes all the way past Pocono Summit down the Slateford on the Delaware and back. If you have a car, a short drive to the spectacular Tunckhannock Viaduct. Also close to a Coal Mine Museum, with a trip down into a mine.

B&O Museum in Baltimore MD.


----------



## buck1108 (Jun 13, 2017)

Agree with the Spencer shops (NC Transportation Museum). The hands on signals are cool too. I loved the old Savannah shops, with the self guided tour through the existing parts of the roundhouse.

The Panhandle Railroad Museum in Wellington, KS has a great privately owned collection inside, with a great steam locomotive outside.

Then the line blurs between actual museums (maybe with restored rolling stock) and preserved stations as museums...

Denison, TX has the Katy museum. The museum space itself is smallish, but the large station building has been preserved. Some nice Katy rolling stock. Knowledgeable staff.

Hugo, OK has a large, fully intact, 2 story Frisco Depot (with Harvey House restaurant) on the old Frisco line. I had no idea it was there, and the interior was still pretty authentic, the last time I was there. They have some rolling stock. Knowledgeable staff.

The Central Delta Depot Museum in Brinkley, AR, is a smaller depot, but with lots of area train and general history. The staff is quite knowledgeable. Interesting history of the passenger service that formerly ran between Little Rock and Memphis. A nice model train layout inside. (right off of I-40, about halfway between Little Rock, AR, and Memphis, TN).

The New Braunfels, TX Railroad Museum has a well-maintained depot-building, with some rolling stock. Also a nice model train layout inside.


----------



## Eric S (Jun 13, 2017)

buck1108 said:


> The Great Plains Railroad Museum in Wellington, KS has a great privately owned collection inside, with a great steam locomotive outside.


I'm familiar with the Great Plains Transportation Museum in Wichita, located near Wichita Union Station. Is there another similarly-named facility in Wellington as well?


----------



## buck1108 (Jun 13, 2017)

Eric S said:


> buck1108 said:
> 
> 
> > The Great Plains Railroad Museum in Wellington, KS has a great privately owned collection inside, with a great steam locomotive outside.
> ...


Thanks for spotting that! My mistake...I corrected it to be "Panhandle Railroad Museum" (although it's nowhere near the panhandle regions...hmmm)


----------



## Metra Electric Rider (Jun 13, 2017)

Has anybody been to the museum in Monticello, Illinois? I was wondering how their excursions are.


----------



## zephyr17 (Jun 13, 2017)

The Nevada Northern is unparalleled. A short line whose shops and equipment were left intact from operating days and turned directly over to a museum. It is very out of the way in Ely, NV.


----------



## Eric S (Jun 13, 2017)

buck1108 said:


> Eric S said:
> 
> 
> > buck1108 said:
> ...


Hmm, interesting, never heard of that one. I've visited the museum in Wichita years ago and as I recall there is a Santa Fe steam locomotive outside there (as well as some other equipment).


----------



## norfolkwesternhenry (Jun 13, 2017)

JohannFarley said:


> I personally love the Strasburg Railroad and Railroad Museum of PA in Strasburg, PA. The museum has many engines and rolling stock from the many railroads of PA, and the Strasburg Railroad has a short steam excursion which takes you from Strasburg station out to their connection with the keystone corridor.
> 
> Much railroad history, also near to many Pennsylvania Dutch history in the heart of Lancaster County.


 thats good news, I'll be going there with RailCamp. Anything I should look for in particular, they said we would do something with 475 and the GG-1


----------



## Chessie (Jun 13, 2017)

Thanks for all the great recommendations! My vacation destinations are set for years to come. Think I will start with the Pa and Baltimore museums and work my way west. (Now I know I am not the only one on AU who plans vacations around am snag prices and Amtrak serviced destinations. :giggle: )


----------



## railiner (Jun 13, 2017)

Lots of great museum's have been mentioned....another nice museum in Pennsylvania is the Railroader's Memorial Museum over in Altoona. Out in Kirkwood, Mo., there's the Museum of Transportation, which covers all modes, but has a nice railroad collection. And mention should also include the National RR Museum in Green Bay, Wi. Another nice one is the Gold Coast RR Museum down in Miami, Fl......

