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This article is about the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin, United States. For information about other railroad museums see National Railway Museum (disambiguation)
US Army No. 101, a Consolidation Class 2-8-0 on display at the National Railroad Museum on April 26, 2004. This locomotive was built for use in France during WWI but never made it there. The original European style cab was replaced by an American style.
A display of several railroad drumheads in the Frederick Bauer Drumhead Gallery.
LNER/British Railways A4 No. 60008 "Dwight D. Eisenhower" on display at the National Railroad Museum on April 26, 2004

The National Railroad Museum is a railroad museum located in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin in suburban Green Bay.

The museum is one of the oldest institutions in the United States dedicated to preserving and interpreting the nation's railroad history. It was founded in 1956 by community volunteers in Green Bay who contributed time and resources. Throughout its history, patron contributions have continued to create one of the largest railroad preservation institutions in the United States.

Today, the National Railroad Museum is home to one of the United States' most historic railroad collections. The museum has a large collection of rolling stock and a number of historic locomotives including an Aerotrain, Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4017 (arguably the world's largest steam locomotive type), and the British Railways A4 Class 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 during World War II.

In addition to the rolling stock there is a museum building housing a wide variety of railroad artifacts, an archive, and photography gallery. The grounds also contain an extensive model railroad housed in a separate building as well as a standard gauge track around the perimeter of the grounds. There is also an 80-foot (24 m) high wooden observation tower with views of the 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.

Contents

History

The origin of the National Railroad Museum dates to 1956, when local individuals advanced the concept of a national museum dedicated to American railroad history. Two years later, a joint resolution of Congress recognized the museum as the National Railroad Museum. Since then, the museum has operated as a privately funded 501(c)(3) educational organization with a mission to foster an understanding of railroading and its significance to American Life. What began as an effort to acquire a single steam locomotive for a city park has grown into one of the largest railroad museums in the nation. It now serves over 75,000 visitors annually. Today, a professional staff of 12 and over 100 unpaid staff members welcome visitors from all over the world.

Rolling stock collection

As one of the oldest railroad museums in the country, the National Railroad Museum exhibits a large collection of locomotives and railcars spanning more than a century of railroading.

Steam locomotives

Railroad Class Road number Notes
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway 5011 class No. 5017
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway K-4 class No. 2736
Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad
("Milwaukee Road")		 S3 class No. 261 Restored to working order
Lake Superior and Ishpeming Railroad 2-8-0 No. 24
London and North Eastern Railway (Great Britain) A4 class British Railways 60008 "Dwight D. Eisenhower"
Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railroad E-1 class No. 506
Pardee and Curtin Lumber Company No. 12
Pullman Car and Manufacturing Company No. 29
Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie ("Soo Line") H-23 class No. 2718
Sumter and Choctaw Railroad 2-8-2 No. 102
United States Army 2-8-0 No. 101
Union Pacific Railroad 4000 class No. 4017

Diesel locomotives

Wisconsin Central 715, a GP30.

Electric locomotives

PRR GG1 4890

Passenger cars

The interior of observation car Silver Spirit

Freight cars


Maintenance of way cars

Cabooses

Milwaukee Road cupola caboose
Chicago Great Western Railroad cupola caboose.

Other equipment

Other collections

Archives collection

The Archives Collection includes corporate records and documents, annual reports, maps, mechanical and engineering drawings, oral histories, and ephemera. The holdings of the collection represent various railroad companies, labor unions, and fraternal organizations.

Library collection

The Library Collection and the Archives Collections of the National Railroad Museum represent a variety of topics that allow researchers to interpret the social, economic, political, and cultural aspects of U.S. railroading history.

Artifact collection

The National Railroad Museum houses over 5,000 artifacts including textiles, uniforms, tools and personal items.

Photograph collection

The Photograph Collection includes 15,000 photographic prints, slides, and film negatives representing railroading in the United States geographically from 1890 through the present day.

References


See also

External links
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