National Railroad Museum

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by enduringexp
How about Steamtown in Scranton, PA? Any other worthwhile RR museums to visit within 500 miles of Detroit?
Tim

QUOTE: Originally posted by ironmine

How about the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg Pa (Lancaster County)? They have alot of equipment inside (nice air conditioned on those hot humid afternoons). Certain equipment you can climb up into --- steam engines, diesel, GG1, etc. With one steam engine, you walk down stairs so you are under the rails, under the engine, checking out the undersides of it. Lots of equipment oudoors.

Nearby is the Choo Choo Barn, a big animated layout. A hobby store is on top of that. National Toy Train Museum is also in town. There is a short steam engine excursion through the woods, across the street at Strasburg Railroad.

You can even sleep in a caboose --- Red Caboose Hotel. We, of course, always tried to get the Conrail caboose.

This is in the middle of Amish Country ..... other things to check out if you like some of that stuff.

Alot of tourists. I haven't been to the area for 5 years.

Jim Ledet

I'd recommend a tour of eastern PA:
As stated above -museums at Steamtown (Scranton) and Strasbourg (careful- that may be Strasburg- different places) - also Strasbourg RR (across street from PA RR Museum..

add to this

Franklin Institute - has larges Baldwin locomotive built - (is it still on display?) in Philly...

And continue to Baltimore - B&O Museum- to re-open in late fall (check with them for roundhouse reconstructioon details.

In Scranton area (well - a good bit east) is the NJ RR Museum in Philipsburg/Alpha (I78 at Delaware river) - not much yet-under development - keep it on your "future resource" list - NYC/ PRR/ JCRR/ LV/ RDG passed through or close to this spot.

Also -some reseach into Reading area - and Black River RR in NJ (Flemington), may suit some - not great - but not as thin a resource as NJ Museum above

FAR to East- (near Morristown, NJ ) is A small collection of rolling stock and locos- - At NJ Rt10 in Hanover. - shucks- forgot their name. - No operations, good collection and faithful restorations. You can find freferences to them on M&E (Morristown & Erie) RR website.

Aw-heck - in Philly, visit 30th St station fo r an Acela run-thriough- (oops - it stops!) - and visit Reading Terminal - converted to a convention facility on MArket St in Philly- The train shed is STILL an awesome interior!

Happy travels- if you can- go by rail!

[Noah Hofrichter]

Glad to know it'll be good. Were going up in early August. Can I ask, When is Diesel Days?

Noah

[Anonymous]

The Illinois RR Museum was well worth the trip. Lots of stuff. I only have 2 complaints.
1. Way too many passenger cars. Building after building of nothing but passenger cars.
2. Everything is crammed in so tight you can't get any good photos.
I was in awe looking at the Santa Fe Northern 4-8-4, and a few other HUGE steam locos. This is the first time I have been that close to see how large they really are. They also have a UP gas turbine. We rode an electric car for about 10 miles, and also a passenger car pulled by a steam loco. They offered caboose rides pulled by a diesel loco, but we missed that. All in all a great trip. We are going again when they have the Diesel Days!!
For all of you steam and passenger train fans, lots of stuff. Well worth it!!
Thanks for the recommendation.
Tim

[Anonymous]

As it turns out, I am leaving Friday morning for the Illinois Museum.

I won't go into Chicago for anything, ever. I hate that town. Just driving through/by/around it makes me sick. The absolute worst traffic jams and drivers I have ever encountered, not to mention the most horribly designed freeway system. I drive for a living, and my customers encounter a 20% increase if I need to go anywhere near Chicago. The parking for the museum is $12 by itself, not including admission. That is just insane.

I also have a trip planned to St Louis for the transportation museum this fall.

I will report back this weekend after the trip. Thanks for the help and tips!!

Tim

[ndbprr]

I would recommend visiting any museum. Every one has something unusual. In the case of Green Bay they have an Aerotrain. In addition they have a couple of displays put together by Wayne Weslowski that are first rate modeling.

[Big_Boy_4005]

I've never been to the National Railroad Museum or Steamtown, but the Illinois Railway Museum is nice, and Strasburg is train heaven! If you are driving from Detroit, why not hit the Illinois and the National, and while you're at it, the model railroad at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. A little more digging will probably turn up a couple more train related activities along the way. And a return via the U.P of Michigan, would make a dandy vacation.

No I'm not a travel agent, but I play one on the internet.[swg]

[dknelson]

I disagree with a prior poster -- I would recommend a visit to the national rr museum in Green Bay, particularly if you are in the general area anyway. Unlike when I was a kid, when everything was outdoors and rusting, their best items are now under cover, and in the big shed they have their prizes: a GG1, a Big Boy, the Eisenhower train and locomotive, and some other items, all nicely lit and with enough space between them for pics.
The other sheds are not so handy and a few of their re-paint jobs are less than convincing but they have a very interesting collection of material , steam and diesel and freight and passenger cars, and have a circle of track where you can ride -- for a bit of money you can play engineer, as I did a year ago with an Alco switcher and two cars.
Some stuff is still outside and rusing and I hate to see that but it looks like their priorities are to get the best pieces covered first which makes sense.
Green Bay is also a rather interesting city for railfanning although most of what you see used to be significant and no longer is
Dave Nelson

[nslakediv]

Dont forget the Nickle Plate musuem in Bellevue, OH. Its kinda small but very informative.