There are many, many, more...some feature operating excursion trains, other's just static displays....

And some general history museums like the Smithsonian, and the Henry Ford have interesting rail colletions...can't forget Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry, home to the Pioneer Zephyr.....


----------



## PerRock (Jun 14, 2017)

It's not a railway specific museum, but does have some rail stuff. The Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village is well worth the visit. They're also one of the few museums that has direct service by Amtrak. I would plan at least two days if you want to see both the museum and the village.

peter


----------



## Pere Flyer (Jun 14, 2017)

Has anyone visited the Southeastern Railway Museum in Duluth, Ga.? I'm spending about a month in Atlanta this summer and considering checking it out.


----------



## dogbert617 (Jun 15, 2017)

VentureForth said:


> My favorite was the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Salisbury, NC, located at the former steam backshops of the Southern Railroad.
> 
> It was better when it was free.
> 
> Savannah's Roundhouse museum is OK, but nothing fancy. Way overpriced for its offerings.


Wow, one of my family relatives lives there! I never would've guessed in a million years(since I hadn't specifically traveled to that town to visit them myself), that Salisbury was home to a railroad museum! I will have to look up info on that museum, sometime. Maybe someday I'll visit that museum? Have to say for whatever odd reason I haven't heard a lot about that museum, but now I'm intrigued about wanting to visit there someday! Maybe that'll give me the extra incentive I need, to go out there and visit those relatives? 

BTW, has anyone ever gone to the railroad museum in East Troy, WI(southwest of Milwaukee)? I've always heard a lot about that railroad museum, but had never visited that one. How does it compare, vs. the Illinois Railway Museum? It their railcar collection smaller vs. the IL museum? That wouldn't bother me, if they were smaller vs. the IL museum. I just would like to finally get there, one of these days. Reviews seem decent, from when I skimmed over their Google and Yelp reviews.


----------



## Eric S (Jun 15, 2017)

dogbert617 said:


> BTW, has anyone ever gone to the railroad museum in East Troy, WI(southwest of Milwaukee)? I've always heard a lot about that railroad museum, but had never visited that one. How does it compare, vs. the Illinois Railway Museum? It their railcar collection smaller vs. the IL museum? That wouldn't bother me, if they were smaller vs. the IL museum. I just would like to finally get there, one of these days. Reviews seem decent, from when I skimmed over their Google and Yelp reviews.


Yes, I've been to East Troy a couple times, most recently about a year ago. Unfortunately I have never made it out to Union so I cannot compare it with the Illinois Railway Museum, although I understand Union is far larger with a much more extensive collection. For me at least, the primary appeal of East Troy is less the museum and more the operating interurban equipment. I'm not sure if there are days when the museum is open without running their interurban trains, but if so, I'd suggest trying to avoid those days - not sure it'd be worth the visit simply to see the museum.


----------



## PerRock (Jun 15, 2017)

dogbert617 said:


> How does it compare, vs. the Illinois Railway Museum? It their railcar collection smaller vs. the IL museum? That wouldn't bother me, if they were smaller vs. the IL museum. I just would like to finally get there, one of these days. Reviews seem decent, from when I skimmed over their Google and Yelp reviews.


Well seeing as IRM is the largest railroad museum in the US, all other railroad museums are going to be smaller.

peter


----------



## jis (Jun 15, 2017)

_Railroad Museum of Long Island_ in Riverhead NY has a small unique collection of old LIRR rolling stock, including an example of its first attempt at a double decker car - sort of. Reachable by LIRR Greenport Line Riverhead station.

_New York Transit Museum_ in the former Court Street station in Boerum Place in Brooklyn NY is the best transit museum in the country IMHO, reachable easily by Subway Court Street Borough Hall or Jay Street Metro Tech stations.


