Glen,
Having spent a day in their EFD (Engineer For a Day) Program, I can tell You that the Nevada Northern Most Definitely DOES consider themselves a MUSEUM, even if You don’t. I am curious as to why you don’t consider the NNRY to be a Museum?
Doug
Challenger,
I think of railroads such as the three I named as, to use the British terminology, “preserved railways” as contrasted to museums. Whatever you call them, I certainly agree that the NN is at the top of the list.
I would love to do that engineer for a day opportunity. Tell us about your experience.
Glen
The Cass Operation in West Virginia
This is a very difficult question. Let’s face it: one person’s “best” is someone else’s “it’s okay” collection. So I suggest we think about those museums/collections which are can’t miss. And I suggest the following as candidates:
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Illinois Railroad Museum - large collection, credible rehabbing, some operations (Union)Minnesota Transportation Museum - currently rebuilding two BIG NP Pacifics in their roundhouse, operating trolley, former steamer on Lake Minnetonka (St Paul, Minneapolis, Excelsior)
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National Transportation Museum - huge collection (Green Bay WI)
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National Transportation Museum - huge collection in outstanding condition (St Louis)
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Traveltown in Pasadena
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California Railway Museum in Sacramento
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Duluth (MN) Transportation Museum - where else can you see an iconic DM&IR Yellowstone up on blocks and running? Plus the NRHS is meeting there this August
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Strassburg PA is always fabulous
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D&S and C&T because they are so close you can enjoy both the same day!
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There is no “best” railroad museum in the US. But there are many “top” railroad museums in the US. This may not make sense, but it does. The top museums have strengths and weaknesses, and the strengths and weaknesses average out. That said, I think there are 5 “top” museums in the US
California State Railway Museum
Illinois Railway Museum (IRM)
National Museum of Transport
Strassburg
Steamtown
One of the problems with choosing a “best” museum is deciding what your norm is. Whatever norm you choose, major museums are going to be lacking in one or more factors. To give an example, IRM doesn’t have great scenery (it’s flat and straight) or historic context (it was built on a greenfield site). But everyone agrees that IRM is one of the “best” museums.
I have to respectfully disagree that IRM has no historic context. The IRM mainline is laid on roughly 5 miles of the former right-of-way of the Elgin & Belvedere electric interurban railroad, although when it ceased operations everything was removed… rails, ties, catenaries, bridges, signals, and I think they might have even removed the ballast[swg]. Also, the IRM “East Union” station was built to serve nearby Marengo sometime in the 1850s, and moved to the IRM property to preserve it.
Hi Glen,
As I am sure You can imagine it was an experience, not soon to be forgotten. From Portland, OR where I live, to Ely, NV is a 1600 mile round trip, so to get the most Bang for the Fuel buck, I did the two-pack Steam + Diseasel. (July, 2007) I had originally Hoped to run the 2-8-0 #93 and one of the Alco RS’s. But as Luck would have it, The 4-6-0 #40 (No Dissapointment there, She is a Beautiful Locomotive) and the SD-9 #204 were what was serviceable on my scheduled day.
While in High School I had met an engineer, and got a little throttle time on a GP-38-2, but the SD-9 was even Better, there is no need denying I enjoyed the SD-9 A LOT, the trip was worthwhile at that point.
But the second half of the day when I climbed into the cab of #40, it felt like one of those Dream Vacations from the old TV show “Fantasy Island” (how many of you even remember THAT show?) I was Grinning EAR TO EAR[:D] the top of my head about fell off. The #40 was my first throttle time on a Road Steam Locomotive, the month before I went to Ely, I got the oportunity to run a little H.K. Porter 0-4-0T. The little Porter belonged to the Father of a Close friend of my Mother, Unfortunately, the occasion was the Final Steam Up, in Clyde’s Honor, as He had passed on, so that was a Once in a Lifetime chance to run the Porter.
While running the #40, there was another Truck Driver ( I am a Truck Driver ) who would stop his rig, get out and Video tape the 40 going
Here are some pics of the Sumpter Valley Ry.
And some of the Nevada Northern Ry.
Doug
Doug,
Thanks for telling us about the EFD programs. I have considered both, but, so far, have done neither. Either one sounds like a great experience.
I did, however, ride in the cab of the SV 19. Here is my little story about it
I still regard both the SV and the NN as “preserved railways”, not museums. Same goes for Cass. Anybody care to agree or disagree?
Glen
(1) Doug: now we know where at least 1 of the CKP SD-9’s went after Trinidad.
(2) If the railroad museum is only into the mechanical department toys at the expense of paper records, etc. (no library or archival staff) , that outfit fails in my estimation.
(3) I put B&O, Sacramento, CRRM and North Freedom higher on the list for that reason.
Mudchicken,
Please take a look at their website www.nnry.com to get a Small glimpse of what they have, or better yet, take a trip to Ely, and check out their archives, you would be able to spend much more time than you care to reviewing their old records.
When the NNRY closed down operations June 21st, 1983, it was not expected to be a long term shut down. They literally went home, and didn’t come back, a true case of the foreman’s coat still hanging on the hook where he left it, expecting to come back to work soon.
The unexpected nature of the shut down IS the main reason why it remains so intact, there was no selling off of equipment, or furnishings and fittings, as is common in a business closure. All the old records and files, just sat there waiting for the employees that never returned. For the NNRY, time just STOPPED. It was about as close to the “Twilight Zone” as has ever happened in reality.
B&O, Sacramento, CRRM and North Freedom, may have more records on a multitude of railroads, but, the NNRY has a nearly COMPLETE archive of everything that was recorded on the NNRY. The NNRY’s records would only relate to the NNRY, and it’s business, but I would imagine that you would be very hard pressed to find another example with as complete of an accounting as the NNRY, Likely second to none, or very few at best.
The NNRY, is NOT only into the mechanical dept. toys at the expense of paper records, etc. etc. etc., but make no mistake about their mechanical dept, it s
The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania is quite nice, of course alot of PRR items, but other stuff also. In addition you have the Strasburg RR right across the street, along with the Amish folks.
How cool is it that we have all these to choose from?
I live like 15 mins from IRM and we go at least seven or eight times during the season. I have two sons and they are still excited every time we go. All this has done is make me want to plan a longer trip for all of us. Enjoy them all!