Nevada State Railroad Museum Boulder City facts for kids
The Nevada State Railroad Museum Boulder City is a fun railroad museum located in Boulder City, Nevada. It's part of the Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs. This museum sits on the historic Boulder City Branch Line. This railway line was first built to help with the construction of the famous Hoover Dam. In 1985, the state of Nevada took over the tracks from the Union Pacific Railroad.
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Ride a Historic Train: The Heritage Railroad
The museum runs a special heritage railroad. You can ride passenger trains using old, historic railroad equipment. The trip is about 7 miles long and takes around 45 minutes. These train rides started in 2002.
You can even have special experiences here! With a reservation, you might get to ride in the front of the train with the engineer. You could also ride in the caboose at the very end. Sometimes, you can even learn to operate a train yourself!
One of the main engines you'll see is a preserved Union Pacific EMD GP30, named No. 844. This engine is quite famous! It weighs about 125 tons. It has a powerful V16 engine that makes 2250 horsepower. This engine was given to the museum. It was then fixed up to look just like it did when it worked for Union Pacific.
Recently, some changes were made near the museum. As part of the Interstate 11 project, the NDOT replaced a bridge over US Route 93. This bridge had been closed since 1998. In April 2018, a new crossing was built near Railroad Pass Casino. This change reconnected Boulder City and Henderson by rail.
Explore the Museum's Train Collection
The museum has many different types of trains and railroad cars. Some are on display, and some can even run! Here are a few of the cool things you can see:
- Steam Locomotives:
- #264: A large steam engine built by Baldwin in 1907. It's called a "Consolidation" type. It used to work for the Union Pacific Railroad. You can see it on display.
- #35: Another Baldwin steam engine, this one is a "Mikado" type from 1923. It worked for Pacific Lumber Company. It's also on static display.
- #12 (second): A smaller, narrow-gauge steam locomotive from 1896. It used to run on the Eureka & Palisade Railroad. It's currently being stored and waiting to be fixed up.
- Diesel Locomotives:
- #1855: A Fairbanks-Morse Model H12-44 diesel engine from 1953. This one is special because it can still run! It was once used by the U.S. Army.
- #1000: A Type NW-2 diesel engine from 1939. This engine used to work for the Union Pacific Railroad. It runs on special occasions at the museum.
- 6976: An EMD SDP40F diesel engine from 1974. It used to work for Amtrak and other railroads. This one is operational.
- 231: An EMD F40PH diesel engine from 1977. It was also an Amtrak engine. It's currently being fixed up.
- Other Interesting Equipment:
- #2314: A baggage and postal car from 1911. This car was used to carry mail and luggage on trains. It's on static display.
- #3505: An old caboose from 1882! A caboose is a car at the very end of a freight train. This one is on static display.
- WP 449: A steel caboose that used to belong to the Western Pacific Railroad. It's currently being restored.
- Ellsmere: A fancy private business car from 1899. It's on display and waiting to be restored.
- Fairmont Railway Motors Company Speeder: A small vehicle from the mid-1950s used by railroad workers to inspect tracks. This one is operational!
Tiny Trains: The Miniature Railway
The museum also has a cool miniature railway! These tiny trains are 1/8th the size of real trains. They are big enough for both kids and adults to ride on. It's a fun way to experience a train ride on a smaller scale.
See also
- Nevada State Railroad Museum – Another railroad museum in Carson City, Nevada
