25 of the best train museums

It's no surprise that trains excite and fascinate us. The development of railroads in the United States affected very many aspects of the country, and this influence can be seen in museums across the country that celebrate, preserve, and memorialize the railroads. This list includes some of the best railroad museums in the United States. You'll find museums with exciting interactive exhibits, rail yards with tons of rolling stock, historic railroads and even carefully designed miniature trains. Explore our selection of the best railroad museums in the country and join generations of people fascinated by trains and their role in society. Photo: PHB.cz/photolia

California State Railroad Museum

The California State Railroad Museum is a state-run museum that tells the story of the railroad's role in connecting California to the rest of the country. The museum houses more than 20 restored locomotives and railroad cars, some dating back to 1862. There is a miniature railroad scene called the "Sierra Scene". This shows a construction scene in the Sierra Nevada with Donner Pass and a locomotive named Gov Stanford. There are other exhibits related to the impact the railroad had on American life, including travel, business and daily life. Adjacent to the main building is a reconstructed Central Pacific Railroad passenger station built in the 1870s. Visitors can also take a 6-mile train ride, which is available part of the year. Contact: 125 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, phone: 916-323-9280 Photo: Alisontoon / Fotolia

Colorado Railroad Museum Inc.

The Colorado Railroad Museum is a non-profit museum located between the North and South Table Mountains in beautiful Golden, Colorado. The museum has been in operation since 1959 and was created to preserve and protect the history of Colorado's railroad era. Museum focuses especially on the development of steep narrow gauge railroads in the mountains of Colorado. The museum's main building is modeled after the railroad depots of the 1880s. There are original photographs by railroad photographers, model trains, exhibits on railroad history and a roundhouse where visitors can observe restoration efforts. A number of locomotives, rail cars and railroads are on display outside the museum. Contact: 17155 W 44th Avenue, Golden, CO 80403, phone: 303-279-4591 Photo: arinahabich / Fotolia

Danbury Railway Museum Inc

The Danbury Railway Museum is a railroad museum and adjacent station located in the former Union Station in downtown Danbury, Connecticut. The museum was closed in the 1990s after the train station. Exhibits at the Danbury Railway Museum focus primarily on the history of railroads in the region, including New York and southern New England. The building has interesting architecture and appeared in Alfred Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train. Visitors can take a train ride called Rail Yard Local, which takes about 30 minutes and passes by the museum's turntable, the only one in the country. The train tour is only available during the summer months. Contact: 120 White Street, Danbury, CT 06810, Phone: 203-778-8337 Photo: Danbury Railway Museum Inc

Railroad museum near me: Galesburg Railroad Museum

The Galesburg Railroad Museum is located in Galesburg, Ill. The museum collects, preserves and displays artifacts, documents, letters and equipment related to the history of railroads. Many of the items in the museum related to the Burlington Northern Railroad Company, which was the largest in the country, in the 1970s and was formed by the merger of several other railroad companies, which played quite a significant role in the area around Gales. Among the museum's most interesting locomotives and railroad cars are a mail car from the railroad post office and a Pullman? Meath? Railroad Car. Contact: 211 S. Seminary Street, Galesburg, IL 61401, phone: 309-342-9400 Photo: Pabkow / Fotolia

Hoosier Valley Railway Museum

The Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum is a railroad museum in North Judson, Indiana. North Judson was a major railroad town and at one point a large percentage of the local population was employed by the area's railroads. The city has been known to have as many as 125 trains in a single day from one of the four major railroads in the area. The museum is located in a building formerly owned by the Erie Railroad. The museum has a variety of rail cars, including a historic Chesapeake and Ohio Railway steam locomotive. During the warmer months, the museum also offers train rides. Contact: 507 Mulberry Street, North Judson, IN 46366, Phone: 574-896-3950 Photo: Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum

Illinois Railway Museum

The Illinois Railway Museum is located in Union, Illinois, near Chicago and is the largest railroad museum in the country. The museum has been in operation since the 1950s and tells the story of the role trains and railroads played in the growth of the city of Chicago and surrounding areas as well as the entire United States. The museum campus is quite large and it can take a while to explore everything. There are eleven storage barns that contain about 3 miles of covered tracks, a steam engine restoration store, a railroad depot dating back to 1853 four streetcar stations, a collection of neon and concrete signs, a large number of trains and more. Two train rides are offered during the summer, both electric and diesel trains. Contact: 7000 Olson Road, Union, IL 60180, phone: 815-923-4000 Photo: Illinois Railroad Museum

