Also displayed is the original White Coach from the 1947 Royal Train in which Queen Elizabeth and her sister Princess Margaret slept during their visit to South Africa, as well as, Paul Krugers coach and private saloons. 530 West Avenue, Medina, NY 14103, Phone: 585-798-6106, Insider travel recommendations: Brooklyn, MS, MO, Sacramento, Oceanside, MT, St. Louis, MA, From Columbus, Montreal, PA, RI, SC, Day Trips from Dallas, Mackinac Island, St Louis, Things to Do in Albuquerque, Grand Canyon. 3. You can also visit Agra, home to the Taj Mahal and the perfect stop for a tour of some of the country's most iconic sites. The museum has a variety of rolling stock, including a historical steam locomotive from the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway. Find out how you can donate to the cause and get one of the world's best natural history museums back on its feet. The gem of the vintage collection is the elegant teak dining car built for the Orient Express in 1912. Serving as the national museum for Sweden's railway history, the complex covers 16,000 square metres occupying two railway yards with tracks and several large buildings, including two roundhouse locomotive sheds and a sizeable workshop. Not often do historically important British locomotives make it overseas, but with LNER Class A4 4496 renamed Dwight D Eisenhower after the Second World War, it is more than appropriate for this example of the A4 class to remain stateside. The New South Wales Rail Transport Museum (also known as "Trainworks") is located in Thirlmere, NSW. A large number of locomotives, freight cars, and passenger cars are on display. CC BY 3.0, Japan's railways are some of the most fascinating in the world, largely down to their pursuit of speed over the last half-century and the popularity of the iconic 'Bullet Trains' or Shinkansen as they are known locally. Mulhouse, a city on the borders of France, Germany and Switzerland, is famous not only for being a major industrialised settlement in its past, but also for hosting some of the largest museums in the world. NTMs collection of steam trains are indeed exquisite. Open:10:30-17:30 (Mon,Tue,Wed,Fri,Sat,Sun) (Closed Thursday). This trains strength is its access to off-beat attractions than what youll find on the well-worn Golden Triangle, such as the ruins of Hampi. Open:Apr-Oct 09:00-17:00 (Mon,Tue,Wed,Thu,Fri,Sat) 12:00-17:00 (Sun). With unique opportunities from stargazing train rides to train robbery reenactments to weeklong adult summer camps, this remote western location is well worth the trip. Its about the journey, not the destination, right? They remain outdoors all year round and over time they will deteriorate although they are well maintained and regularly painted. See my steam locomotive artworks in the STEAM TRAIN Series. La Trochita (affectionally known as the Old Patagonian Express) is like stepping back to a bygone era. The Louvre is considered to be the best art museum in the world. The desert dead trains of the Uyuni salt flats surely dream fresh vitality. The museum, located in a former engine shed built at the end of the 19th century, hosts one of the most important railway collections in Europe. More info, Another rough-and-tumble, how the west was won style Railroad museum, the Colorado Railroad Museum has 15 acres to explore with over 100 narrow and standard gauge steam engines, cars and cabooses. More info, A look back at the importance of railroads in logging and timber, the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad and Museum offers two-hour train rides and the most comprehensive collection of steam logging locomotives in the world. Overall, this train is a great way to connect the dots and hit all the greatest hits attractions in a region which can otherwise feel rather spread out. Of course, the decadent interiors are a fantasy of 1920s Art Deco design, but its the impeccable service that keeps this train firmly ensconced in a class of its own. CC BY-SA 2.0, Belgium's Train World is a relatively recent addition to the world's railway museums, having been opened by King Philippe in 2015, but is nevertheless an important one to visit in the context of European railway history. The Rgen Railway and Technology Museum Website (In German), Open:10:00-17:00 (Daily - April to October). It maintains an exhibition of sixty historic vehicles from various periods, diverse countries of origin and different technologies, including 28 steam locomotives built before the end of the 19th century and a replica of the first steam locomotive used on the Iberian Peninsula, the "Matar. Also displayed are the oldest original locomotive in Spain, the last steam-powered vehicle and the first Talgo train. 