----------



## dogbert617 (Jun 16, 2017)

PerRock said:


> dogbert617 said:
> 
> 
> > How does it compare, vs. the Illinois Railway Museum? It their railcar collection smaller vs. the IL museum? That wouldn't bother me, if they were smaller vs. the IL museum. I just would like to finally get there, one of these days. Reviews seem decent, from when I skimmed over their Google and Yelp reviews.
> ...


I didn't know that IRM was THE largest railroad museum in the US, myself. Interesting to learn.



Eric S said:


> dogbert617 said:
> 
> 
> > BTW, has anyone ever gone to the railroad museum in East Troy, WI(southwest of Milwaukee)? I've always heard a lot about that railroad museum, but had never visited that one. How does it compare, vs. the Illinois Railway Museum? It their railcar collection smaller vs. the IL museum? That wouldn't bother me, if they were smaller vs. the IL museum. I just would like to finally get there, one of these days. Reviews seem decent, from when I skimmed over their Google and Yelp reviews.
> ...


It actually wouldn't bother me, if I visited the East Troy museum on a day they were running the interurban trains to nearby Mukwongo. And lol, at those in Mukwongo who complain about the train horns of those interurban trains! At least in one Google review, I really saw that! I'd only ride the interurban train if I had extra time, and would be okay only seeing the museum myself.



jis said:


> _Railroad Museum of Long Island_ in Riverhead NY has a small unique collection of old LIRR rolling stock, including an example of its first attempt at a double decker car - sort of. Reachable by LIRR Greenport Line Riverhead station.
> 
> _New York Transit Museum_ in the former Court Street station in Boerum Place in Brooklyn NY is the best transit museum in the country IMHO, reachable easily by Subway Court Street Borough Hall or Jay Street Metro Tech stations.


Looking back to my two NYC trips, I often wonder myself if I should've tried harder to visit the NY Transit Museum? It was one of those goals of places to visit/things to do in NYC that I sadly didn't quite accomplish, along with also riding the 6 subway train past the southern end of that line just so I could see the former City Hall subway station.


----------



## railiner (Jun 16, 2017)

The NYC Transit Museum web site will occasionally post fan trips that let you into the City Hall station...


----------



## me_little_me (Jun 16, 2017)

Pere Flyer said:


> Has anyone visited the Southeastern Railway Museum in Duluth, Ga.? I'm spending about a month in Atlanta this summer and considering checking it out.


I stated volunteering there in 1992 when it was at its original 12 acre location. In 2002 I moved to NC long after the museum had moved to a new location on the opposite side of the NS main line a mile or so north to a former privately owned railcar maintenance facility. I continue to volunteer periodically when I have a chance and some free time on visits to my 6 y/o grandson and his parents (who don't count when you have a train-nut 6 y/o grandson).

It is virtually all volunteer run. As far as I know, the only paid people were the front gate admission people but that may have changed (to them not being paid).

Wonderful museum with a great management team unlike years past. They are open about letting you walk though historic cars. If I were there when you came, I'd take you through the shop area.


----------



## BCL (Jun 26, 2017)

Nevada has a couple. The main museum is in Carson City and has a building with several cars. It also has a train ride. The southern branch is in Boulder City. It only has free outdoor exhibits, but they also run an excursion train.


----------



## Hepcat66 (Jul 19, 2020)

zephyr17 said:


> The Nevada Northern is unparalleled. A short line whose shops and equipment were left intact from operating days and turned directly over to a museum. It is very out of the way in Ely, NV.


Totally agree. As a retired machinist I was impressed with the all but unlimited access to the shops. Had a nice chat with a 14 yr old volunteer who was working on a set of cylinder liners for one of their diesels.


----------



## Willbridge (Jul 19, 2020)

A couple of specialty museums:

The Colorado Railroad Museum at Golden specializes in narrow-gauge history, although it has regional standard gauge, too. In 2002 when I visited the Dutch narrow-gauge museum they knew all about the Colorado museum (as there seems to be a secret fraternity of less-than-standard fans).

