National Railroad Museum facts for kids
The Victor McCormick Train Pavilion (left) and Frederick J Lenfestey Center (right) at the National Railroad Museum.
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| Established | 1956 |
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| Location | Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin |
| Type | Railway museum |
The National Railroad Museum (reporting mark NRMX) is a railroad museum located in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin, US.
Founded in 1956 by community volunteers, the National Railroad Museum is one of the oldest and largest U.S. institutions dedicated to preserving and interpreting the nation's railroad history. Two years later, a joint resolution of Congress recognized the Museum as the National Railroad Museum. The museum has been a Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization since 1958.
Its collection of locomotives and rolling stock spans more than a century of railroading. Notable items include an Aerotrain; Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4017, one of the world's largest steam locomotives; and British Railways Class A4 No. 60008 Dwight D Eisenhower (ex-London & North Eastern Railway No. 4496 Golden Shuttle) and train used by the Supreme Allied Commander and his staff in the United Kingdom and continental Europe during World War II.
A museum building houses a wide variety of railroad artifacts, an archive, and photography gallery. A standard gauge track rings the grounds. An 80-foot (24 m) wooden observation tower has views of the Fox River and Green Bay.
The museum hosts an annual Day Out with Thomas event, where Thomas the Tank Engine pulls young friends past the exhibited rolling stock; and in October, "Terror on the Fox": Green Bay Preble Optimist Club's haunted attraction that includes "haunted" train rides after dark. The Frederick J. Lenfesty Center, an enclosed and climate-controlled structure was recently added that houses several of the unique and rarer locomotives and cars.
Contents
Expansion
A $15 million expansion project plan has been released that includes plaza along the Fox River and an additional display building. The state of Wisconsin, through the use of American Rescue Plan Act funds is contributing $7 million to this project.
Rolling stock
Steam locomotives
| Railroad | Class | Road number | Notes |
| Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway | 5011 class (2-10-4) | 5017 | |
| Chesapeake and Ohio Railway | K-4 class | 2736 | |
| Lake Superior and Ishpeming Railroad | SC-4 2-8-0 Consolidation | 24 | |
| London and North Eastern Railway | A4 4-6-2 | 4496 Dwight D. Eisenhower | Only A4 class steam locomotive in the United States, and one of two displayed in North America; the other being 4489 Dominion of Canada. It was temporarily displayed in England for the reuniting of the remaining six A4s. In 2014, the locomotive was returned to the museum. During its display in England, the locomotive was repainted to the accurate shade of Brunswick green. |
| Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway | E-1 class | 506 | First of ten E1 Class Santa Fe type (2-10-2) locomotives built for the Duluth Missabe & Northern by Alco in 1919. No. 506 was in service with the DM&IR until 1962 and was donated to the museum the same year. |
| Pardee and Curtin Lumber Company | 12 | ||
| Pullman Company | 29 | ||
| Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad (Soo Line) | H-23 class (4-6-2) | 2718 | |
| Sumter & Choctaw Railway | 2-8-2 | 102 | Has diesel engine in tender |
| United States Army | 2-8-0 | 101 | This locomotive was used in Korea, and the Korean name of this is 'Consolidation type no. 2-101'. It was since returned to the United States and is placed on display in a climate controlled shed. |
| Union Pacific Railroad | 4000 class "Big Boy" | 4017 | One of the largest articulated steam locomotives in the world. It is displayed in a climate controlled shed. |
Diesel locomotives
| Railroad | Model | Road number | Notes |
| Wisconsin Central Ltd. (Ex - Fox River Valley Railroad) | EMD SD24 | 2402 (CBQ 510) | Ex-CBQ, currently being restored back to its Fox River Valley Railroad appearance. |
| Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (Milwaukee Road) | FM H-10-44 | 767 | |
| Georgia Pacific Railway | Alco S-2 | 73 (Ex - 63–146) | EX-SBRR |
| Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad | General Motors Aerotrain | Trainset 2 | Comes with the main engine and two cars.