7 Places To See Gorgeous Cherry Blossoms Around The U.S. 52 items. North Judson was a significant railroading town and, at one point, a large percentage of the local population was employed by the areas railroads. With sparse crowds, and a comfortable train to retreat to at the end of each day, its an approach to India that captures all the magic this country has to offer. In 2006, however, the government brought La Trochita back as a tourism attraction, with two options for three-hour roundtrip sightseeing tours; one between Esquel and Nahuel Pan, and the other between El Maitn and Desvo Thomae. In addition to historic steam locomotives and a steam tractor (see above-left photo), the museum collection also features the presidential limousine of John F. Kennedy, Abraham Lincoln's chair from Ford's Theatre, Thomas Edison's laboratory, the Wright Brothers' bicycle shop, and Rosa Parks' bus. Something unique about this train is that guests have the option of joining pre-arranged sightseeing tours, or opting out and doing their own thing at each stop. Theres also a forty-ton wood-burning steam locomotive that was the pioneer engine of the Central Pacific Railroad. Completed in 1929, The Ghan runs through the heart of the Australian continent, from Adelaide in the south to Darwin in the north. was sent on May 24, 1844, from Washington, D.C., using Samuel F. B. Morse's electric telegraph. In addition to being one of the most popular museums in the world, this Russian location claims to be the world's largest museum by gallery space. The museum's collection also includes early diesel locomotives and passenger coaches. Its hard to find a passenger train in South America, and even harder to find one this historic. Shildon was the launch point for the world's first steam-hauled passenger train service, the Stockton and Darlington Railway, opened in 1825 with a train pulled by "Locomotion No 1," which took two hours to complete the 12-mile journey from Shildon to nearby Darlington. It houses a collection of many obsolete railway memorabilia, steam locomotives, rolling stock and station buildings. The exhibitions include more than 100 locomotives and 300 other examples of rolling stockincredible inventions spanning three centuries. Open:Second Weekend each Month 10:00-17:00 (Sat,Sun), Open:During September LA County Fair 10:00-21:00 (Wed,Thu,Fri,Sat,Sun). It even had an expandable boogie that could run on both meter and broad gauge rails. Read the full "New Delhi National Rail Museum" blog post with larger photos and more vintage engines. Of special interest is the captivating Mikdo elite fast train locomotive from the interwar period with wheels measuring two meters in diameter. The Western Australian Rail Transport Museum is located in the suburb of Bassendean near Perth, Australia, and has the most comprehensive collection of heritage steam locomotives and rolling stock in Western Australia. Image courtesy of The National WWII Museum. Its extensive collection includes more than sixty locomotives and fifty other vehicles though only the most important are displayed. Open:10:00-17:00 (Sat) 11:30-17:00 Sun) May thru September. At the time, it was housed in Huis ten Bosch in The Hague, but in 1808, the museum . Like the NRM in Britain, the NRRM also has plentiful archive material, railroad records, static rolling stock both freight and passenger and photographs dating back to the 1890s. The LOKPARK Ampflwang railway museum, founded by The Austrian Society for Railway History (GEG) in 1976, houses the societys extensive steam locomotive collection, several still in active service. Here are some of the best things to do with kids in London. Sri Lankas National Railway Museum is located in the nondescript town of Kadugannawa lying between the country's capitol Colombo and another major city, Kandy, which was the historic capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. Surrounding the shed area are a large number of dumped engines that serve as a reminder of the once extensive steam fleet in this former British colony. The development of the railroad in the United States greatly affected many aspects of the country, and this influence can be seen in the museums around the country that celebrate, preserve, and memorialize the railroad. Displayed around the grounds are 16 vintage steam locomotives and four passenger carriages. Mexican National Railway Museum Website (in Spanish), Open:09:00-17:00 (Tue,Wed,Thu,Fri,Sat,Sun) Closed Monday. Open:09:00-13:00 (Tue,Wed,Thu,Fri) 09:00-15:00 (Every 2nd & 4th Sat) Closed Sunday,Monday. There is No Outeniqua Transport Museum Website, Open:08:00-17:00 (Mon,Tue,Wed,Thu,Fri,Sat) Sept 1 - April 30, Open:08:00-16:30 (Mon,Tue,Wed,Thu,Fri)May 1 - Aug 31, Open:08:00-14:00 (Sat)May 1 - Aug 31. The experiences start before you even boardwhen departing from Pretoria, Rovos Rail travelers are granted exclusive access to a private lounge, where Champagne and canaps greet themand a strict no cellphone rule is maintained for your own good. No Post-Apocalyptic Altiplano Derelict Steam Train Museum Website Exists (Wikipedia). The Canadian Railway Museum (Le Muse Ferroviaire Canadien), operates under the brand name Exporail in both official languages, French and English. Also featured are a wide variety of vehicles spanning 15 decades of American transportation history, including cars, boats and aircraft from around the United States. There are a number of pieces of rolling stock on display as well as Engine 5, which has been used in many films. While on board, you can expect a tasty menu prepared with organic ingredients grown right in the Sacred Valley, live Peruvian music, ample windows through which you can admire