Museums & Heritage Railroads
Our region features dozens of railroad museums, many offering rides on their vintage equipment to the public. To get days and hours of operation, go to their website and see everything they offer. Once again we are just listing within a resonable drive from Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana. There are other great museums and tourist railroads in these states as well that would require an overnight trip and are worth visiting.
Several of these museums and heritage railroads offer other themed rides: Easter Bunny Trains, Pumpkin Trains, Ghost Trains, visits from Thomas the Tank Engine, and Christmas/Santa Trains...all of which are are extremely popular with families with children of all ages. We invite you to visit their websites through the links provide or contact them directly to see what they offer.
We have marked the museums that offer rides on operating equipment with a 🚂
Several of these museums and heritage railroads offer other themed rides: Easter Bunny Trains, Pumpkin Trains, Ghost Trains, visits from Thomas the Tank Engine, and Christmas/Santa Trains...all of which are are extremely popular with families with children of all ages. We invite you to visit their websites through the links provide or contact them directly to see what they offer.
We have marked the museums that offer rides on operating equipment with a 🚂
Illinois
Museum of Science and Industry
Chicago (Hyde Park), IL Pullman Factory and Company Town Chicago (Pullman), IL Chicago Great Western Depot Museum Elizabeth, IL Silver Creek and Stephenson Railroad 🚂 Freeport, IL |
Indiana
Monon Connection Museum and Whistlestop Restaurant
Monon, IN French Lick Scenic Railway 🚂 Rail Trolley at French Lick Resort 🚂 French Lick, IN Griffith Historical Society Griffith, IN Indiana Transportation Museum Logansport, IN |
Indiana Rail Experience, featuring Nickel Plate 765 and the Indiana Northeastern Railroad 🚂
New Haven (Fort Wayne), IN Several locations in IN, OH, and MI Whitewater Valley Railroad 🚂
Connersville, IN National New York Central Railroad Museum Elkhart, IN Nickel Plate Express 🚂 Nobleville, IN |
Iowa
Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad 🚂
and James H. Andrew Railroad Museum
Boone, IA
Old Threshers Reunion:
Midwest Central Railroad 🚂
Midwest Electric Railroad 🚂
Mt. Pleasant, IA
and James H. Andrew Railroad Museum
Boone, IA
Old Threshers Reunion:
Midwest Central Railroad 🚂
Midwest Electric Railroad 🚂
Mt. Pleasant, IA
Michigan
Little River Railroad 🚂 Coldwater, MI Henry Ford Museum: Greenfield Village - Railroad Junction 🚂 Henry Ford Museum Railroad Exhibit Dearborn, MI New Buffalo Railroad Museum New Buffalo, MI |
Wisconsin
East Troy Electric Railroad Museum 🚂
East Troy, WI
National Railroad Museum 🚂
Green Bay, WI
Kenosha Streetcar Society 🚂
Kenosha, WI
Mid-Continent Railway Museum 🚂
North Freedom, WI
Wisconsin Great Northern 🚂
Spooner, WI
East Troy, WI
National Railroad Museum 🚂
Green Bay, WI
Kenosha Streetcar Society 🚂
Kenosha, WI
Mid-Continent Railway Museum 🚂
North Freedom, WI
Wisconsin Great Northern 🚂
Spooner, WI
Missouri
Large Scale Live Steam Railroads
Enjoy the sights and sounds of working steam locomotives in a smaller package, as each of these organizations offer rides behind smaller than full-size trains to the public.
Hesston Steam Museum 🚂 Hesston, IN Wabash Frisco and Pacific Railroad 🚂 Glencoe (Wildwood), MO Riverside and Great Northern 🚂 Wisconsin Dells, WI |
Operating Mainline Steam Locomotives
Although the opportunities to run them are few and far between, there are numerous organizations restoring and maintaining a full-sized steam locomotive. When one makes a public appearance, it is a special occasion.
Due to ongoing restrictions imposed by insurance requirements, along with the technical, regulatory, and generational changes in the railroad industry, your chance to see an operating steam locomotive outside of a few museums or tourist lines can be a rare event, but it can still happen.
Here is a list of locomotives based around, or scheduled to visit, the Midwest.
There are other resources that list operating steam locomotives across North America:
Contact the individual groups that maintain these locomotives for the latest information on when they will be running or how you can help support their restoration and operation.
Due to ongoing restrictions imposed by insurance requirements, along with the technical, regulatory, and generational changes in the railroad industry, your chance to see an operating steam locomotive outside of a few museums or tourist lines can be a rare event, but it can still happen.
Here is a list of locomotives based around, or scheduled to visit, the Midwest.
There are other resources that list operating steam locomotives across North America:
Contact the individual groups that maintain these locomotives for the latest information on when they will be running or how you can help support their restoration and operation.
SCHEDULED TO APPEAR IN THE CHICAGO AREA IN 2024:
Canadian Pacific 2816
CPKC Calgary, AL CP 2816 steam locomotive, The Empress, departs Calgary on April 14, 2024 to proudly celebrate the CPKC merger with a tour honoring their history and looking forward to an exciting future filled with opportunities for our railroaders, customers and communities. |
Union Pacifc 4014
Union Pacific Steam Program Cheyenne, WY Union Pacific's famed Big Boy No. 4014, the world’s largest steam locomotive, will return to the rails in 2024 for a tour celebrating the railroad’s deep history and connection to communities, and its employees on a tour expected to reach all four corners of Union Pacific’s 23-state system. |
OPERATIONAL OR BEING RESTORED IN THE MIDWEST:
Flagg Coal Company 75
Lehigh Valley Coal 125
Jeddo Coal Company 85
Gramling Locomotive Works
Ashley, IN
Unique in the steam locomotive preservation field, Gramling has assembled of fleet of working industrial steam locomotives that can be transported to anywhere in the country, giving any place or museum that doesn't usually have steam power the opportunity to host a working engine.
Lehigh Valley Coal 125
Jeddo Coal Company 85
Gramling Locomotive Works
Ashley, IN
Unique in the steam locomotive preservation field, Gramling has assembled of fleet of working industrial steam locomotives that can be transported to anywhere in the country, giving any place or museum that doesn't usually have steam power the opportunity to host a working engine.