The Edmonton Radial Railway Society runs the streetcar service in Fort Edmonton Park, a living history museum. Besides miscellaneous cars from elsewhere they have done a wonderful job of restoring actual Edmonton cars, some drawn in from farms hundreds of kilometers away. There's also a classic prairie branch line steam train, but as we traction fans know, the streetcars move the crowds more efficiently. One subtle detail: because it's living history, the overhead matches the era, whether running in 1905 Street, 1920 Street, and the open stretch for expansion that used to shock Baby Boomers when I was a motorman, 1950 Street. (Direct quote: "1950? THAT'S not historic." Her children laughed.)


----------



## Palmland (Jul 19, 2020)

Don’t forget the East Broad Top RR in PA that will resume operations later this summer. Like the Nevada Northern, it also has an extensive shop complex. Which reminds me of Cass Scenic RR in WV. The line between excursion railroads and railroads that maintain and operate a rolling museum is fuzzy!


----------



## tonys96 (Jul 20, 2020)

Two small museums that are quick visits, but pretty cool nonetheless:
Marshall Texas, lots is artifacts and written history 
Wichita Falls, Texas has some old rolling stick including a "diner" style car with long counter and stools, some old coach cars and an old Pullman sleeper.


----------



## MARC Rider (Jul 29, 2020)

When I was a kid I liked to visit something called the Penn Central Railroad Northeast Corridor Service. Classic stations in Philadelphia, Wilmington, Baltimore and Washington. The trains were pulled by original GG-1 electrics and the rolling stock was plucked from every kind of passenger car built between 1920 and 1968. This included the unique tubular "Keystone" train that was not in compliance with the ADA. They had everything from non-airconditioned coaches with overhead fans and horsehair covered bench seating to 48-seat long-distance reclining seat streamliner coaches to P70 and Silverliner EMUs. There were also parlor cars and dining cars. No dome cars or double-deckers due to clearance issues. What an experience!

Unfortunately, it was taken over by an outfit called "Amtrak" which soon replaced all the vintage coaches with some sort of 1970s monstrosity that tried to emulate the look and feel of airliners. A little later, they replaced the GG-1s with locomotives of a foreign (Swedish) design. Who cares that over the years they increased the number of trains and made them all faster and more reliable and you can buy tickets using your smartphone? It's just not the same as in the good old days.


----------



## Seaboard92 (Jul 29, 2020)

MARC Rider said:


> This included the unique tubular "Keystone" train that was not in compliance with the ADA.



One of the cars from that train still survives. Up until a few years ago a few of the coaches did too, but I want to say they were scrapped in Michigan about 2009. But the Head End Power Generator for that car still operates to this day for Ferromex in Mexico. It is part of Dr. Vagon a rolling hospital on rails. It provides electricity for an operating suite, a pharmacy, three or four cars of exam rooms, and another 5 or 6 cars for the doctors, mechanical crew, and other employees. It roams the Mexican Rail System providing free medical care for rural Mexico.


----------



## manchacrr (Aug 6, 2020)

dogbert617 said:


> I really want to badly revisit the Illinois Railway Museum, one of these days. It's too bad you have to drive or bike there from Crystal Lake(or Woodstock) on Metra(and back of course, though I wouldn't mind biking the distance between CL or Woodstock to Union and back), to get over there. I'd been meaning to buy a new bike, but just hadn't done so yet. And also don't own a car. I'm sure I'll get there again, one of these days.



Actually, you can get to the Illinois Railway Museum with public transit now using the McHenry County McRide Service.

Taken directly from the IRM's website:
*"IRM is now accessible by public transit!* Take MCRide, the county Dial-A-Ride service, to IRM from any location in the MCRide Service Area - including the Woodstock or Crystal Lake Metra stations. _MCRide trips must be reserved in advance. _Call 1-800-451-4599 to make an MCRide reservation. For more information click here or call 815-334-4960. MCRide operates seven days a week, except on major holidays."

