The Nevada State RR museum in Carson City is pretty good but no trackage. The Virginia and Truckee in Virginia City is alive and growing, once running all the way to Reno, the trains now head a few miles down the canyon but considerable funding has been raised to run it all the way to Carson City within the next few years.
However, the Nevada Northern is tops in my book. It is 100 years old and was turned over to the museum, which was created especially to take posession, by the mining company a number of years back, in running, operating condition. They run trains over two different runs, totally 30 miles of tracks. Their shops are staffed with paid and volunteer workers who will gladly show their talents to visitors. In fact, these guys actually train workers from other tourist railroad and museums on how to maintain their equipment. They are a real, living museum and are about to take back another 120 miles of track that runs all the way up to the UP, both sets, which used to be the WP and SP. Talk about possibilities for speeders and excursions!
Shabby? I don’t think so, they are on a massive overhaul program.
Thanks to all for sharing this information! - Now I know where else to go.
Being from the West, I’ve spent most of my time at Western museums. But I have to agree, the East has some fabulous working museums. The museums I’ve been to (so far) are listed below in order of preference (working steam is a big plus for me):
Traintown in Scranton, PA - a must see for everyone!
Strausburg, PA
Nevada Northern, Ely Nevada (stay at the Bristlecone Inn - nice beds)
Durango & Silverton, Durango, CO. (they have some of the roundhouse used as a museum - free)
Skunk Railroad, Willits, CA - catch the steam ride
Sierra RR, Jamestown, CA
Georgetown Loop RR, CO
Big Trees & Roaring Camp RR, CA
California RR museum, Sacramento, CA - very well preserved equipment
B&O RR museum - this is real gem. See also Ft. McHenry while in Balt.
I would like to go to the Illinois Museum, and the Railroad Museum of New England in Connecticut.
I really like a focused collection that is well maintained and interpreted. The museum in Portola probably has the worst facilities, but has a very focused collection and much of the equipment is operational.l I like museums with operational equipment like Portola and the Lake Shore.
Lastly, but I’m not sure they technically qualify as museums, but I really enjoy the Cumbres and Toltec and the East Broad Top. They are fantastic focused collections operating in their historic environment that includes facilities as well as trains. I suspect the Nevada Northern is also an excellent place and is on my list of places I want to visit.
Just a few comments on the Illinois Railway Museum, where I have been a volunteer for decades. (Noting an earlier post that says or implies the collection has deteriorated.) We have over TWO MILES of equipment under cover! During the Thomas event we have NINE different trains in operation all day long, with the record setting day about 12,000 admissions. Not for the season, for the DAY! We have run freight trains of over TWENTY cars safely and maintained and inspected for photographers and guests. Over 15 freight cars are totally restored, and many of those under cover. This past year 4 diesel locomotives were totally restored, re-painted and lettered. In the past few years maybe a half dozen trolley cars were restored to operation, and full restoration continues. Come out on July 4th and you will see over THIRTY electric cars out, under their own power, passing in review with commentary and naration.
There are special events throughout the summer season and a full schedule can be found on our home page, along with many pics of the collection. Including over 500 views of just the freight cars. www.irm.org
Many have said you could do IRM in a day. Well, there are over 400 pieces of equipment on site and just walking past all of them would take me a VERY long day. Most have interpretive info documenting the car, design, history. Add to that operating rides up to 10 miles round trip, and as many as three different paths or routes.
The number of trains run and their schedule reflect the demand on any particular day, but typical summer weekends give you a choice of four different trains operating. Oh, by the way, your admission ticket includes UNLIMITED rides - a real bargain.
