Located in Whippany, NJ, the Whippany Railway Museum is dedicated to the preservation of the history of railroad transportation in New Jersey and the United States. Its grounds include a train yard filled with antique railroad cars, as well as the restored 1904 freight house of the Morristown and Erie Railroad. Visitors to the museum are able to learn about the history of the railroad through the Museum’s exhibits and special trains.
A 1907 Baldwin-built Southern Railway Class H4 2-8-0 No. 385 is one of the railcars on display at the Whippany Railway Museum. The locomotive was used by the Morris County Central Railroad for 15 years before it closed in 1980. The locomotive is the oldest steam locomotive in the United States. The Whippany Museum also has a number of other antique railcars to view.
The Whippany Railway Museum is a non-profit organization that is run by volunteers. It is located at one Railroad Plaza in Whippany, NJ. It is open on Sunday afternoons from April through October. It has the largest collection of American-built standard gauge steam locomotives in New Jersey. It also has an interactive model train. Children can play with the buttons on the model train to raise the train and cross bridges. The museum also hosts special train rides throughout the year. The proceeds from these rides will help to further the Museum’s preservation efforts.
In addition to the railroad equipment on display, the Whippany Railway Museum has also been the host of restorations of privately owned railroad equipment. For example, in 1984, the United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey acquired Lackawanna MU 2454. The locomotive worked for Erie Lackawanna Railroad, but was also used by NJ Transit. It was repainted in the Morris County Central scheme. During the Museum’s 1984 retirement celebration excursion, the locomotive led the train.
The Whippany Railway Museum offers train rides on the Whippanong Valley Railroad, a 30-foot long model train layout. It was also featured in an article in O Gauge Railroading magazine. This layout features an assortment of villages that children can visit. The Museum also has a gift shop and a picnic area. There are full restroom facilities.
In addition to the train rides, the Whippany Railway Museum also offers year-round excursions. There are special events such as the Easter Bunny Express, which is offered during Easter. During these excursions, children can receive a special visit from the Easter Bunny. There is also a semaphore from the Susquehanna Railroad that was donated to the Museum.
The Whippany Railway Museum is open Sundays from noon to 4 pm. Admission is $1 for adults, and 50 cents for children. The museum features a train yard filled with antique railroad cars, a 1905 Scale House, grounds, and more. Visitors can also take a ride in a real railroad caboose. The Museum also features air raid sirens. There are numerous artifacts that can be seen at the Museum, including the 1911 Watch Box, signal gates, and a 1907 Southern Railway train.
