Five Family-Friendly Railroad Museums
Founded in 1980, the New Haven Historical Museum was in desperate need of a new home, and two brothers from New Haven donated six acres and a museum building. This new facility opened in July 1990. With the help of the Bingham Foundation and a state grant, the museum was able to acquire an abandoned L&N branch line between Mount Vernon and Boston. Locomotive #152 was restored to its original glory, and the museum is now home to over 100 locomotives.
The Museum opened its doors in 1966 with its first steam engine and electric car. It moved its depot to a new site in Marengo in 1967, and added a streetcar loop. A Schroeder Store and Central Diner were opened in the following years. The Museum’s property has expanded to 100 acres, and the former E&B right-of-way has been extended to five miles. It has become a popular tourist destination, and is an important part of the community’s history.
The IRM is a great place for families with young children. Located just off Union Street, this attraction is an excellent place for family outings. The trolleybus operates during Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, and Bus Days. A new train is planned to start running during the first Saturday of September. The Museum also offers special activities for children, including hands-on railroad experiments. You can also watch live demonstrations and watch old trains run.
The Railway Museum opened in Omiya, Saitama City in October 2007 as the centerpiece of the JR East 20th Anniversary Memorial Project. In July 2018, the new south building opened. The main building was renovated and is currently home to the Teppaku Reading Room. The Museum is a comprehensive cultural complex that traces the history of Japan’s railways. It is located on a three-acre campus, and includes 5 stations: the Rolling Stock Station, the History Station, the Job Station, and the Future.
The Orange Empire Railway Museum was established in 1956 and has a collection of historic railroad equipment from the Southern California region. The museum is home to the largest collection of Pacific Electric Railway (PEC) equipment in the world. There are also displays of the equipment used on the railroad, and documents from the era are also available. Visitors can tour the Museum using self-guided or guided tours. The Museum also operates a heritage train. You can experience the uniqueness of the railroad by visiting the Orange Empire Railway Museum.
The Illinois Electric Railway Museum was founded in 1953 by ten people. In 1961, the Illinois Electric Railway Museum bought an Indiana Railroad interurban car. The museum operated from the grounds of the Chicago Hardware Foundry in North Chicago until it was moved to Union in 1964. In 1965, the Museum bought an Illinois Terminal Railroad interurban car 415 and a one-mile streetcar loop. The current site has three floors. The original building was built in 1894.