the staggering Andean scenery, and a spacious Observatory Lounge complete with open-air balcony. Restored Depot in Creston. Read the full "Travel Town Steam Locomotive Museum" blog post with larger photos and more vintage engines. Most of the vintage steam locomotives at Steamtown were originally collected by railway enthusiast, F. Nelson Blount, a millionaire seafood processor from New England. Photo by Dual Freq. The railroad that it operates on was once a part of the First Transcontinental Railroad, which was built in the 1860s. The museum has operated since 1959 and was created to preserve and protect the history of Colorados railroad era. The Gijn Railway Museum (Museo del Ferrocarril de Asturias) is located in the heavily industrialized Asturias province of Spain. The museum contains more than 100 pieces of historic railroad equipment, including a number of restored diesel locomotives and a variety of rail cars. Electric locomotives also form a number of exhibits. The museum offers a heritage railroad which operates weekend excursion trains on a railway line that was formerly owned by Illinois Terminal and Illinois Central Gulf. Of prime interest to railway enthusiasts visiting the Transportation Museum located on the outskirts of Jakarta is its collection of about three dozen historical steam locomotives. Theres even a dedicated spa carriage, where the specialists are trained to synchronize their motions with the natural lilts and tilts of the train. The museum, the largest in Scandinavia covering 10,000 square meters, boasts an impressive collection of more than 50 locomotives and railway carriages from the past 150 years displayed on 20 rail tracks. Located at the heart of Amsterdam's Museum Square, the Rijksmuseum is one of the world's most renowned art institutions. A brazen passion for speed was restrained only by two steel rails spiked rigidly to earth. The oldest locomotive on display is . The Australian Railway Historical Society Museum is located on Champion Road, Newport, Victoria, near the North Williamstown station. Finely-crafted wooden railway coaches of that era are also displayed along with a four-wheeler broad gauge inspection carriage made in the Liluah (West Bengal) workshop in 1911. This exhibition hosts the largest triple-gauge railway collection in the world as well as displays featuring the role of women in railways along with the famous "Tea and Sugar" train that served railway families on the barren Nullarbor Plain. Open:10:00-17:30 (Mon,Tue,Thu,Fri,Sat,Sun) Closed Wednesday except Holidays, Closed Dec 30-Jan 1. See on map 0369 Strasburg - Madrid Railway Museum Website (in Spanish), Open:09:30-15:00 (Mon,Tue,Wed,Thu,Fri) 10:00-19:00 (Sat,Sun). OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. There are more than 450 pieces of railway equipment on display and its property covers more than 80 acres of land, making it the most extensive physical campus of any rail museum in North America. National Air and Space Museum, Washington DC, USA. Over time the subsequent ride propelled man to the moon. Today's steam locomotive museum incarnation of Las Delicias displays numerous important historic vintage locomotives in its former central engine room. The Laws Railroad Museum and Historic Site preserves, protects, and interprets the former site of the Laws Railroad station and rail yard. The Haapsalu Railway Museum can easily be reached by bus from Tallinn, Estonia, in about an hour and forty-five minutes. Cond Nast Traveler does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Situated in the rail yard of the former Hamburger Bahnhof, built in 1874 and destroyed during World War II, the museum features an extensive railway collection of 40 steam, deisel and electric trains on 33 tracks though it also displays aviation, shipping and computer technology. Amid todays standardized diesel power, Gary Dolzall celebrates a welcome and intriguing exception to the rule. It features an impressive collection, including the oldest preserved locomotive in Europe, the Saint Pierre, and even General Charles de Gaulles railway car equipped with a 2.10m-long bed. All trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. 29.718, built in 1861. 1. Starting at the westward terminus in Moscow, the Trans-Siberian crosses over the Ural Mountains and through dense Siberian forest. WI, Day trips from NYC, From San Francisco, Tampa, FL, LA, From Minneapolis, ID, From Dallas. If thats not luxury, were not sure what is. The museum opened in December, 2014, commemorating 150 years since Sri Lanka Railway's first steam train operated on the country's initial rail line running from Colombo to Ambepussa. The impressive Locomotion Museum is home to more than 70 heritage rail vehicles, some still bearing the marks of a hard working life, while others have been finely restoredbut all tell a fascinating story about how railways have shaped history. Next to the main building is a reconstructed passenger station from the Central Pacific Railroad in the 1870s. . The present collection is one of the finest n the world and contains more than 100 locomotives, 150 coaches and several hundred other items of rolling stock, including the Prins August, which is the world's oldest operable locomotive. The Museum of the American Railroad, previously known as the Age of Steam Railroad Museum, is a large railroad museum in Frisco, Texas. Museums are a great way to learn about the history of different cultures. