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Old Colony & Fall River Railroad Museum facts for kids

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Old Colony & Fall River Railroad Museum
Old Colony and Fall River Railroad Museum, MA.jpg
Old Colony and Fall River Railroad Museum
Established 1986
Dissolved 2016
Location 2 Water Street, Fall River, Massachusetts

The Old Colony & Fall River Railroad Museum was a small museum about trains. It was located in Fall River, Massachusetts. The museum focused on the history of the Old Colony and Fall River Railroad. This railroad operated from 1854 to 1863. It later became part of the larger Old Colony Railroad system.

The museum was right across from the old Fall River Line Terminal. This terminal was a stop for special "boat trains" that traveled between Boston and New York City. It was also close to other cool places like Battleship Cove, Fall River Heritage State Park, and the Marine Museum at Fall River. Inside, the museum had a small collection of real train equipment. This included a passenger car from the Pennsylvania Railroad, a special self-powered train car (called an RDC) from the New Haven Railroad, a Caboose from the New York Central Railroad, and a Boxcar also from the New Haven Railroad.

Why the Museum Closed

The museum was very popular in the 1990s and early 2000s. During that time, about 45 people visited each day. However, after 2009, fewer people came to visit. The number of daily visitors dropped to about five. This made it hard for the museum to pay its bills. The museum closed its doors in September 2016. It had been open for 30 years.

What Happened to the Train Equipment?

After the museum closed, its collection of train equipment was moved. Each piece found a new home.

  • The Pennsylvania Railroad P-70B Passenger Coach was stored. It is on track 7 in the Fall River Wharf yard.
  • The New Haven RDC #42 was sold. It went to the Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum.
  • The New York Central Caboose #21052 is now used. It helps with ballast trains for the Massachusetts Coastal Railroad.
  • The New Haven boxcar #33401 was sold. It went to the Cape Cod Chapter of the NRHS in West Barnstable, MA.

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