Photo by Dough4872, via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
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About Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
Inside the 100,000‑square‑foot Rolling Stock Hall, guests explore more than one hundred historic locomotives and cars, climbing aboard select pieces and walking beneath the 62‑ton PRR 1187 on a pit view. Closed‑circuit monitors reveal ongoing restorations, while interactive exhibits and model layouts illustrate Pennsylvania’s rail legacy. The museum’s 18‑acre grounds also include an observation bridge, a hands‑on education center, library, archives, and an outdoor display yard.
History
The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania is created by a 1963 act of the Pennsylvania legislature, the state purchases the 18‑acre site in 1966 and breaks ground for the museum in 1972. George Michener Hart becomes the museum’s first director in 1969, and the institution opens to the public on April 1, 1975, operating in the nation’s first building ever constructed specifically as a railroad museum. Administration rests with the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, with ongoing support from the Friends of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. In June 1995 Rolling Stock Hall expands from its original 45,000 sq ft to 100,000 sq ft, and a newly designed entrance and gift shop open in June 2007. Construction of a roundhouse for larger locomotives begins in July 2025, with completion projected for late 2026 or early 2027.
The Trains
The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania displays more than one hundred historic locomotives and cars, including PRR 1223 (the “Hello, Dolly!” engine), PRR 7002 (a recreation of the original #7002 that once reached 127.1 mph), PRR 460 “Lindbergh Engine,” PRR 1187 built in 1888, PRR 3750 (the official steam locomotive of the Commonwealth), the 1875 Virginia & Truckee Railroad 2‑6‑0 “Tahoe,” fireless steam locomotives Bethlehem Steel #111 and Pennsylvania Power & Light #4094‑D, geared Shay Leetonia Railway #1, Heisler Chicago Mill & Lumber Company #4, Climax W. H. Mason Company #1, electric PRR GG1 prototype #4800, PRR GG1 #4935, Amtrak E60 #603 and EMD AEM‑7 #915, as well as replicas of the John Bull (1831) and John Stevens (1825). Car collection highlights include a PRR P70 passenger car, a B60 baggage car, an N5c caboose, several wood‑bodied freight and passenger cars, and the early all‑steel passenger car PRR 1651. The museum sits on 18 acres beside the Strasburg Rail Road, whose line runs through Strasburg, Pennsylvania, and the site includes Rolling Stock Hall (100,000 sq ft) and an outdoor yard where larger pieces are displayed.
Nearby
Near the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, the Ma & Pa Railroad Heritage Village lies about 21 mi off and the Stewartstown Railroad Company roughly 28 mi away.
Where to Stay
Bookings made through this map support usatrainrides at no extra cost to you.
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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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Book tours & activities near Strasburg
Pre-book guided tours and things to do around the area.
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More in Pennsylvania
All train rides in Pennsylvania →Train Types in Pennsylvania
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