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. Lackawanna Avenue at Cliff Street, Scranton, PA 18503, Phone: 570-340-5200, Romantic resorts & ideas: Breakfast, Cabin, Maryland Day Trips. Theres also an exhibition hall on-site that houses rare artifacts of historic Indian railways fame though one of the most interesting item on display is the skull of an elephant killed in a collision with a train. Open:10:00-17:00 (Daily) Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. More info, Set on an historic depot that offers dining on first class dining cars, an open-air gondola and a dinosaur train, which is based on the popular PBS Dinosaur Train kids show by Jim Henson, perfect for young visitors. The majority of the exhibits are from the Western Australian Government Railways but also include items representative of the extensive timber lines and gold mines that operated in the state, as well as, the private lines such as the Midland Railway. The British Pullmans experience is magical no matter where youre seated. But what the Northern Belle lacks in length she more than makes up for in quality: The meal services are exquisite, offering fine dining crafted mostly from U.K. suppliers, so you can enjoy classic British fare as the heaths, meadows and dales roll on by. Displayed are about a dozen vintage steam locomotives but the museums collection contains a total of 43 full-scale railroad engines, cars, and other rolling stock with a primary emphasis focusing on the history of railroad transportation in the western United States from 1880 to the 1930s and more specifically on railroading in Los Angeles and the Southern California region of the state. Each year the museum hosts special events for Halloween and an annual Day Out with Thomas event for kids. Traveling in a coach outfitted with picture windows and glass-dome ceilings means that a Rocky Mountaineer journey leaves no sight unseen as you traverse the dramatic scenery between Vancouver, British Columbia and Banff or Jasper, Alberta. Also featured is the saloon carriage of Emperor Franz Joseph I from 1897. The Colorado Railroad Museum is a non-profit venue. The Steam Locomotive Museum in the Transylvanian city of Sibiu, Romania, houses a collection comprising 23 standard gauge steam locomotives, 10 narrow gauge engines, 3 snowploughs and a unique steam crane that was capable of lifting up to 65 tons. Nearby is the Bulawayo railway shed, which is perhaps the last great steam locomotive shed in the world. In fact, it is the largest single-complex museum on the planet with 800,000 square feet. & Q. This extreme scene of lifeless locomotive bygone distinction transcends modern thrill. There are also an 1883 turntable and several historic rail cars on display. The museum's unrivaled presentations celebrate a bygone era invoking visions of iconic locomotives chugging, steaming, muscling their way over iron tracks and profoundly transcending our imaginations. Golden Eagle Danube Express, Europe. Open:10:00-17:30 (Tue,Wed,Thu,Fri,Sat,Sun) (Mar-Oct) Closed Monday & Dec 29-Jan 2, Open:10:00-16:30 (Tue,Wed,Thu,Fri,Sat,Sun) (Nov-Feb) Closed Monday & Dec 29-Jan 2. Train World is the official museum of the National Railway Company of Belgium. The Egyptian Museum in Cairo, for instance, houses the world's largest collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts. Colorado Railroad Museum. There are just thirty-five cabins on board, each outfitted with alpaca wool blankets and handwoven fabrics for an authentic yet luxe feel. The museum preserves and protects the history of the trolley car and includes a number of informative and interactive exhibits related to the history of trolley cars. During the 2002 Winter Olympics, held in Salt Lake City, locomotive #93 was used during the opening ceremony to transport the Olympic flame from Soldier Hollow to Heber City, Utah, as part of the torch relay. Locomotive #40 was shown prominently in the 2017 J-pop music video, "Black Train," by artist, Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi, who sang while riding on the front of the locomotive. More info, 14 Of The Most Disturbing Christmas Crimes In U.S. History, Youll Feel Like Youre In A Fairytale When You Stay At This Enchanting Castle Hotel In The Midwest, The 14 Best Drive-Thru Christmas Lights Displays In America The Whole Family Can Enjoy, 18 Epic Train Rides In The U.S. That Will Give You An Unforgettable Experience, These 15 Unique Cities Tell The Diverse Cultural Tales Of American History, Experience The Best Of The Fall Colors This Year With This Amazing Glass Dome Train, This Drone Footage Of A Historic Abandoned Railroad Is Painfully Beautiful. Travel through the expansive ridges of the MacDonnell Ranges, witness the awe-inspiring beauty of Simpsons Gap, and visit the opal town of Coober Pedy. Also featured is a Pakistani steam engine that was captured by the Indian Army in 1971 when it strayed into Indian terrory. The museum