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![]() 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 |
Coordinates | 44°28′59.9″N88°02′52.8″W / 44.483306°N 88.048000°W |
Type | Railway museum |
CEO | Jacqueline Frank [1] |
Website | nationalrrmuseum |
The National Railroad Museum( reporting mark NRMX) is a railroad museum located in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin, United States. [2]
Founded in 1956 by community volunteers, the National Railroad Museum is one of the oldest and largest U.S. institutions dedicated to preserving and interpreting the nation's railroad history. [3] Two years later, a joint resolution of Congress recognized the museum as the National Railroad Museum. The museum has been a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization since 1958. [4] [5]
Its collection of locomotives and rolling stock spans more than a century. Notable items include an Aerotrain; Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4017, one of the world's largest steam locomotives; and British Railways Class A4 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 and continental Europe during World War II. [6]
The Frederick J. Lenfesty Center, an enclosed and climate-controlled structure, built in 2001, houses several of the unique and rarer locomotives and cars. A museum building houses railroad artifacts, an archive, and photography gallery. A standard gauge track rings the grounds. An 80-foot (24 m) wooden observation tower has views of the Fox River and Green Bay.
The museum hosted an annual Day Out with Thomas event until 2019, in which Thomas the Tank Engine pulled young friends past the exhibited rolling stock. In October, it hosts "Terror on the Fox", the Green Bay Preble Optimist Club's haunted attraction that includes "haunted" train rides after dark. [7]
A $17 million project expanded the indoor display area and added a plaza along the river. [8] Opened on September 20, 2025, it used $7 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds contributed by the state of Wisconsin. [9]
Railroad | Class | Road number | Notes | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway | 5011 class (2-10-4) | 5017 | Built by Baldwin in July of 1944, 5017 is the museum's second largest locomotive, after the Big Boy, and is the only oil-burning steam locomotive in the museum's collection. 2736 was donated December 27th, 1959 by the Santa Fe Railroad President, Ernest S. Marsh. It is currently sitting in the Victor McCormick Train Pavillion. | ![]() |
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway | K-4 class 2-8-4 | 2736 | Built in 1944 by Alco, 2736 is one of 12 preserved C&O K-4s. 2736 was donated July 7th, 1961 by the C&O. It is currently sitting in the Victor McCormick Train Pavillion. | ![]() |
Lake Superior and Ishpeming Railroad | SC-4 2-8-0 Consolidation | 24 | Built in 1910 by Alco, 24 is the oldest locomotive in the museum's collection and one of the few steam locomotives to have operated there. It pulled train rides until 1972 when the boiler was deemed to thin for the engine to continue operation. 24 was donated in May of 1962 by the LS&I. It is currently sitting in the Victor McCormick Train Pavillion. | ![]() |
British Rail | A4 4-6-2 | 60008 Dwight D. Eisenhower | Built in 1937 at Doncaster Works, 60008 is the only British passenger locomotive in the United States, and one of two A4s displayed in North America; the other being 4489 Dominion of Canada. In 2012, it was temporarily shipped back to England for restoration and to be displayed alongside the other 5 A4s in an event known as "The Great Gathering". It returned to Green Bay in 2014. [10] Eisenhower was donated April 27, 1964 by British Railways and arrived the following month. It is currently preserved in the climate controlled Frederick J. Lenfesty Center. | ![]() |
Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway | E-1 class 2-10-2 | 506 | Built in 1917 by Alco, 506 is the first of ten E1 Class locomotives built for the Duluth Missabe & Northern. No. 506 was in service with the DM&IR until 1962 and was donated to the museum the same year. It is the only preserved member of it's class. 506 was donated in May of 1962 by the DM&IRR. It is currently sitting in the Victor McCormick Train Pavillion. | ![]() |
Ely-Thomas Lumber Co. | Shay | 5 | Built by Lima in 1917, 5 is the only narrow gauge locomotive at the museum, running on 3ft gauge track. 5 was donated by Mr. George Bantha Jr. in July of 1972. It is currently sitting largely dissassembled on a flatcar in the Victor McCormick Train Pavillion. | ![]() |
Pullman Company | 0-4-0ST | 29 | Built by Alco in 1923, 29 (previously known as the Brillion Pioneer) is one of the few steam locomotives to have operated at the museum. It pulled trains until it was banned by the City of Green Bay due to a chromium-lined chimney, which created toxic fumes. 29 was donated in August of 1961 by Mr. and Mrs. Harold Fuller. It is currently preserved in the climate controlled Frederick J. Lenfesty Center. | ![]() |
Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad (Soo Line) | H-23 class (4-6-2) | 2718 George Banta Jr. | Built by Alco in May of 1924, 2718 was the first piece to ever arrive at the museum. While technically obtained after the 261, it arrived earlier in the day than the 261. For the first few years of its time at the museum, the 2718 pulled excursion trains on the Soo Line's mainline with sister locomotive 2719. It was formerly retired in the early 60s. 2718 was donated by the Soo Line on March 10, 1958 and arrived at the museum later that year. It is currently sitting in the Victor McCormick Train Pavillion. | ![]() |
