National Railroad Museum

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).

The National Railroad Museum (reporting mark NRMX)^[2] is a railroad museum located in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin, US.

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
Coordinates	44°28′59.9″N 88°02′52.8″W
Type	Railway museum
CEO	Jacqueline Frank[1]
Website	nationalrrmuseum.org

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 one.

The Bauer Drumhead Collection. These drumheads were saved from scrapped locomotives and other railroading equipment.

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^[3] history. 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 of railroading. 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]

A museum building houses a wide variety of 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, where Thomas the Tank Engine pulls young friends past the exhibited rolling stock; and in October, "Terror on the Fox": Green Bay Preble Optimist Club's haunted attraction that includes "haunted" train rides after dark. The Frederick J. Lenfesty Center, an enclosed and climate-controlled structure, built in 2001, houses several of the unique and rarer locomotives and cars.^[7]

LNER/British Railways A4No. 60008 "Dwight D. Eisenhower" on display at the National Railroad Museum on September 16, 2010.

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

Expansion

A $15 million expansion project plan is currently under construction that will place a new plaza along the Fox River and an additional display building.^[8] The state of Wisconsin, through the use of American Rescue Plan Act funds is contributing $7 million to this project.^[9]

Rolling stock

Steam locomotives

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	Only A4 class steam locomotive in the United States, and one of two displayed in North America; the other being 4489 Dominion of Canada. It was temporarily displayed in England for the reuniting of the remaining six A4s. In 2014, the locomotive was returned to the museum. During its display in England, the locomotive was repainted to the accurate shade of Brunswick green.[10]
Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway	E-1 class	506	First of ten E1 Class Santa Fe type (2-10-2) locomotives built for the Duluth Missabe & Northern by Alco in 1919. No. 506 was in service with the DM&IR until 1962 and was donated to the museum the 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	Has diesel engine in tender
United States Army	2-8-0	101	This locomotive was used in Korea, and the Korean name of this is 'Consolidation type no. 2-101'. It was since returned to the United States and is placed on display in a climate controlled shed.
Union Pacific Railroad	4000 class "Big Boy"	4017	One of the largest articulated steam locomotives in the world. It is displayed in a climate controlled shed.

Diesel locomotives

Railroad	Model	Road number	Notes	Image
Wisconsin Central Ltd. (Ex - Fox River Valley Railroad)	EMD SD24[11]	2402 (CBQ 510)	Ex-CBQ, previously restored back to its Fox River Valley Railroad appearance.
Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (Milwaukee Road)	FM H-10-44[12]	767
Georgia Pacific Railway	Alco S-2	73 (Ex - 63–146)	EX-SBRR, Currently painted in Great Northern Orange and Green numbered 11 though it was never operated by GN
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad	General Motors Aerotrain[13]	Trainset 2	Comes with the main engine and two cars. One of only two surviving trainsets
Green Bay and Western Railroad	Alco C430[14]	315
Manistique and Lake Superior Railroad (Later Ann Arbor Railroad)	Alco S-3	1 (Later 10, Currently painted as GBW 103 though it never ran for the GBW)
Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway	EMD NW1	D538
Wisconsin Central Ltd.	EMD GP30	715	Ex-SOO
Southern Pacific Transportation Company	ALCO S-6	1201 (Currently painted as GBW 106)	Operational, mainly used for excursion runs around the museum property
United States Army	Whitcombe 44-ton switcher	106
United States Army	ALCO RSD-1	8651
Canadian National Railway	EMD E9	103	Donated by Canadian National Railway 2/2024[15]
Wisconsin Central Ltd.	EMD SW1500	1563	Donated by Canadian National Railway on 11/13/2019[16]

Green Bay and Western 106, a former Southern Pacific ALCO S-6 restored into GBW livery and used for museum excursions.

Wisconsin Central 715, a GP30.

PRR GG1 4890

The interior of observation car Silver Spirit

Electric locomotives

Railroad	Class	Road number	Notes	Image
Pennsylvania Railroad	GG1	4890

Passenger cars

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)

Freight cars

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[17]

Maintenance of way cars

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-

Cabooses

Kickapoo Valley and Western cupola caboose painted in the Milwaukee Road scheme

Chicago Great Western Railroad cupola caboose

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	Never actually worked for the CNW
Illinois Central Railroad	Wide vision caboose	199488
(Ex Kickapoo Valley and Northern) Milwaukee Road	Caboose	2

Other equipment

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)

Other collections

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.

Capital campaign

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.^[18]

See also

• List of heritage railroads in the United States