Weekend Survey #2 Train Museums

[BIG BEAR]

1.  Do you visit Train Museums?

2.  How often do you frequent Train Museums? 1 per year or 1 per Week

3.  Are you a member of any Train Museums? and do you do any volunteer work there? If so please share.

4.  Which train Museums are your favorite? Do you prefer large w/ many trains , or small single road versions.

5.  Bonus Q.  If you were asked to start a train museum, what would be the key features, and how would you advertise these?

          Purely for enjoyment purposes,

                  Barry
       

[Larry]

I go to my train museum in conneaut ohio a couple times a year but drive by it most every day of the week since there is a NKP 2-8-4 on display there. 

[Paul W.]

We visit the Pennsylvannia Railroad Museum as often as possible, which my wife and I are members of. They have just totally rebuilt the front entrance (still utilizing the clock tower), and it looks great.
If you are not familiar with this museum, there is rolling stock hall which is indoors, there is the outside yard with working turntable, and hands on learning center for kids. It's a GREAT organization, and if I were going to start a museum, it would look just like this one!

http://www.rrmuseumpa.org/

[Terry Toenges]

1- Whenever we travel, I always take my book which lists all the train museums.
I usually make a point of visiting whatever neat train places and old military forts that happen to be along our route of travel.
Before we leave, I go through through the train guide and highlight places that are within reach (an hour or two) of our general route of travel.
2- Frequency - 2 to 20 a year. Depends on where we travel.
3-No
4- I've been to so many neat train places, it would be hard to pick a favorite. Those with pre-1900 stuff are my favorites, whether it's big or small.
Some of the more  memorable ones for me were in Sacremento CA, San Diego CA, Golden CO, Durango CO, Omaha NE, East Ely NV, Carson City NV, Ogden UT, Baltimore MD, Council Bluffs IA, Kennesaw GA, Strasburg PA, Scranton PA.
5- Pre-1900 mostly, wild-Westy feel.
Advertise - blow the whistle every few hours

[Bojangle]

I would like to visit the museums, but too old to travel much anymore.  I have visited some of the museum websites, but they don't show much, they just want you to come there and spend money.  I know it costs a lot to maintain them, but they could at least show a few pics.

The first train to hit Loveland was Sante Fe, out of Kansas.  I went to the museum site (Topeka I think), found nothing of interest.  I would be willing to send donations if they would have more info on their site. 

The museum sites are mostly supported by local tourist oriented companies. I was interested in an ON30 set of Colorado Southern and in research, found the city of Leadville bought the line for tourist attraction.  I expected to see a vintage loco, but they are now using a very old diesel, pulling old cars.
Well you asked for opinions.  For me, the web is my travel guide.
If I ever go by a train museum, I will certainly take the tour.
Bo

[GlennW]

1) Yes. When travelling on vacation, I make some Train Museums the main puroise of the trip. They tend to be the top ones mentioned in MR, MRC, T, RMC, etc.  Sadly, some of the greats are no longer in operation. Go while you can!

2) I visit the local Tennessee Central 3x per year. In the Spring & Fall, they host a NMRA swap meet. They also run excursion trains. Thomas makes an annual visit.

3) I am not a "member" or do work there. Some volunteers are needed as car hosts.

4) My favorites have some operation. The Very Best make a visit to other parts of the country enjoyable. It's difficult to pick out one. Small ones can be enjoyable to make an hour stop enroute.

5) A New Museum can be located in an old station, rebuilt to fill modern comforts. The effort would be to best tell the story of the Railroad. Strong support from the chamber of commerce & business folks may have some fundraiser opportunities.

[JerryB]

 1.  Do you visit Train Museums?

Yes!

2.  How often do you frequent Train Museums? 1 per year or 1 per Week

As often as possible. Several times a year to our favorites and we stop at everyone we can when traveling.

3.  Are you a member of any Train Museums? and do you do any volunteer work there? If so please share.

We are members of a couple that we think do the most outstanding job on subjects of special interest. See my signature. We've done some volunteering at the Bay Area Electric Railway Association's Western Railway Museum at Rio Vista Junction. First as parking attendants for the Pumpkin Patch trains last October and recently as car attendants for the Scenic Limited Wildflower trains in April. Great experiences, and we met lots of great people. We plan to do more in the future.