Sumter & Choctaw Railway | 2-8-2 | 102 | Built in June of 1924 by Baldwin, 102 is the only steam locomotive that still traverses the museum's working loop. While it arrived at the museum with a cracked boiler and has never steamed there, in 1988 the Green Bay and Western Railroad's Norwood shops built a faux tender for it using parts for a GE 45 ton diesel switcher. It is normally used for special events as the tender is underpowered and prone to overheating. 102 was donated June 5th, 1962 by the Marathon Paper Division of the American Can Co. It is currently sitting in the Victor McCormick Train Pavillion and it's original tender sits outside, behind the building. | ![]() |
United States Army | 10-36E 2-8-0 | 101 | Built by Baldwin sometime between 1916 and 1918, the 101 is the last example of it's class in preservation. After serving the United States Army in country during the first and second world wars, the 101 was shipped to Korea in 1951 to fight in the Korean War. While in Korea, it became property of the Republic of Korea and during this time it's cab was blown up. It was discovered by Col. George Simpson (who later became museum director) and reconstructed by Army Transporation Troops. 101 was donated in 1958 by President Sygman Rhee of the Republic of Korea. It is currently preserved in the climate controlled Frederick J. Lenfesty Center. | ![]() |
Union Pacific Railroad | 4000 class "Big Boy" 4-8-8-4 | 4017 | Built by Alco in December of 1944, Big Boy 4017 is one of the 8 remaining Big Boy type locomotives. An impromptu attempt to bring the locomotive to steam in 1970 was reportedly attempted by visiting rail crew from the Flying Scotsman, but was aborted after 20 tons of coal failed to heat the boiler enough to produce steam. [11] 4017 is the only Big Boy with a tender (from Big Boy 4023) from the 1944 order of Big Boys, whose tenders held a larger fuel capacity. 4017 was donated in July of 1961 by Chairman of the Union Pacific Railroad, E. Rolland Harriman (for whom 4017 was once named). | ![]() |
Railroad | Class | Road number | Notes | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|
Pennsylvania Railroad | GG1 | 4890 | PRR GG1 4890 at NRM, Green Bay, Wi in 2004. | ![]() |
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 observation car once served the Burlington Route, and has been recently restored. It is only used for certain events and is displayed outdoors. | ![]() ![]() |
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. | |
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 | From Dwight D. Eisenhower's command train, and is coupled behind the locomotive. | |
London and North Eastern Railway | LNER Teak Sleeper Dwight D. Eisenhower | 1592 | From Dwight D. Eisenhower's command train, and is coupled behind the locomotive (currently coated in armor plating) | ![]() |
Pullman Company | Sleeping car | Pullman 8667 "Lake Mitchell" | ||
Reading Company | X | Used as part of Terror on the Fox, a train ride during Halloween time. | ||
Reading Company | Y | Used as part of Terror on the Fox. | ||
Reading Company | Y | Currently painted as NRM "Josephine". | ||
Tennessee Central Railway | Business car | (Monon) 100 | ||
Union Pacific Railroad | Astra Dome diner | 8003 | Used on the City of Los Angeles (currently undergoing restoration in museum shops) |
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 | leased to Black Hills Packing Company | ![]() |
Illinois Central Gulf Railroad | Flatcar | 910302 | ||
Menasha Wooden Ware Company | Boxcar | 242 | This car is a replica | ![]() |
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 | From Merci Train | ![]() | |
Richter Vinegar Company | Vinegar tank car | 20 | ![]() | |
TTX Company | TOFC-service flatcar | 970837 | ||
Canadian National | Boxcar | 414266 | Donated to museum by Canadian National Railway [18] | |
Railroad | Type | Road number |
---|---|---|
Burlington Northern Railroad | Jordan spreader | 973127 |
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad | Dynamometer car | 30 |
Escanaba and Lake Superior Railroad | Flange plow | 100 |
Wisconsin Central Railway, subsidiary of the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad | Wrecking crane | W-1 |
Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad | Wrecking crane idler car | X- |
Railroad | Type | Road number | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Ahnapee and Western Railway | Bay window caboose | 33 | |
Chicago Great Western Railway | Cupola caboose | 622 | |
Chicago and North Western Transportation Company | Bay window caboose | 11217 | |
Illinois Central Railroad | Wide vision caboose | 199488 | |
(Ex Kickapoo Valley and Northern) Milwaukee Road | Caboose | 2 |
Railroad | Type | Road number |
---|---|---|
Anheuser-Busch | Plymouth 15 Tonner | X |
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad | 208351 | |
Kohler Co. | Trackmobile | X |
Schneider National | Semi-trailer | A508407 (Located on TTX Company TTWX 970837) |
The museum's archives hold corporate records and documents, annual reports, maps, mechanical and engineering drawings, oral histories, and ephemera. The holdings represent various railroad companies, labor unions, and fraternal organizations.
Its library holds works on the social, economic, political, and cultural aspects of U.S. railroading history.
The National Railroad Museum holds over 5,000 artifacts, including textiles, uniforms, tools and personal items.
Its photograph collection includes 15,000 photographic prints, slides, and film negatives of U.S. railroading since 1890.
In 1999, Frederick Bauer donated his collection of over three dozen drumheads to the museum. [19] Drumheads are one of the rarest railroading memorabilia. When train cars were removed from service many of these were scrapped along with the cars they were on. The gallery features touchscreen displays with narration to provide more information on the route symbolized on the drumhead.
As of 2019, the museum was working to raise money to build a roundhouse to surround its current buildings (except the train station) to shelter from the weather the locomotives and cars displayed in the open pavilion. [20]
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