Yes, many cars remain outdoors, but every year significant progress and efforts continue. In the planning stages for possible construction this year is Barn 11, which will add ano
In my opinion, The best railroad museum in Brazil is the EFOM site at Sao Joao Del Rey, MG. There we can see a good fleet of old 2 ft 6" gauge Baldwin collection. Also we can run a 15 km long train along Rio das Mortes, links Sao Joao to tiradentes. We have another great steam sites and railroad museums in Brazil, but EFOM is my favourite. Look hee why…[:D]
Has anyone been to the Eureka Springs and Arkansas railway in North Arkansas? We were there about 3 years ago. Lots of old stuff, but when the founder passed away, they had fallen on hard times. Can anyone update?
Some year in the not too distant future there will be a museum in Central Arkansas with a collection of ALCO diesels that is second to none. Never heard of it? It’s called the Arkansas Railroad Museum and it is operated by the Cotton Belt Rail Historical Society. See you there.
My wife and I had the distinct pleasure of riding the Grand Canyon RR last year. It was amazing!!! We scored the 2nd seat in the first dome car and saw how the late summer scenery changed from open prarie to mountain forest over a 60 mile journey from Williams AZ straight to the southern rim of the Grand Canyon. Our train was powered by an F-7, a GP-7, and an additional power unit of a type that I could not identify. The train cosisted of 2 dome cars, and about 13 coaches all lightweight fluted side budd types. It was a slow ride with allot of GOOD people to talk with—(My wife and I are rabid Eagles fans and we were chatting up a couple who loves the Cowboys for hours! How is that for a vacation atmosphere!!) [(-D] If anyone reading this gets a chance to take that trip…DO IT!! After all of that train riding and scenery, you get to see a true marvel of the world: The Grand Canyon. Enjoy!!
P.S. The PA memorial museum (Horseshoe curve) sounds awsome…I will have to plan a day trip this year. This is a very useful thread!! [tup][tup][8D]
Bob, I have to agree with you about IRM. IRM is by far my favorite museum to visit. Nice train rides, an excellent gift shop, and tons and tons of nice engines. For those who haven’t visited, I highly suggest Diesel Days or Museum Showcase weekend. It costs a bit more to get in, but trust me, it is worth it. the CB&Q 9911 usually operates on these days. The CNW commuter train also usually runs on these days, which now features a beautifully restored CNW F7 as the power! You can also see the last Baldwin Center Cab, a freshly repainted BN U-Boat, a South Shore Line little joe, a GG-1, and too many other great engines to mention. North Freedom is also nice. You can get a cab ride in an ALCO S1 for $30 on any trip during the summer.
Boothbay Railroad Museum, Boothbay Harbor ME- 2ft narrow guage steamer (SR&RL)you can ride for a fee. It’s small, but full of wonderful toys! Contains a recreated 1800’s village and a lot of interesting nostalgia.
Norfolk Southern Railroad Museum, Norfolk VA- located at the NS headquarters building, free to the public. Has a really cool train simulator plus hands on displays. If you can get into the corporate building proper just look on the walls of any floor, lots of goodies to see there (O Winston Link goodies that is).
Transportation Museum, Ft Eustis, VA. Military transportation highlighted. Although not exclusively rail oriented, it does include many trains with some very nice Pullman’s. Free to the public.
I had the misfortune last year of visiting the Boone and Scenic Valley the day Thomas the Tank Engine happened to be in town. Unless you enjoy being in a horde of other people’s preschoolers, I would suggest checking the museum’s web site for special events before you schedule a visit.
The good thing about Thomas is that it does get a whole new generation excited about trains.
We go to the railroad museum in Duluth every year on vacation, and enjoy it very much. Omaha used to have a neat museum in the Dunham Western Museum(?) in the old UP(?) depot downtown. UP has since moved their museum to Council Bluffs, and, in my opinion, it is not as good.
Murphy is correct, the Durham Western Heritage museum in Omaha is far more interesting than the UP Museum in adjoining Council Bluffs. Not only does Durham have several pieces of railroad equipment (such as UP 1243, a 4-6-0) but the museum is housed in the former Union Station building, which is a very nicely restored art deco structure.
