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 |
Get ready to explore the amazing world of trains at the National Railroad Museum! This cool place, also known as (reporting mark NRMX), is a big railroad museum located in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin, in the United States.
A group of local volunteers started the museum in 1956. It is one of the oldest and largest places in the U.S. that saves and shares the story of our nation's railroad history. Just two years later, the U.S. Congress officially named it the National Railroad Museum. Since 1958, it has been a nonprofit organization.
The museum has a huge collection of locomotives and other rolling stock (train cars). These trains show more than 100 years of railroad history. Some of the most famous items include an Aerotrain and the giant Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4017. This "Big Boy" is one of the largest steam locomotives ever built! You can also see the British Railways Class A4 No. 60008 Dwight D Eisenhower. This train was used by General Dwight D. Eisenhower and his team during World War II in the United Kingdom and Europe.
Inside the museum building, you'll find many railroad items, old documents, and a photo gallery. A standard gauge track goes around the museum grounds. There's also an 80-foot (24 m) tall wooden tower. From the top, you can see great views of the Fox River and Green Bay.
The museum hosts fun events each year. One popular event is Day Out with Thomas, where Thomas the Tank Engine pulls young visitors past the trains on display. In October, they have "Terror on the Fox". This is a haunted event that includes spooky train rides after dark. The Frederick J. Lenfesty Center is a new, climate-controlled building. It keeps some of the museum's most special and rare locomotives and cars safe.
Contents
Amazing Trains to See
The National Railroad Museum has a fantastic collection of trains. Here are some of the most famous and interesting ones you can explore!
Powerful Steam Locomotives
Steam locomotives are giant machines that use steam to move. The museum has some of the biggest and most important ones.
- Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4017: This is one of the largest steam locomotives in the world! It's so big, it has its own special climate-controlled building to keep it safe.
- LNER Class A4 No. 60008 "Dwight D. Eisenhower": This British steam locomotive is very special. It was used by General Dwight D. Eisenhower during World War II. It's the only A4 class steam train in the United States. It even went back to England for a short time to be reunited with other A4 trains!
- US Army No. 101: This steam locomotive was used by the United States Army in Korea. It's now on display in a special shed.
- Santa Fe 5017: This is a huge 2-10-4 type locomotive from the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway.
- Soo Line 2718: A 4-6-2 type locomotive from the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad.
Cool Diesel Locomotives
Diesel locomotives use diesel engines to power them. They became very popular after steam trains.
- General Motors Aerotrain Trainset 2: This is a very unique and futuristic-looking train from the 1950s. The museum has one of only two Aerotrain sets left in the world! It comes with the main engine and two passenger cars.
- Green Bay and Western Railroad No. 315: This is an ALCO C430 model.
- Southern Pacific No. 1203: This ALCO S-6 locomotive is painted in the Green Bay and Western Railroad colors (GBW 106). It's still working and is often used for short rides around the museum!
Electric Locomotives
Electric locomotives get their power from electricity, usually from overhead lines or a third rail.
- Pennsylvania Railroad GG1 No. 4890: The GG1 is a famous electric locomotive known for its sleek design.
Passenger Cars
These are the cars where people ride!
- Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad "Silver Spirit": This is a beautiful observation car that was recently restored. It has big windows for amazing views. It's used for special events like the Polar Express.
- Dwight D. Eisenhower's Command Train Cars: The museum has two train cars (1591 and 1592) that were part of General Eisenhower's command train during World War II. They are coupled right behind the "Dwight D. Eisenhower" locomotive.
- Chicago and North Western Bi-Level Passenger Car No. 32: A two-story passenger car.
Freight Cars
Freight cars are used to carry goods and materials.
- Forty-and-eights Boxcar: This special boxcar came from the Merci Train. These cars were gifts from France to the United States after World War II. They were filled with gifts as a thank you for America's help.
- Refrigerator Car No. 4408: From Armour and Company, used to keep food cold.
- Tank Car No. 9758: A single-dome tank car from Standard Oil, used to carry liquids.
Cabooses
A caboose is the last car on a freight train. It used to be where the train crew would ride.
- Chicago Great Western Railway No. 622: A classic cupola caboose, which has a raised section on the roof for better viewing.
- Kickapoo Valley and Northern No. 2: This caboose is painted in the Milwaukee Road colors.
Museum Expansion Plans
The museum has big plans for the future! They want to add new buildings and a plaza along the Fox River. This expansion project is expected to cost about $15 million. The state of Wisconsin is helping with $7 million for this exciting project.
Other Collections at the Museum
Besides the trains, the museum has many other interesting things!
- Archives: This is where they keep old records, maps, drawings, and stories from different railroad companies and groups.
- Library: The library has books about the history of railroads in the U.S., including how they affected society, the economy, and culture.
- Artifacts: The museum has over 5,000 items, like old uniforms, tools, and personal belongings from railroad workers.
- Photograph Collection: You can see more than 15,000 photos, slides, and film negatives showing U.S. railroading since 1890.
Future Plans for the Trains
As of 2019, the museum was raising money to build a roundhouse. A roundhouse is a special building that goes around a turntable, where trains can be stored and worked on. This new building would help protect the outdoor locomotives and cars from bad weather.
See also
- List of heritage railroads in the United States
Images for kids
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LNER/British Railways A4 No. 60008 "Dwight D. Eisenhower" on display at the National Railroad Museum on September 16, 2010.
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The backhead (controls) of Big Boy 4000 Class No. 4017.
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Green Bay and Western #315, an ALCO C-430
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Green Bay and Western 106, a former Southern Pacific ALCO S-6 restored into GBW livery and used for museum excursions.
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Wisconsin Central 715, a GP30.
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PRR GG1 4890
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The interior of observation car Silver Spirit
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Kickapoo Valley and Western cupola caboose painted in the Milwaukee Road scheme
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Chicago Great Western Railroad cupola caboose
