Railroad museums

[Bucksco]

If you could recommend one railroad museum for a friend to visit where would it be?

[kstrong]

I think a bit more info would be needed to properly answer that question, primarily your friend's geographic location.

Certainly the Pennsylvania RR Museum, B&O RR Museum and California State RR Museum come to mind as premiere museums covering general railroad history. Steamtown in Scranton, PA also ranks up there. The Colorado RR Museum is a fantastic small museum.

Another key ingredient is area of interest. None of the above museums are very good if your friend likes logging equipment. If they've got a particular interest, there's a good chance there's a museum somewhere--even if it's not a "class 1" museum--that would better suit their interests.

Later,

K

[Train 284]

The California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento, named the best railroad museum in world!

[gallopinggoose]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Train 284

The California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento, named the best railroad museum in world!

We called in there once when they were closed and they let us in to have a look as we had travelled from such a distance[:D] Will definitely be going back there when we are in CA (3weeks and 4 days) not that I am counting [;)]

[grandpopswalt]

I love narrow gauge steam so my nod goes to the Colorado railroad Museum at Golden, CO. For overall quality, I agree, the California State Railroad Museum is the best. However, the railroad museum at Greenfield Village outside Detroit, Michigan, while small, is cleverly integrated into the scenes and buildings that make up the village. Because of that integration you get the sense of actually going back in time, which makes being on the train that much more fulfilling.

Walt

[Train 284]

Walt, I agree that the Colorado Railroad Museum is a great one for narrow gauge! I went there a couple years ago and I loved it. I especially liked the garden railway!

[Anonymous]

I'd go the National Railway Museum here in Adelaide for the comprehensiveness of its display.

Then, the Ipswich Workshops in Banana-Bender Land (now known as Queensland as they have few banana's to bend) as it does a really great job interpreting the impact and evolution of the Network there (the last government run, vertically integrated railway in Australia - even bought a big chunk of the American run GWA railway recently).

The Poms also do a really good job at the National Railway Museum in York.

The best tourist railway I have ever seen is the Bluebell in the UK- absolutely fantastic.

Am looking forward to the WP&Y though.

[ttrigg]

If you are looking for tracktion and trolleys, Orange Empire in Perris CA (1 hr north of San Diego) is the place to go. Watch trolleys being rebuilt, ride a few others, tons to look at. On some (if not most) weekends you can ride a steamer or trolley for a 10(?) mile out and back. They even have Electric Busses with Pantographs.

[Steve Stockham]

Both the California State Railroad Museum and the Pennsyvania RR Museum have working steam tourist lines next to them which definitely adds to the experience! I have yet to visit the B&O Museum but understand that it is quite something!
Kevin is right in that each of these museums (it doesn't matter which) while incredible in their own right, are still essentially regional. This isn't a slight or put-down! If you want to know all about California's railroading history then I wouldn't go to Baltimore to get it! Likewise, if I wanted to get the best information on the Pennsylvania railroad and the mid-western railroad systems then I wouldn't go to the California State RR Museum! Also, while York is a wonderful museum, I know you won't get much American railroading history there!
This is just my opinion but there are six or seven superb railroad museums situated around the country (and in Europe) with each being the pinacle in it's region. Next come the smaller railroad museums of which there are 20 -30 that are well worth the visit. Some of these are "working museums" (ex: the EBT or the C&TSRR) and some are smaller museums associated with working railroads (ex: Tennessee Valley RR Museum).
If your friend is going to be in a particular area of the country, it might be benneficial to see what operating tourist lines are near to the museums that you are researching. A good example of this is the Colorado RR Museum. If planning a trip to Denver (Golden is a suburb) then a visit to the Forney Transportation Museum is in order as well as a visit to Caboose Hobbies (yes, it's a railroad hobby store but the book selection there is unmatched!) and a ride on the Georgetown Loop (only 40 minutes from Golden up I-70)! In addition, the CRRM has steam-ups on scheduled week-ends so it would be easy to make it an entire day!
As you can see, I don't think that you can just say, "This is the best. Do this one!" A lot depends on what your friend is interested in and where he's planning to go!

[gallopinggoose]

Steve mentioned the Georgetown Loop, our railroad here in the UK is based loosely around the Loop, and Georgetown is one of our favourite places to visit when in Colorado. We had a good friend who introduced us to Georgetown and the area around there, he had a house called The Cricket just by the stream, sadly he died in 2004 but we are still in contact with his daughter and family.

We have a bunch of railroads to visit when we are in California (2 weeks on Sunday and counting down) including the California State Railroad Museum that we have visited before (as previously mentioned). Also on our agenda are :- Golden Gate RR Museum, NCNGRR Museum, Niles Canyon Railway, Skunk Train, Yreka Western Railroad....................and any others that my husband can fit into the schedule also visiting the Garden Railway Convention and visiting all the garden railways that we can during the 7 days.

I will need a holiday when I get back [:D]

[dwbeckett]

Two more to see the Sacramento Northen if like trollys and the Western Pacific this one may still let you rent an engin to drive.

[vsmith]

add another vote:
The California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento

[Ray Dunakin]

If you're ever in eastern Nevada, check out the Nevada Northern Railway Museum at Ely, NV. They have some cool old equipment and run steam trains past historic buildings, ruins and mines in the middle of the magnificent Great Basin scenery.

http://www.nevadanorthernrailway.net/

I see on their website that they have loco #40 running again! That's great news, she's a beautiful engine.