4.  Which train Museums are your favorite? Do you prefer large w/ many trains , or small single road versions.

All, but the BAERA WRM is really hard to beat. It specializes in electric traction, so is a unique experience. The California State Railroad Museum is one of the best in the country, and the Society for the Preservation of Carter Railroad Resources at Ardenwood farm is a great group of folks that have done a great job, starting with very little other than enthusiasm. We truly like them all, large & small.

5.  Bonus Q.  If you were asked to start a train museum, what would be the key features, and how would you advertise these?

Ain't gonna happen!!

Happy RRing,

Jerry Bowers

[Yorkie]

The National Railway Museum in York, England is considered to be the world's largest. For details see Wikipedia Encyclopedia for full details.

[RAM]

I think the Pennsylvannia Railroad Museum is one of the best.  It is a must to any and all Pennsylvannia Railroad fans, which I am not.  It is too bad that a t1 was not saved.  I know of no other railroad that is covered like the PRR. 

[BIG BEAR]

        The originator finally posts. Yes I do visit train Museums, usally 6-10 times per year.
        I am a member of 2 Museums, The National Railroad Musem, in Greenbay, Wisconsin. Also the East Troy Electric Railroad. I do not volunteer my time, just my $.
        Other notables would be the Illinois rail museum and the Mid- continent  Railroad Museum. both have a tremendous amount of Engines and Rolling stock from several railroads, and Companies.
        One small museum I stopped at, The Little Falls Railroad & Doll
Museum, was such an educational experience as I was just getting back into this hobby, Dr. Jim Brown and I spoke for 2+ hrs. My wife was way past ready to go, I did buy one of his books and had him sign it.
        If I were to open a Museum, I agree w/ Glenn no place like an old depot to do so.also local c/c. I'ld have all scales of layouts including 1/1
all the same consist & paint scheme using 4-4-0 Steam Engines.

     Paul W. thank-you for the link.
     Terry T. Could we trouble you for the title of your train museum book?

            Barry
   

[ebtbob]

Good Morning All,

      I go to train museums every once in a while,  only because I have been to most all of them around me any number of times and not a lot new is ever added.   
      The Pennsylvania State Railroad Museum in Strasburg,  Pa,  right across the street from the Strasburg Railroad is proabably the best one in my area to visit,  but.......they have decided to put a new facade on the building that at one time had the appearance of a vintage station.  Now it looks like this.......



Bob

[ebtbob]

Good Morning Again,

      In my last post I mentioned the Pa RR museum being across the street from the Strasburg Railroad.   This past Monday,  Memorial Day,  was the time that my son Darryl and I visited the railroad and museum.   I had not been out there for about two years and some changes had been made, as the new front to the museum indicated.   
       As we went past the enginehouse,  #90,  the 2-10-0 could be seen with her smokebox door open which made me worry.   Both of us made the trip because we each had new cameras that we want to use and the thought that we made the trip for nothing bothered us.   Our fears were confirmed when we found out that 90 was down with a power reverser problem and #475,  the ex N&W 4-8-0 was also in the shops.   The main power for the trains that day was a small center cab diesel.   But all was not lost......there was one steamer running at the museum.   It is a coal fired 18 inch gauge 4-4-0.
       BTW.....all this true.....the #3 was the only operational steam engine at Strasburg this past Monday.....here is a pic.

Bob

[SteamGene]

I thought Strasburg also had either a Pennsy Atlantic or Pacific or both.  What happened to them? BTW, Ilike the old look of the PRR museum.
Gene

[Woody Elmore]

I second Yorkie's comment about the British Railway Museum in York, England. Last time I was there I didn't want to leave. Next time I visit England I will try to visit some of the operating steam lines.

This is not meant to put down American museums. I frequently go to the B&O museum in Baltimore and have also visited the N&W museum in Roanoake.

My goal is to one day get to the Owens Valley to check out the remaining SPNG rolling stock.

[Atlantic Central]

Gene,

The Atlantic belongs to the museum and has not been fully operational for some time if I recall correctly.

They have never had any of the Pacfics in running order. There is at least one K4 on display at the museum, maybe more.

I was at Strasburg this past Thursday, before Memorial Day and #90 was in service as usual.

I did not visit the museum that day or ride the train, actually I was in the "general " area for work and had a couple extra hours, so I shopped at the two train stores and watched the train come in and leave.

Strasburg is less than an hour from me anyway, I usually pop up there a few times year. Can't drag the wife anymore, she has reached her boredom threshold.

Sheldon