Kentucky Railroad Museum

The Kentucky Railway Museum in New Haven, Kentucky, is a nonprofit railroad museum dedicated to the history and heritage of the state's railroads and the people who have played a role in Kentucky's railroad history. The museum opened in 1954 and originally lived in Louisville, but has since moved to Nelson County in southern Kentucky. It is located in one of the oldest train stations in the country, built in the 1850s by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. The museum has a number of steam locomotives, railroad cars and indoor exhibits, which include a 3.000-square-foot model railroad exhibit includes. Contact: 136 S. Main Street, New Haven, KY 40051, phone: 800-272-0152 Photo: Kentucky Railroad Museum

Railroad museum near me: Laws Railroad Museum

The Law Railroad Museum and Historic Site preserves, protects and interprets the former site of the railroad station and station building. The museum includes several historic buildings that house artifacts and interesting items related not only to the history of the railroad, but also to history in general. These buildings were moved to the site and laid out around the historic train depot like a small village. The depot itself contains railroad-related artifacts and memorabilia, as well as train displays. In the yard is the steam locomotive of the Southern Pacific Company no. 9, which was donated to the museum when it closed in 1960. There is also an 1883 turntable and several historic rail cars on display. Contact: Silver Cyn Road, Bishop, CA 93514, Phone: 760-873-5950 Photo: Jimbo / Fotolia

Medina Railroad Museum

The Medina Railroad Museum is located in Medina, New York, near the cities of Buffalo and Rochester. The museum is located in one of the largest historic timber freight depots still in existence. The building was built in 1905. Exhibits housed here include a series of interactive and experiential exhibits, railroad artifacts, train-related memorabilia, historic photographs, trains, a model railroad exhibit, and more. The museum places special emphasis on the railroads of western New York. There is also an exhibition of historical equipment used in firefighting. There are seasonal train rides as well as an annual Thomas the Tank Engine event for kids. Contact: 530 West Avenue, Medina, NY 14103, Phone: 585-798-6106 Photo: Medina Railroad Museum

Mid-Continent Railway Museum

The Mid-Continent Railway Museum is a museum in North Freedom, Wisconsin, dedicated to the history and heritage of railroads. The museum has a number of permanent exhibits and also hosts train rides on historic trains. Exhibits focus primarily on the history of railroading from the upper Midwest at the turn of the 20th century. Century. There are three steam locomotives being restored, as well as a number of other steam and diesel locomotives and more than 100 other vehicles. The museum also has a large collection of wooden passenger cars, which is the largest of its kind in the country. The train depot is original and was built in 1894 and later moved to the current location of the museum. Contact: E8948 Museum Road, North Freedom, WI 53951, Phone: 608-522-4261 Photo: Mid-Continent Railroad Museum

Train Museum Near Me: Monticello Railway Museum

The Monticello Railway Museum is a nonprofit railroad museum located in Monticello, Illinois, near the city of Champaign. The museum contains more than 100 historic railroad equipment, including a number of restored diesel locomotives and a variety of railroad carriages. There is a tourist railroad that operates outside the museum, offering rides on an abandoned rail line formerly operated by Illinois Terminal and Illinois Central Gulf. Each year, in September, the Railroad Days Festival is held at the museum and includes a special immersive ride on a regular passenger train made up of Illinois Central train cars and other historic railroad cars. Contact: 992 Iron Horse Place, Monticello, IL 61856, phone: 217-762-9011 Photo: Monticello Railroad Museum

Museum of the American railroad

The Museum of the American Railroad, formerly known as the Age of Steam Railroad Museum, is a large railroad museum in Frisco, Texas. The museum is popular among train enthusiasts because it allows you to get close to the equipment and walk through many of its parts. The museum originally resided in Dallas Fair Park. At the time of this writing, the Frisco Museum is still under construction and only scheduled groups are allowed inside the collection. There are some intermediate exhibits and a museum store open at the Frisco Heritage Museum for those who want to get a glimpse of the museum's exhibits. Contact: 6455 Page Street, Frisco, TX 75034, phone: 214-428-0101 Photo: Museum of American Railroads