One of only two surviving trainsets |
| Green Bay and Western Railroad | Alco C430 | 315 | |
| Manistique and Lake Superior Railroad (Later Ann Arbor Railroad) | Alco S-3 | 1 (Later 10, Currently painted as GBW 103) | |
| Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway | EMD NW1 | D538 | |
| Wisconsin Central Ltd. | EMD GP30 | 715 | Ex-SOO |
| Southern Pacific Transportation Company | ALCO S-6 | 1203 (Currently painted as GBW 106) | Operational, mainly used for excursion runs around the museum property |
| United States Army | GE 44-ton switcher | 106 | |
| United States Army | ALCO RSD-1 | 8651 | |
| Canadian National Railway | EMD E9 | 103 | Donated by Canadian National Railway 2/2024 |
| Wisconsin Central Ltd. | EMD SW1500 | 1563 | Donated by Canadian National Railway on 11/13/2019 |
Electric locomotives
| Railroad | Class | Road number | Notes |
| Pennsylvania Railroad | GG1 | 4890 |
Passenger cars
| Railroad | Type | Road number | Notes |
| Atlantic Coast Line Railroad | Dining car | Dothan | |
| Chicago and North Western Transportation Company | Bi-Level passenger car | 32 | |
| Chicago and North Western Transportation Company | Combination Baggage/Passenger car | 7411 | |
| Chicago and North Western Transportation Company | Hospital Service Car | "Joseph Lister" | |
| Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad | Observation car | 300 "Silver Spirit" | This observation car once served the Burlington Route, and has been recently restored. It is only used for the Polar Express line, and is displayed outdoors. |
| Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad | 7 duplex bedroom, 4 section, 3 double bedroom, 1 compartment sleeping car | 1269 "Poplar River" (ex GN - same name and number) | This train car was used on the Empire Builder. |
| Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad | Railway post office car | 2330 | |
| Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad | Railway Express Agency car | 1580 | |
| Green Bay and Western Railroad | Combination Mail/Baggage/Express car | 21 (ex passenger coach 52) | |
| Lake Superior and Ishpeming Railroad | Passenger car | 62 | |
| Lake Superior and Ishpeming Railroad | Combination Baggage/Passenger car | 63 | |
| London and North Eastern Railway | Train car from the Dwight D. Eisenhower | 1591 | From Dwight D. Eisenhower's command train, and is coupled behind the locomotive. |
| London and North Eastern Railway | Train car from the Dwight D. Eisenhower | 1592 | From Dwight D. Eisenhower's command train, and is coupled behind the locomotive. |
| Northern Pacific Railway | Baggage car | 1594 | The Ex-NP dining car 1668 |
| Pullman Company | Sleeping car | Pullman 8667 "Lake Mitchell" | |
| Reading Company | X | Used as part of Terror on the Fox, a train ride during Halloween time. | |
| Reading Company | Y | Used as part of Terror on the Fox. | |
| Reading Company | Y | Currently painted as NRM "Josephine". | |
| Tennessee Central Railway | Business car | (Monon) 100 | |
| Union Pacific Railroad | Astra Dome diner | 8003 | Used on the City of Los Angeles |
Freight cars
| Railroad | Type | Road number | Notes |
| Akron, Canton and Youngstown Railroad | Outside braced boxcar | 3011 | |
| American Cyanamid | Covered hopper | 134 | |
| Armour and Company | Refrigerator car | 4408 | |
| Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway | Flatcar | 206983 | |
| Union Refrigerated Transit Company | Refrigerator car | 72733 | leased to Black Hills Packing Company |
| Illinois Central Gulf Railroad | Flatcar | 910302 | |
| Menasha Wooden Ware Company | Boxcar | 242 | This car is a replica |
| Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad | Ore hopper car | 80374 | |
| Swift Refrigerator Line | Wooden refrigerator car | 5156 | |
| Standard Oil | Single-dome tank car | 9758 | |
| North American Car Company | Double door boxcar | 50143 | |
| North American Car Company | Covered hopper | 30133 | |
| PLM Railway | Forty-and-eights boxcar | From Merci Train | |
| Richter Vinegar Company | Vinegar tank car | 20 | |
| TTX Company | TOFC-service flatcar | 970837 | |
| Canadian National | Boxcar | 414266 | Donated to museum by Canadian National Railway |
Maintenance of way cars
| Railroad | Type | Road number |
| Burlington Northern Railroad | Jordan spreader | 973127 |
| Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad | Dynamometer car | 30 |
| Escanaba and Lake Superior Railroad | Flange plow | 100 |
| Wisconsin Central Railway, subsidiary of the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad | Wrecking crane | W-1 |
| Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad | Wrecking crane idler car | X- |
Cabooses
| Railroad | Type | Road number | Notes |
| Ahnapee and Western Railway | Bay window caboose | 33 | |
| Chicago Great Western Railway | Cupola caboose | 622 | |
| Chicago and North Western Transportation Company | Bay window caboose | 11217 | |
| Illinois Central Railroad | Wide vision caboose | 199488 | |
| Kickapoo Valley and Northern | Caboose | 2 |
Other equipment
| Railroad | Type | Road number |
| Anheuser-Busch | Plymouth 15 Tonner | X |
| Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad | 208351 | |
| Kohler Co. | Trackmobile | X |
| Schneider National | Semi-trailer | A508407 (Located on TTX Company TTWX 970837) |
Other collections
The museum's archives hold corporate records and documents, annual reports, maps, mechanical and engineering drawings, oral histories, and ephemera. The holdings represent various railroad companies, labor unions, and fraternal organizations.
Its library holds works on the social, economic, political, and cultural aspects of U.S. railroading history.
The National Railroad Museum holds over 5,000 artifacts, including textiles, uniforms, tools and personal items.
Its photograph collection includes 15,000 photographic prints, slides, and film negatives of U.S. railroading since 1890.
Capital campaign
As of 2019, the museum was working to raise money to build a roundhouse to surround its current buildings (except the train station) to shelter from the weather the locomotives and cars displayed in the open pavilion.
See also
- List of heritage railroads in the United States
