About C&O Railway Heritage Center
Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society's railway heritage museum in Clifton Forge; restored depot, rolling stock, model layout; no scheduled excursions but periodic open-cab and special events.
At a Glance
Verified daily- Type
- Heritage railroad & tourist attraction
- Location
- VA
- Rating
- 4.7 ★ 245 Google reviews
Upcoming Events
No ticketed events are currently listed for C&O Railway Heritage Center. Many heritage operators publish schedules seasonally or run on regular open hours instead of dated events.
Check the operator’s website for current hours and special runs, or subscribe to event alerts and we’ll email you when something is scheduled.
Plan Your Visit
- Accessibility
- Wheelchair-accessible entrance · accessible restroom · accessible parking
- Hours
- Monday: ClosedTuesday: ClosedWednesday: ClosedThursday: ClosedFriday: 11:00 AM – 4:00 PMSaturday: 11:00 AM – 4:00 PMSunday: 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Find the Depot
The Trains
The Heritage Center pairs its restored Clifton Forge depot with displays of railway rolling stock and a model railroad layout, and rather than running scheduled excursions it hosts periodic open-cab days and other special events. For well over a decade its signature exhibit was Chesapeake and Ohio No. 614, a 4-8-4 'Greenbrier' built by the Lima Locomotive Works in 1948, which stood on display at the center from 2011 until it departed in June 2025 for restoration to operating condition under new ownership.
History
See full history
Clifton Forge, Virginia grew up as a Chesapeake & Ohio railroad town — in earlier decades the railroad was the area's major employer — and the town remains a working rail center today, hosting a major locomotive fuel facility for CSX and an Amtrak stop on the Cardinal route. Clifton Forge is also home to the Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society and the C&O Railway Heritage Center it supports and operates: a museum organized around a restored depot, with rolling stock displays and a model railroad layout interpreting the C&O story. The center's highest-profile chapter came in 2011, when famed C&O 4-8-4 'Greenbrier' No. 614 arrived for repainting ahead of a planned Greenbrier Presidential Express; after that project was cancelled in 2012, the Lima-built locomotive remained on static display at the center until 2025, having been sold in November 2024 to a new owner restoring it to operating condition.
Around the Depot
Getting There & Staying Nearby
Optional trip extras from our travel partners.
Rent a Car
Most heritage railroads sit well off the interstate. Picking up a rental at the nearest airport is usually the easiest way in.
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Tours & Activities Nearby
Tours
Guided tours, day trips, and things to do around the area, bookable in advance through Viator.
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