A steam train museum is a special place where railway equipment is showcased and often operated to show the public how trains worked in a bygone era. In the past, steam locomotives powered many of the nation’s railroads and offered the only reliable and economical way to travel long distances. Today, some of these locomotives have been preserved and can be seen at museums across the country. Visiting one of these museums can be an exciting and memorable experience for children and adults alike.
The Monticello Railway Museum is a great example of a museum with historic railroading equipment. This organization is located within a historic railroad depot and houses one of their oldest steam locomotives, Chicago, Burlington & Quincy 4-8-4 No. 5614 (Class O-5a “Northern”). This locomotive was built in 1937 and is a good example of the type of steam locomotives that were still being used in the United States as late as the mid-1960s.
This particular piece of locomotive history is also notable because it was the lead locomotive that pulled the final steam-powered excursion run on the CB&Q railroad in 1967. At that time railroads were beginning to replace their steam locomotives with diesel engines that were easier to maintain and could be run more efficiently than steam units. Many of the large railroads kept a fleet of steam locomotives to pull special excursions for railfans and other visitors.
Besides the historical display of railroading equipment, some of these steam train museums offer the opportunity to ride behind some of this historic machinery. This can range from a short ride that lasts only a few laps of a demonstration track to an entire day spent traveling through the countryside in climate-controlled passenger cars. The rides may cost anywhere from a few dollars to a hundred or more depending on the length of the tracks and other factors.
Some of the larger museums, such as the Illinois Railway Museum (IRM), have an extensive collection of locomotives, rolling stock and other artifacts on display at their facilities. Other organizations, such as the Whippany Railway Museum, have a smaller selection of historic transportation equipment and are dedicated to educating people about this important part of American history.
Whether you’re interested in locomotives or simply want to experience a piece of American railroading history, there is a steam train museum in every state. Take a trip to one of these museums and step back in time to an era that is sadly fading into the history books. It’s an adventure that will leave you with memories to last a lifetime.
