Lesser known Railroad Museums in small towns

[Seaboard92]

One that really surprised me that I thought of nothing going to was the Wilmington Railroad Museum in Wilmington, NC. I think what set it apart for me was I could tell how much heart and soul the operators put into the museum. And that made up for the lack of a lot of equipment. Heart and soul means more to me. If you are passing thru it is worth a good hour or so.

 

[joelkfla]

Western Railway museum Historic Train Exhibits Vintage Streetcar - Western Railway Museum
Focused mostly on interurbans from around California

Haven't visited for over 20 years, so maybe things have changed, but I volunteered there back in the 70's & 80's, and the focus was pretty much evenly split between interurbans and streetcars, maybe a bit heavier on the streetcars. There were dozens of cars in various states of decay or restoration in the barns, with public operations 2 or 3 days a week.

 

[Seaboard92]

One thing I would like to ask everyone to do here is support your local museum. We all complain about the decay of the place but so few people open their wallets to help preserve these relics. And railcars are expensive believe me I know I own one. But we owe it to our future generations to see these relics. So we need to do what we can to preserve them. And there are other ways to support your museums that aren't money you can contribute sweat equity and gain an appreciation for where the wheel meets the rail. And then you would find a lot of really good local museums all over the USA, Canada, and the world.

 

[MIrailfan]

https://www.lostrailwaymuseum.org/

 

[BalmyZephyr]

One that really surprised me that I thought of nothing going to was the Wilmington Railroad Museum in Wilmington, NC. I think what set it apart for me was I could tell how much heart and soul the operators put into the museum. And that made up for the lack of a lot of equipment. Heart and soul means more to me. If you are passing thru it is worth a good hour or so.

Yes, made my second visit there in February 2023. I haven't been to very many RR museums but I can hardly imagine an HO layout being better than this one. Fun to operate, too, lots of foot pedals to start and stop various sections. Highlight was the hot air balloon! This is NOT the small layout in the front room. Go all the way back.

 

[BCL]

There are quite a few of these in Northern California near or even on active station property. Often they're housed in original station buildings that aren't being used as such and may have been relocated.

https://www.sbhrs.orghttps://www.msvrr.orghttps://patch.com/california/martinez/city-begin-process-turning-martinez-train-depot-museumhttps://www.ncry.orghttps://www.nilesdepotmuseum.orghttps://www.wrm.orghttps://www.ggrm.orghttp://www.spcrr.org

 

[danasgoodstuff]

Home - The Saskatchewan Railway Museum I visited this nice small museum near Saskatoon a few years ago.

 

[daybeers]

Highly recommend the South Norwalk Switch Tower Museum (yes it's http, they need to update their website), open Saturdays & Sundays 12-4pm May-October with additional times available by appointment. The volunteers are incredibly knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Free, but donations accepted, unfortunately only in cash. Same with the gift shop, but it's worth it: museum mugs, patches, lots of old timetables and other collectibles, along with some children's toys. I would stay and try some of the diverse food in the city. Very walkable from the southeastern side of the South Norwalk Metro-North station, and not far from Amtrak service in Stamford, CT. Unfortunately not accessible, as the whole museum requires stairs to enter. Gift shop on first floor (up half a floor from the street), machinery and photos/artifacts on the second, and the switch levers (interactive), view of the four NEC tracks, and telegraph desk on the third.

 

[DetroitTed]

It's been years since I was there but the Lake Superior Railroad Museum( lsrm.org) in Duluth, MN was a great one. And Duluth is a very interesting town to visit if you're ever up in the US part of the Great North.

 

[awalker1829]

Tucson, Arizona has Old Pueblo Trolley, which operates the Southern Arizona Transportation Museum at the Amtrak station. The museum at the Amtrak station is more railroad oriented and the main campus located in South Tucson is more transit system and bus oriented. OPT acts as the caretaker of Southern Pacific No. 1673, which is on display at the Amtrak station. We have been slowly cosmetically restoring the locomotive as time and money permit. Fortunately, the City of Tucson (owners of the locomotive) have the locomotive located in a substantial open sided pavilion that is protected by a high iron fence. Public access to the locomotive is controlled by SATM.

 

[TinCan782]

Just recalled two museums I visited while in Southern Maryland last summer (2022):
Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum in Calvert County, MD
https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjA3r2mLa Plata Train Station Museum in Charles County, MD (closed the day I was there)
https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjA3qNk

 

[Asher]

For anyone in the area, this is happening.​

​

LOS ANGELES UNION STATION TRAIN FESTIVAL 2023: A CELEBRATION OF PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE​

Saturday and Sunday, September 9th & 10th from 10 am to 6 pm daily

Ticket Concourse, Waiting Room, North and South Patios, Railway Platforms


All aboard! Grab your family and friends and join us at #TrainFestival2023 at @unionstationla September 9 and 10 to celebrate the past, present and future of train travel with activations and programs throughout the iconic Los Angeles

Also model train exhibits

 

[NW cannonball]

Tucson, Arizona has Old Pueblo Trolley, which operates the Southern Arizona Transportation Museum at the Amtrak station. The museum at the Amtrak station is more railroad oriented and the main campus located in South Tucson is more transit system and bus oriented. OPT acts as the caretaker of Southern Pacific No. 1673, which is on display at the Amtrak station. We have been slowly cosmetically restoring the locomotive as time and money permit. Fortunately, the City of Tucson (owners of the locomotive) have the locomotive located in a substantial open sided pavilion that is protected by a high iron fence. Public access to the locomotive is controlled by SATM.

Was there at the museum at the amtrak station. OMG it's a tiny museum but the docent at the control panel of the ancient steam engine , when I asked what he knew about steam propulsion, he knew more than most of us know about steamships. Small museum but so close to the station and worth visiting.

 

[UhClem]

I love the first hand recommendations in this thread, which is the best..
But for a nice first stop reference is this book:
https://kalmbachhobbystore.com/product/book/01215