National New York Central Railroad Museum

The National New York Central Railroad Museum is a museum in Elkhart, Indiana, dedicated to preserving, protecting and interpreting the history of the New York Central Railroad. The city was a major railroad town with several railroad companies outside the city. The museum has a number of outdoor displays, including the largest surviving example of a NYC steam locomotive – New York Central 3001. There are also several other steam locomotives as well as diesel and electric trains.In addition, there are a number of indoor exhibits that display artifacts from NYC railroad history and other aspects of local and national railroad history and heritage. Contact: 721 S. Main Street, Elkhart, IN 46516, Phone: 574-294-3001 Photo: National New York Central Railroad Museum

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Train Museum Near Me: National Railroad Museum

The National Railroad Museum is a railroad museum located in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin, near the town of Green Bay. The museum was founded in 1956, making it one of the oldest railroad museums in the country. The museum has a large collection of rolling stock representing more than one hundred years of railroad history. There are a number of significant historic locomotives such as the Union Pacific Big Boy no. 4017, which is one of the largest in the world. There is also a museum building full of indoor exhibits. Artifacts from railroad history sit alongside photographs and archives. There is also a normal gauge that covers the perimeter of the site. Each year, the museum hosts special events for Halloween and an annual Day Out with Thomas event for children. Contact: 2285 S. Broadway, Green Bay, WI 54304, phone: 920-437-7623 photo: National Railroad Museum

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Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad & Transportation Museum

The Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad and Transportation Museum is a museum dedicated to preserving the history and heritage of the railroad industry, with a special focus on the Nevada Narrow Gauge Railroad. The railroad operated in Nevada and Placer Counties in California for nearly 70 years at the turn of the century. The museum has a fine collection of railroad artifacts, including documents and historic photographs. There are a number of rail cars as well as Engine 5, which has been used in many movies. Visitors to the museum can participate in short rides on various railroad equipment. In addition to the railroad-related exhibits, the museum also houses the county's first steam automobile, along with several exhibits on local aviation history. Contact: 5 Kidder Court, Nevada City, CA 95959, phone: 530-470-0902 Photo: Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad & Transportation Museum

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Train museum near me: Niles Canyon Railway

The Niles Canyon Railway is a historic railroad that runs between Sunol and the Niles neighborhood of Fremont near the San Francisco Bay Area. The railroad traverses beautiful Niles Canyon. The rail line on which it operates was once part of the First Transcontinental Railroad, built in the 1860s. This particular line, which runs through Niles Canyon, was one of the first stretches of railroad built in the state and was the first rail link between San Francisco Bay and the rest of the United States. The railroad runs regularly with passengers alternating between diesel and steam locomotives and open and closed cars. Contact: 6 Kikare Road, Sunol, CA 94586, Phone: 510-996-8420

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Northwest Railroad Museum

The Northwest Railway Museum is located in King County, Washington. The museum consists of the 1890s Snoqualmie Depot and several miles of the former Northern Pacific Railway. The railroad was established in the 1950s and aims to educate the public about the role of railroads in the growth of the region, as well as the lifestyle and excitement surrounding railroads. The museum houses a number of interesting railroad cars and locomotives dating from the 1880s to the mid-20th century. Century Railroads. They also operate a 5-mile heritage railroad where visitors can ride on a train ride during the summer. Contact: 38625 SE King Street, Snoqualmie, WA 98065, phone: 425-888-3030 Photo: Klevit / Fotolia

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Orange Imperial Railway Museum

Orange Empire Railway Museum has been in operation since 1956 at Pinacate Station in Perris, Calif. The museum's collection focuses primarily on the history of railroading in Southern California and includes the world's largest collection of Pacific Electric Railway equipment. Exhibits include railroad equipment, locomotives, documents and tools that were used on the railroad. Tours of the grounds can be self-guided or guided by a guide. In addition to the museum exhibits, there is a picnic area and interactive railroad garden near the entrance. The museum operates a historic railroad on the museum grounds. Contact: 2201 S. A Street, Perris, CA 92570, Phone: 951-943-3020 Photo: Lance / Fotolia

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Pacific Southwest Railroad Museum