The link to their website for more information:




__





MCRide Dial-A-Ride | McHenry County, IL






www.mchenrycountyil.gov


----------



## daybeers (Aug 7, 2020)

manchacrr said:


> Actually, you can get to the Illinois Railway Museum with public transit now using the McHenry County McRide Service.
> 
> Taken directly from the IRM's website:
> *"IRM is now accessible by public transit!* Take MCRide, the county Dial-A-Ride service, to IRM from any location in the MCRide Service Area - including the Woodstock or Crystal Lake Metra stations. _MCRide trips must be reserved in advance. _Call 1-800-451-4599 to make an MCRide reservation. For more information click here or call 815-334-4960. MCRide operates seven days a week, except on major holidays."
> ...


I suppose this is an improvement for those who must use public transportation. However, I don't think dial-a-ride reservation required service can even be called public transportation. How is the average member of the public supposed to know it even exists? Those have always baffled me. Oftentimes they are mid-size vans to accommodate wheelchairs though they often run empty or with only a single passenger, so is it really saving on emissions? No.


----------



## WWW (Aug 7, 2020)

What about that museum in Duluth - THAT OTHER DULUTH in Minnesota ?

LINK:


https://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=&oq=duluth+mn+railroad+museum&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4MXGB_enUS692US692&q=duluth%20mn%20railroad%20museum&gs_l=hp..0.0l3j0i22i30l2.0.0.0.8732...........0.C594V-uDekI&npsic=0&rflfq=1&rlha=0&rllag=46781321,-92103599,51&tbm=lcl&rldimm=16380422352389799846&lqi=ChlkdWx1dGggbW4gcmFpbHJvYWQgbXVzZXVtSInDiARaOAoPcmFpbHJvYWQgbXVzZXVtEAIQAxgAGAEYAhgDIhlkdWx1dGggbW4gcmFpbHJvYWQgbXVzZXVt&phdesc=62DPyPYCDuc&ved=2ahUKEwiO-7rx5YnrAhXKZs0KHX5PCTMQvS4wAHoECAoQJw&rldoc=1&tbs=lrf:!1m4!1u3!2m2!3m1!1e1!1m4!1u2!2m2!2m1!1e1!1m5!1u15!2m2!15m1!1shas_1wheelchair_1accessible_1entrance!4e2!2m1!1e2!2m1!1e3!3sIAE,lf:1,lf_ui:1&rlst=f#aq=&rlfi=hd:;si:16380422352389799846,l,ChlkdWx1dGggbW4gcmFpbHJvYWQgbXVzZXVtSInDiARaOAoPcmFpbHJvYWQgbXVzZXVtEAIQAxgAGAEYAhgDIhlkdWx1dGggbW4gcmFpbHJvYWQgbXVzZXVt,y,62DPyPYCDuc;mv:[[46.7816097,-92.10297030000001],[46.781033,-92.1042285]];tbs:lrf:!1m4!1u3!2m2!3m1!1e1!1m4!1u2!2m2!2m1!1e1!2m1!1e2!2m1!1e3!3sIAE,lf:1,lf_ui:1&spf=1596827479133



Before or after visiting the museum can take a short train ride to Two Harbors.


----------



## snaebyllej (Aug 7, 2020)

Friends-261 said:


> What about that museum in Duluth - THAT OTHER DULUTH in Minnesota ?



Visited for the first time last year, and I was impressed. They have a very nice collection of railroad china.


----------



## MARC Rider (Aug 19, 2020)

daybeers said:


> I suppose this is an improvement for those who must use public transportation. However, I don't think dial-a-ride reservation required service can even be called public transportation. How is the average member of the public supposed to know it even exists? Those have always baffled me. Oftentimes they are mid-size vans to accommodate wheelchairs though they often run empty or with only a single passenger, so is it really saving on emissions? No.


Well, there's always Uber or Lyft. That's how I got to the NC Transportation Museum from the Amtrak station in Salisbury.


----------

