The Southeastern Railway Museum in Duluth, Georgia is a state-run museum containing more than 90 pieces of historic rolling stock. Highlights of the museum include steam locomotives and historic Pullman cars. The museum is open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and is designated Georgia’s official transportation history museum. Its exhibits tell the story of the railway and its impact on the United States. While visiting the museum, visitors can see a working locomotive and experience how the railroad changed life in America.
The train depot originally opened in 1894, and the museum’s collection includes the oldest steam automobile in the county. The museum also features exhibits from local aviation history. In addition, there are several models of early steam cars, and an impressive collection of historical artifacts. The museum also has the only remaining bar-framed locomotive in Britain, the Coppernob. The museum also houses one of the last remaining Victorian engines, the Hippopotamus Class No. 1275, which was built in 1874. This type of locomotive was unstable at high speeds and was intended for business travel.
The museum’s main focus is to present a broader picture of railway culture, examining the many cultural artifacts surrounding trains. It examines original print materials, including passenger tickets, advertisements, and photography. The museum’s displays also include original train manuals. The museum also features a children’s room where visitors can participate in train-themed activities. If you have kids, you should take them to this museum for a few hours.
For more information on New Jersey railroad history, visit the Whippany Railroad Museum. The Whippany Museum is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is dedicated to preserving and interpreting the history of the railway in the state. The museum is staffed by an all-volunteer membership. Visitors can learn about the railroad’s history and enjoy an excursion train ride. The museum has three exhibits showcasing how the railroad worked.
The Long Island Railroad Museum focuses on preserving the history of the Long Island railroad. Currently the museum is in the process of completing its permanent facility, but it has an interim facility in place. The interim museum houses selected displays from its growing collection, an exhibition outlining the museum’s development plans, and a gift shop with rail-themed merchandise. Guests must be sure to wear a face mask to enter the museum. It is open on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
The Illinois Railway Museum is one of the largest and oldest railroad museums in the country. Open 7 days a week, it has permanent exhibits on the history of the railway. You can ride a historic train at the museum and see what the history of the railway meant for the upper Midwest during the turn of the 20th century. The museum is huge, with eleven storage barns, three miles of covered tracks, and an extensive collection of trains and steam engines.
In addition to the permanent collection, you can also take a ride on the model railroad. The world’s largest model railroad, covering 16 acres, has nearly 100 trains, and 8 miles of track, including 40-foot bridges across a canyon. If you have a bit of time to spare, take a 15-minute outdoor train ride, pulled by a replica steam engine. Be sure to wear a face covering before riding the train, and note that there are no public restrooms on board.