The Pacific Southwest Railway Museum is a railroad museum in Campo, California, operated by the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum. The museum is best known for its train rides, which have been operated by volunteers since 1986. The trains are pulled by historic diesel and electric locomotives. There are a large number of locomotives and cars on display in a building in Campo. Visitors can stroll through the building and familiarize themselves with the equipment. The museum also manages the La Mesa depot, the oldest building in the city. Next to the depot is an exhibit train with several historic components. Contact: 750 Depot Street, Campo, CA 91906, phone: 619-478-9937 Photo: Pacific Southwest Railroad Museum

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Train Museum Near Me: Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania

The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania is a railroad museum in Strasburg, Pennsylvania. The museum's holdings include more than 100 cars and historic locomotives that tell the story of railroading in the United States. The museum has several interactive exhibits, one of which simulates a real freight train locomotive. You can also go inside a real caboose, look at the underside of a locomotive and see the restoration work being done. The museum also has an observation deck where visitors can see the trains outside from above. For those who want a souvenir or gift to take home, there is a gift shop. Contact: 300 Gap Road, Strasburg, PA 17579, phone: 717-687-8628 Photo: pabrady63 / Fotolia

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Shore Line Trolley Museum

The Shore Line Trolley Museum is the longest operating trolley museum in the country. The museum preserves and protects the history of the wagon and contains a number of informative and interactive exhibits dealing with the history of wagons. The museum grounds also feature a short, 1.5-mile trolley ride where visitors can climb aboard a restored historic trolley and take a ride. While riding the trolley, take a ride on the Branford Electric Railway, which passes beautiful scenery and may even have interesting wildlife to observe. Trolley rides are family friendly and totally kid friendly. Contact: 17 River Street, East Haven, CT 06512, Phone: 203-467-6927 Photo: coastline trolley museum

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Steamtown National Historic Site

Steamtown National Historic Site is a railroad museum and historic railroad in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The museum occupies the space of the former Scranton yards that were used by Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroads. The centerpiece of the museum is a working roundhouse and turntable, modeled after the originals and built in part with materials from the original buildings. A large number of locomotives, freight cars and passenger cars are on display. Visitors can climb inside and explore some of the equipment. In addition to the switching yards, the historic site has a visitor center with theater and museum exhibits. Contact: Lackawanna Avenue at Cliff Street, Scranton, PA 18503, phone: 570-340-5200 Photo: Ritu Jethani / Fotolia

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Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum

The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum is a railroad museum in Chattanooga created to preserve and protect historic steam locomotives and equipment from the railroads. The museum operates a historic railroad that allows visitors to experience railroad history by taking a 6-mile round-trip steam locomotive ride. These train rides are the only ones of their kind in the state of Tennessee. A number of notable locomotives and other rolling stock are on display at the museum, as well as exhibits on the development and history of railroading, specifically in the Tennessee Valley region. Contact: 4119 Cromwell Road, Chattanooga, TN 37421, Phone: 423-894-8028 Photo: Refocused Photography / Fotolia

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Train museum near me: Train Mountain Railroad Museum

The Train Mountain Railroad is a miniature model railroad located in Chiloquin in central Oregon. The railroad is the largest miniature railroad in the world, running through more than 2.200 acres of wooded land travels and more than 36 miles of Spur 7.5 includes. There are train rides available to the public through the Klamath and Western Railroads. The Train Mountain Railroad Museum is also on site and has several pieces of historic, large-scale equipment and railroad artifacts. One of the most important pieces is a historic steam snowplow with a speed of 100 tons. Contact: 36941 S. Chiloquin Road, Chiloquin, or 97624, phone: 541-783-3030 Photo: Train Mountain Railroad Museum

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Western Railway Museum

The Western Railway Museum is located in Solano County, California, along the former main line of the Sacramento Northern Railway. The museum's collection is primarily dedicated to preserving the history of interurban railroad equipment, with special attention to cars. The museum operates a historic railroad along a former Sacramento Northern line and has the world's largest collection of equipment from the former rail line. Visitors can take a 1.5-mile road map ride or a longer 10-mile ride. The visitor center has shaded picnic areas, a bookstore, a café, a library, and several small exhibits. Contact: 5848 CA-12, Suisun City, CA 94585, phone: 707-374-2978 Photo: Western Railroad Museum

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