The Whippany Museum is an intriguing railroad museum and historic tour train ride open to the public in the Whippany sections of Hanover Township in Morris County, New Jersey. The Whippany Railway Museum & Railroad excursion trains are operated by the New Jersey Transit Authority. The station of the New Jersey Transit Authority’s commuter rail system is named Depot Hub. The depot serves as the headquarters for NJ Transit. The museum station was designed by Thomasoyer Associates and opened in 1931.
The New Jersey Transit Railroad Museum & Railroad Excursion trains and its log cabooses were preserved long ago in a building that has since deteriorated. In addition to its deteriorating state of disrepair, the former freight house has been painted black and has been vacant ever since. Nonetheless, despite its vacant appearance the whippany museum is still functioning as a living museum. The whippany museum houses one of the country’s largest collections of passenger railroad memorabilia. It also contains numerous artifacts depicting the lives of passengers who made their way across the country by train. Among the many locomotive models and engines found in the whippany museum are the caboose “Wakeykins” which served a brief stint as the model for the old New York Central Expressway (CTE) in the early 1900’s.
The New Jersey Transit Authority hired photographer Frank Mastron to document the historic New York Central Railroad excursion train ride in its final run through New York City. Frank Mastron’s pictures of the New York Central expressway have now been preserved and are on display at the Whippany Station of the New Jersey Transit Railroad Museum. This photo gallery offers a unique opportunity for travelers and visitors to view some of the famous shots taken by Mastron while taking a Whippany tour. For those interested in learning more about the New Jersey Transit Railroad, there is an online magazine that provides information about the organization and the various services they provide.
Another attraction within the whippany museum is the James Ward Whippany Farm. Built in 1854, the farm was home to many horses owned by the prominent families of the day including the Astor and Worth family. The Whippany Ferry from New York City to New Jersey is another place of interest as hundreds of people take the ferry each day to take a trip across the Hudson River.
The NJ Transit Museum at Penn Station hosts a variety of displays and programs that highlight the history of the New York subway system. Some of the many attractions within this facility include the Last Train, the Monitor Tower, the Statue of Liberty, the New York Stock Exchange, the Penn station train rides, among many others. Many of the programs and displays in the Museum Railroad Museum are educational as well as entertaining. For instance, the Last Train display is designed to educate visitors about the end of one century and the start of a new one. It also highlights the historical facts that happened right before the derailment took place.
The Whippany Railroad Museum and the New Jersey Transit Museum are two of the best train shows in New Jersey. This part of New Jersey is truly a treasure as it offers visitors what they’re looking for. No matter if you’re interested in taking a trip back in time or learning more about today’s New York City subway system, these two museums can fulfill your needs. So get ready to check out these two great museums today!
