National Railroad Museum
The National Railroad Museum (reporting mark NRMX)[1] is a railroad museum located in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin, in suburban Green Bay.
Founded in 1956, by community volunteers in Green Bay, the National Railroad Museum is one of the oldest institutions in the United States dedicated to preserving and interpreting the nation's railroad history. Throughout its history, patron contributions have continued to create one of the largest railroad preservation institutions in the United States.
The National Railroad Museum has a large collection of rolling stock and spanning more than a century of railroading and a number of historic locomotives, including an Aerotrain, Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4017 (One of the world's largest steam locomotive types), 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.
In addition to the rolling stock, there is a museum building housing a wide variety of railroad artifacts, an archive, and photography gallery. There is also 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 Fox 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.
In October of every year in preparation for Halloween, the grounds of the museum are the site of the Green Bay Preble Optimist Club's haunted attraction, "Terror on the Fox", which uses the trains for "haunted" rides through the grounds after dark, along with other attractions.
History
The origin of the National Railroad Museum dates to 1956, when local residents 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.[2] 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.
Rolling stock collection
Steam locomotives
| Railroad | Class | Road number | Notes |
| Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway | 5011 class (2-10-4) | No. 5017 | |
| Chesapeake and Ohio Railway | K-4 class | No. 2736 | |
| Lake Superior and Ishpeming Railroad | SC-4 2-8-0 Consolidation | No. 24 | |
| London and North Eastern Railway, UK | A4 4-6-2 | 60008 Dwight D. Eisenhower | This locomotive is the only A4 class steam locomotive in the United States. 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. |
| 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 (4-6-2) | No. 2718 | |
| Sumter and Choctaw Railroad | 2-8-2 | No. 102 | Has diesel engine in tender |
| United States Army | 2-8-0 | No. 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 | No. 4017 | One of the largest articulated steam locomotives in the world. It is displayed in a climate controlled shed. |
Diesel locomotives
| Railroad | Class | Road number | Notes | |
| Wisconsin Central Limited (Ex - Fox River Valley) | EMD SD-24 | No. 2402 (CB&Q 510) | nee CBQ | |
| Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (Milwaukee Road) | E9A | No. 38A | ||
| Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (Milwaukee Road) | FM H-10-44 | No. 767 | ||
| Georgia-Pacific | Ex - South Buffalo Railway | Alco S-2 | No. 73 Ex - No. 63-146 | ||
| Georgia-Pacific Ex Fairport, Painesville and Eastern Railroad | Alco S-2 | No. 63-180 Ex - Company No. 103 | ||
| Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad | General Motors "Aerotrain" | Trainset No. 2 | Comes with the main engine and two cars. | |
| Green Bay and Western Railroad | Alco C430 | No. 315 | ||
| Manistique and Lake Superior Railway - Later Ann Arbor Railroad | Alco S-3 | No. 1 - Later No. 10. Currently painted as Green Bay Route No. 103 | ||
| Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway (later Minneapolis and St. Louis), and Tomahawk & Western | EMC NW1 | No. D538 - Later No. 90, then No. 90) | ||
| Soo Line Railroad (later Wisconsin Central Ltd.) | EMD GP30 | No. 715 | ||
| Southern Pacific Railroad | ALCO S-6 | No. 1203 - Currently painted as Green Bay Route No. 106 | ||
| St. Paul Union Depot | GE 44-ton switcher | No. 441 | ||
| United States Army | Center cab switcher | No. 106 | ||
| United States Army | ALCO RSD-1 | No. 8651 |
Electric locomotives
| Railroad | Class | Road number | Notes |
| Pennsylvania Railroad | GG1 | No. 4890 | This locomotive used to serve for Amtrak, and was later repainted as a Pennsylvania Railroad engine. |
Passenger cars
| Railroad | Type | Road number | Notes |
| Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway | Railway Post Office car | No. 57 | |
| Atlantic Coast Line Railroad | Dining Car | Dothan | |
| Chicago and North Western Railway | Bi-Level Passenger car | 32 | |
| Chicago and North Western Railway | Combination Baggage/Passenger car | No. 7411 | |
| Chicago and North Western Railway | Hospital Service Car | Joseph Lister | |
| Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad | observation car | No. 300 Silver Spirit | This observation car once served the Burlington Route, and has been recently restored. It is only used for the Polar Express line, and is displayed outdoors. |
| Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (Burlington Route) | 7 duplex bedroom, 4 section, 3 double bedroom, 1 compartment sleeping car | No. 1269 Poplar River (ex Great Northern—same name and number) | This train car was used on the Empire Builder |
| Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad(Burlington Route) | railway post office car | No. 2330 | |
| Green Bay and Western Railroad (Green Bay Route) | Combination Mail-Baggage-Express car | No. 21 (ex passenger coach No. 52) | |
| Lake Superior and Ishpeming Railroad | Passenger car | No. 62 | |
| Lake Superior and Ishpeming Railroad | Combination baggage/passenger car | No. 63 | |
| London and North Eastern Railway | Train Car from the Dwight D. Eisenhower | No. 1591 | From Dwight D. Eisenhower's command train, and is coupled behind the locomotive. |
| London and North Eastern Railway | Train Car from the Dwight D. Eisenhower | No. 1592 | From Dwight D. Eisenhower's command train, and is coupled behind the locomotive. |
| Northern Pacific Railway | Baggage car | No. 1594 | The Ex-Northern Pacific dining car No. 1668 |
| Pennsylvania Railroad | 10 roomette 5 double bedroom sleeping car No. 8077 | Cascade Cliff | |
| Pullman Company | sleeping car |Lake Mitchell (passenger car) | Pullman No. 8667 "Lake Mitchell" | |
| Reading Company | No. X | Used as part of Terror on the Fox, a train ride during Halloween time. | |
| Reading Company | No. Y | Used as part of Terror on the Fox | |
| Reading Company | No. Z | Currently painted as NRM "Josephine" | |
| Tennessee Central Railway | Business car | (Monon) No. 100 | |
| Union Pacific Railroad | Astra Dome dome diner | No. 8003 | Used on the City of Los Angeles |
Freight cars
| Railroad | Type | Road number | Notes |
| Akron, Canton & Youngstown | Outside braced boxcar | No. 3011 | |
| American Cyanamid | Covered hopper | No. CYX 134 | |
| Armour and Company | refrigerator car | PCX 4408 | |
| Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe | Flat car | No. 206983 | |
| Union Refrigerated Transit Company | refrigerator car | URTX 72733 | leased to Black Hills Packing Company |
| Illinois Central Gulf | Flat car | No. ICG 910302 | |
| Menasha Wooden Ware Company | boxcar | 242 | This car is actually a replica |
| Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway | ore hopper car | SOO 80374 | |
| Swift Refrigerator Line | wooden refrigerator car | No. SRLX5156 | |
| Standard Oil Company | Single-dome tank car | No. AMOX 9758 | |
| North American Car Company | double door boxcar | No. NADX 50143 | |
| North American Car Company | covered hopper | No. NAHX 30133 | |
| PLM Railway (France) | Forty-and-eights boxcar | From Merci Train | |
| Richter Vinegar Company | Vinegar tank car | No. RVCX 20 | |
| TTX Company | TOFC-service flat car | No. TTWX 970837 | |
Maintenance of way cars
| Railroad | Type | Road number | Notes |
| Burlington Northern Railroad | Jordan spreader | BN 973127 | |
| Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad | Dynamometer car | No. 30 | |
| Escanaba and Lake Superior Railroad | Flange plow | No. 100 | |
| Wisconsin Central Railway subsidiary of Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad ("Soo Line") | Wrecking Crane | W-1 | |
| Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad | Wrecking crane idler car | No. X- | |
Cabooses
{|class="wikitable"
|Railroad |Type |Road number |Notes |-
|Ahnapee and Western Railway |bay window caboose |No. 33 | |- |Chicago Great Western Railroad |Cupola caboose |No. 622 | |- |Chicago and North Western |Bay window caboose |No. 11217 | |- |Illinois Central |Wide vision caboose |No. 199488 | |- |Kickapoo Valley and Northern |Caboose |No. 2 | |- |Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern |Caboose |No. 189 - Currently Soo Line No. 593 |Sold and moved to Stone Lake WI.|- |}
Other equipment
| Railroad | Type | Road number | Notes |
| Anheuser-Busch | Plymouth 15 Tonner | No. X | |
| Chicago, Burlington and Quincy | No. 208351 | ||
| Kohler Company | Trackmobile | No. X | |
| Schneider National | Semi-trailer | No. A508407 - (Located on TTX Company No. TTWX 970837) | |
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 represent various railroad companies, labor unions, and fraternal organizations.
Library collection
The library collection represents a variety of topics surrounding 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.
Capital campaign
The museum is planning to construct a roundhouse that will surround the current buildings on the property (except the train station). This will provide protection from the weather for the locomotives and cars displayed in the open pavilion. The museum plans to invest in a two- to three-year fundraising effort to raise the money needed to construct the roundhouse.
See also
References
- ↑ Railinc, Search MARKs, accessed September 2009
- ↑ Congress recognizes the museum as the National Railroad Museum
http://nationalrrmuseum.org/support-giving/capital-campaign/
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to National_Railroad_Museum_(Green_Bay). |
Coordinates: 44°29′02.73″N 88°02′55.12″W / 44.4840917°N 88.0486444°W