[simon1966]

The A4 is of course the fastest steam locomotive ever built. Very specifically, the sister locomotive "Mallard" now in the British National Railway Museum in York is the holder of this record. I have an OO scale one that runs though my central Illinois layout periodically!

[Anonymous]

The Eisenhower is a LNER A4 Pacific. See http://www.winwaed.com/rail/LNER/locos/A/a4.html for some more information on them.

John Brock

[timthechef]

I went to the National railroad Museum as a Kid. I remember that they had a lot of intersting things when I went. Including the Eisenhower Engine Big and Green and really different looking. I'm headed that way this summer and hope to stop there.

[Anonymous]

Its not air conditioned in there? For some reason I seem to think it was always cool inside. Maybe before they built the extension it was A/C'ed. I went there for 16 years with my kids, and the place has grown.

Or maybe I was always having too much fun running around that place with my kids to notice the heat!

Jim

[Anonymous]

Check out the PA RR museum in Strasburg. There within 3 miles is the PA RR museum,
The Strasburg Tourist RR ( Steam ) The National Toy Train Museum, The Choo Choo Barn O scale Layout, and a Model Train Hobby Shop. Within 100 miles of Steam town.

www.strasburgrailroad.com

http://rrmuseumpa.org/

Was just there today. Great folk lots of neat equipment.

Dave

PS it is inside but not Airconditioned. Was a bit warm in there today.

[Anonymous]

How about the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg Pa (Lancaster County)? They have alot of equipment inside (nice air conditioned on those hot humid afternoons). Certain equipment you can climb up into --- steam engines, diesel, GG1, etc. With one steam engine, you walk down stairs so you are under the rails, under the engine, checking out the undersides of it. Lots of equipment oudoors.

Nearby is the Choo Choo Barn, a big animated layout. A hobby store is on top of that. National Toy Train Museum is also in town. There is a short steam engine excursion through the woods, across the street at Strasburg Railroad.

You can even sleep in a caboose --- Red Caboose Hotel. We, of course, always tried to get the Conrail caboose.

This is in the middle of Amish Country ..... other things to check out if you like some of that stuff.

Alot of tourists. I haven't been to the area for 5 years.

Jim Ledet

http://www.rrmuseumpa.org/

[Noah Hofrichter]

We plan on going up there this August. We dont have any acommidations yet though. On our way were going to swing through the WSOR's Horicon WI yard quick. I still think It'll be a neat place, nomatter what other people say. Trains are trains and I love 'em! They Do have an old Wisconsin and calumet BL2, or I think it's the BL2. It's either that or one of the other WICT passenger engines. Now I don't think it is the BL2, might be.....no..... can't be that, I don't remember anymore, it's been a long time since I saw the broucure with it in it.

Noah

[Anonymous]

according to the website [irm.org], the steamer is up and running. The St.L.&SF #1630 [2-10-0] is scheduled for operations every weekend ,except the 3rd. weekend of each month, during the summer.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the tips, guys. I have also heard of the Illinois RR Museum. I will do some online browsing at your recommendations. Thanks a bunch!!
Tim

[simon1966]

http://www.irm.org/directions/index.html

Union Illinois is a bit North West of Chicago. Sounds like you could have a fun road trip? Head West to Chicago, do the illinois museum, not forgetting the huge HO scale layout at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago itself. Then drive down through CB&Q and Wabash country doing a bit of railfanning in Galesburg. HIt the Museum of transport in STL, which I think is great, I go at least twice per year. Then you can haul back east down I70 and haed back up to Michigan from Indy.

[jrbarney]

Tim,
Here's the link for the Museum of Transport in St. Louis, that Michaell suggested:
http://www.museumoftransport.org/welcome.htm
Have a look.
Bob
NMRA Life 0543

[Anonymous]

I wished Davidvd59 would have been a little more informative in his response. I would not mind visiting the National Railroad Museum this summer and I still might. As for other museums within 500 miles of Detroit, you have the Transportation Museum in St. Louis which I visited last month and it was very good. I also visited Steamtown last October and it was good, but a little depressing as they have a lot of equipment that is rusting away because they don't have funds to restore it or even protect it. Thereis also the Illinoise Railroad Museum just a little south of Chicago that I've not been to but have heard good things about.

If you want to see some live steam you might look in to TrainFest in Dennison, Ohio the weekend of July 30 and 31. Take a look at Ocsteam.com for a link.

[Anonymous]

How about Steamtown in Scranton, PA? Any other worthwhile RR museums to visit within 500 miles of Detroit?
Tim

[Anonymous]

Don't waste the trip, its not that impressive!

[Anonymous]

Has anyone ever been to the Natl RR Museum in Green bay? Lodging recommendations? I am planning a trip this week, but I don't know much about Green bay. Is the Best Western on Washington St decent? Any other places of interest?
Tim