site has been cited as one of the best-preserved early 20th-century railroad yards in the nation and it historically served as a key component in the growth of the region's copper mining industry. On May 14, 2019, this historic locomotive was returned to active life reclaiming its prior home on the rails between Ogden, Utah, and Cheyenne, Wyoming, as part of the Union Pacific railway system. The National Rail Museum, in the beautiful, historic, English city of York is one of the most popular railfan locations in the UK, charting the history of British railways, locomotives and the iconic figures that made them possible. More info, Twenty-one meticulously restored locomotives and cars, along with numerous exhibits explore how railroads shaped the west, peoples lives and the economy. Other highlights include the heaviest and most powerful steam locomotive to ever roll in Australia, the 6040 Garratt, a massive, powerful machine, as well as, the Steam Locomotive 1905, the first locomotive to cross the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The 1218 on display is the only one to escape the scrap yard. The rolling stock consists of Electroliner, the Chicago streamlined PCC streetcars, Nebraska Zephyr, and first GP7 diesel engine. These newly birthed iron horses transformed frenzied shovel after shovel of black coal into burst-clouds of white steam exuded from impatient nostrils. The renowned American social theorist,Jeremy Rifkin,once said, The steam engine was born on the eve of the American Revolution, consummating a relationship between coal and the new Promethean spirit of the age, and humanity made its first tentative steps into an industrial way of life that would, over the next two centuries, forever change the world.. Why not, as an adult, see the world through a child's eye again? British Tourist Railways & Museums. You will find museums with exciting interactive exhibits, rail yards with tons of rolling stock, heritage railroads, and even carefully designed miniature railroads. Tours of the grounds can be self-guided or can be led by a guide. The National Railway Museum of Pietrarsa lies between the city of Naples and the town of Portici. It had the magical number of 2. The museums collection is freely accessible throughout the year 24 hours a day to visitors who can examine the exhibits without restrictions. Among the noteworthy historic rolling stock equipment is a former World War II troop sleeper and the famous Union Pacific Big Boy steam locomotive #4012 (see above left photo), one of the eight remaining "Big Boys" existing today, which was the largest and most powerful steam locomotive in the world. The facility has been designated as a U.S. National Historic Landmark and it possesses the oldest, most historic and most comprehensive American railroad collection in the world. Like the NRM in Britain, chartered trains and rail tours sometimes frequent the city and some are owned by the museum themselves. The museum operates a heritage railroad on the grounds of the museum. The vertical boiler was fuelled by firewood, and was remarkably useful for working on steep terrain compared to a typical horizontal boiler. in Southern California and contains the world's largest collection of Pacific Electric Railway equipment in the world. The museum also manages the La Mesa depot, which is the oldest building in the town. The outdoor display featuring historic steam locomotives and rail cars is open from April through November and is located about 200 meters away at the eastern end of Platform One. It is one of three official railroad museums in Florida . Also displayed is the legendary Orient-Express triggering visions of fantastic imaginary adventures. There are some interim exhibits and a museum store open at the Frisco Heritage Museum for those who are interested in getting a glimpse of the museums exhibits. The three-day all-inclusive journey sees the train lilting its way through Australias Red Centre with diverse landscapes passing by. A pioneer in luxury trains for three decades, Golden Eagle is perhaps best known for its Silk Road and Trans-Siberian routes, but the Danube Express unlocks an approach to Southern and Eastern Europe which is no less breathtaking and engaging. Below we take a look at some of the most famous and well-known railway and railroad museums around the globe - please check their websites or contact them direct regarding opening times and information about visiting. The museum has a large collection of rolling stock that represents more than a hundred years of railroad history. Artifacts from railroad history stand alongside photographs and archives. And for more than a hundred years extensive collections have been assembled here beginning in 1908. A train trip often brings you where everyday roads cannot, whether its through untouched Malaysian jungles or high into the Canadian Rockies. The Narrow Gauge Railway Museum in Sochaczew is home to one of Europes largest collection of noteworthy antique narrow gauge rolling stock. Its purpose was to provide a sheltered vantage point from which trainmen could monitor the cars ahead, cook and eat their meals, and where the conductor could execute his paperwork.