National Railroad Museum facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
National Railroad Museum

The Victor McCormick Train Pavilion (left) and Frederick J Lenfestey Center (right) at the National Railroad Museum.
Established	1956; 69 years ago (1956)
Location	Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin
Type	Railway museum

US Army No. 101, a Consolidation Class 2-8-0 locomotive. It was built for use in France during WWI but never made it there.

The Bauer Drumhead Collection. These drumheads were saved from old trains.

The National Railroad Museum is a super cool place in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin where you can learn all about trains! It's one of the oldest and biggest museums in the U.S. that saves and shares the history of railroads.

People who loved trains started the museum in 1956. Just two years later, the U.S. Congress officially called it the National Railroad Museum. It has been a non-profit organization since 1958.

The museum has a huge collection of locomotives (train engines) and other train cars. These trains show more than 100 years of railroad history. You can see amazing trains like an Aerotrain. There's also the Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4017, which is one of the biggest steam locomotives ever built! Another special train is the British Railways Class A4 No. 60008 Dwight D Eisenhower. This train was used by a famous general and his team during World War II.

Inside the museum, there are lots of railroad items, old documents, and a photo gallery. A standard gauge track goes around the museum grounds. You can also climb an 80-foot (24-meter) wooden tower for awesome views of the Fox River and Green Bay.

The museum used to have a "Day Out with Thomas" event until 2019. At this event, Thomas the Tank Engine would pull young visitors past the other trains. In October, the museum hosts "Terror on the Fox". This is a haunted attraction with spooky train rides after dark. The Frederick J. Lenfesty Center, built in 2001, is a special building that keeps some of the rarest and most unique trains safe from the weather.

LNER/British Railways A4 No. 60008 "Dwight D. Eisenhower" on display.

The backhead (controls) of Big Boy 4000 Class No. 4017.

Museum Expansion Plans

The museum is currently working on a big expansion project. This project will add a new plaza along the Fox River. It will also include another building to display more trains. The state of Wisconsin is helping with $7 million for this project.

Amazing Train Collection

The National Railroad Museum has many different types of trains. You can see powerful steam engines, modern diesel locomotives, and special passenger cars.

Steam Locomotives

These are trains that run on steam power. They are some of the biggest and oldest trains at the museum.

Railroad	Class	Road number	Notes	Image
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	This is the only A4 class steam locomotive in the United States. It was temporarily displayed in England in 2014.
Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway	E-1 class	506	This train was in service until 1962. It was donated to the museum that 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	This train has a diesel engine in its tender (the car behind the engine).
United States Army	2-8-0	101	This locomotive was used in Korea. It is now on display in a special shed.
Union Pacific Railroad	4000 class "Big Boy"	4017	This is one of the largest steam locomotives in the world. It is kept in a special climate-controlled shed.

Diesel Locomotives

Diesel locomotives use diesel engines to power them. They are more modern than steam engines.

Railroad	Model	Road number	Notes	Image
Wisconsin Central Ltd. (Ex - Fox River Valley Railroad)	EMD SD24	2402 (CBQ 510)	This train was previously restored to its Fox River Valley Railroad look.
Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (Milwaukee Road)	FM H-10-44	767
Georgia Pacific Railway	Alco S-2	73 (Ex - 63–146)	This train is currently painted in Great Northern Orange and Green.
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad	General Motors Aerotrain	Trainset 2	This train comes with the main engine and two cars. It is one of only two left in the world.
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
Southern Pacific Transportation Company	ALCO S-6	1201 (Currently painted as GBW 106)	This train is working and is used for rides around the museum.
United States Army	Whitcombe 44-ton switcher	106
United States Army	ALCO RSD-1	8651
Canadian National Railway	EMD E9	103	This train was given to the museum by Canadian National Railway in February 2024.
Wisconsin Central Ltd.	EMD SW1500	1563	This train was given to the museum by Canadian National Railway in November 2019.

Electric Locomotives

Electric locomotives run on electricity, often from overhead lines or a third rail.

Railroad	Class	Road number	Notes	Image
Pennsylvania Railroad	GG1	4890

Passenger Cars

These are the cars where people ride on trains.

Railroad	Type	Road number	Notes	Image
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 car was recently fixed up. It is used for special events and is displayed outside.
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 train.
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	LNER Teak Sleeper Dwight D. Eisenhower	1591	This car was part of Dwight D. Eisenhower's command train.
London and North Eastern Railway	LNER Teak Sleeper Dwight D. Eisenhower	1592	This car was also from Dwight D. Eisenhower's command train.
Pullman Company	Sleeping car	Pullman 8667 "Lake Mitchell"
Reading Company		X	This car is used for "Terror on the Fox" during Halloween.
Reading Company		Y	This car is also used for "Terror on the Fox".
Reading Company		Y	This car is currently painted as NRM "Josephine".
Tennessee Central Railway	Business car	(Monon) 100
Union Pacific Railroad	Astra Dome diner	8003	This car was used on the City of Los Angeles train. It is currently being fixed up.

Freight Cars

Freight cars are used to carry goods and materials.

Railroad	Type	Road number	Notes	Image
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	This car was leased to Black Hills Packing Company.
Illinois Central Gulf Railroad	Flatcar	910302
Menasha Wooden Ware Company	Boxcar	242	This car is a copy of an old one.
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		This car is from the Merci Train.
Richter Vinegar Company	Vinegar tank car	20
TTX Company	TOFC-service flatcar	970837
Canadian National	Boxcar	414266	This car was given to the museum by Canadian National Railway.

Maintenance of Way Cars

These cars are used to help build and fix train tracks.

Cabooses

A caboose is a special car at the end of a freight train.

Kickapoo Valley and Western cupola caboose.

Chicago Great Western Railroad cupola caboose.

Other Equipment

The museum also has other cool railroad equipment.

Other Collections at the Museum

Besides the trains, the museum has many other interesting things.

Historical Records and Documents

The museum keeps old company records, maps, and engineering drawings. They also have stories from people who worked on the railroads. These items show how different railroad companies and workers' groups operated.

Library of Railroad History

The museum's library has many books about how railroads affected society, money, politics, and culture in the U.S.

Artifacts and Photos

The National Railroad Museum has over 5,000 artifacts. These include old uniforms, tools, and personal items. Their photo collection has more than 15,000 pictures, slides, and film negatives. These photos show U.S. railroading from 1890 until now.

See Also

• List of heritage railroads in the United States