Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum in Sugarcreek, Ohio

Oct 19

Sugarcreek, Ohio · Updated October 19, 2026 · 13 min read

Historic rail sitePublic tours April to November, Thursday to Saturday

The Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum is a working 18-stall brick roundhouse with a 115-foot turntable, built in Sugarcreek between 2008 and 2010 so restoration specialists could keep steam era locomotives, cars, tools and machinery in good order and share them with the public.

Working 18-stall brick roundhouse
115-foot turntable
Roundhouse finished in 2010
Guided tours April to November
Youth tours with a craft
Tour route on one level

Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum at a glance

Hours: Guided tours April to November, Thursday to Saturday at 10 am, 12 pm and 2 pm
Admission: Adults (17 to 64) $20, seniors and veterans $17, ages 3 to 16 $12, 2 and under free
Train rides: Caboose rides on select summer dates ($4); a steam-powered train ride is part of Santa Comes to the Roundhouse
Seasonal events: Santa Comes to the Roundhouse, Evening Lantern Tours, Steam to Victory, Touch-A-Truck, Touch-A-Train, Fall Steam Festival, Caboose Rides at the Roundhouse
Plan for: About 1.5 hours for a standard tour
Best for: Rail fans and families with school-age kids
Best ages: Ages 3 and up
Accessibility: The full tour route is on one level and wheelchair accessible.

Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.

Contact and directions

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Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum? Bring Rally along.

In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Sugarcreek.

Page 1 of 8

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

Like it so far? See the full book

25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.

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Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.

How a short line railroader built a roundhouse for the steam era

The roundhouse is the legacy of Jerry Joe Jacobson, born in 1943, who first trained as a nurse anesthetist in Lancaster, Pennsylvania before railroads took over his working life. On May 1, 1984 he bought Ohi-Rail. Four years later he began operating the Ohio Central over Norfolk Southern's former Zanesville Line, and in the spring of 1989 he started passenger excursions between Sugarcreek and Baltic, a tradition that ran for fifteen years.

Over the next decade and a half Jacobson grew a family of short lines around that start. The Columbus & Ohio River Railroad took over the Weirton Secondary in 1992, followed by the Warren & Trumbull in 1994, the Ohio & Pennsylvania in 1995 and the Pittsburgh & Ohio Central in 2000. In 2005 he took over CSX's half interest in the Newark and Cambridge Subdivisions, which gave the Ohio Central System its first true railyard.

On September 30, 2008 the Ohio Central System was sold to Genesee & Wyoming, and the same year construction began on the roundhouse in Sugarcreek. The building was finished in 2010. Jacobson married Laura Schlabach in 1988, and together they raised four children. He died on September 13, 2017.

The Jerry & Laura Jacobson Foundation was set up to develop, own and operate the museum. It collects rail cars and objects of lasting historical value, cares for them in the roundhouse, and runs educational programs that help visitors understand railroading. The restoration specialists who work on the collection every day are a big part of what makes a visit here different.

Inside the stalls, the shops and the turntable pit

Visits are built around guided tours led by the museum's interpreters. The standard Roundhouse Tour walks you through the 18-stall brick roundhouse, past steam locomotives and rolling stock, and out to the 115-foot turntable, while the guide explains how steam locomotives work and what roundhouses like this one were built to do. Expect the sounds and smells of a real shop, because restoration crews are often working on locomotives, cars, tools and machinery as you pass. A standard tour takes about an hour and a half.

The collection covers steam and diesel locomotives, freight and passenger equipment, work equipment and cabooses, including United States and Canadian pieces. For a deeper look, the three-hour Ferroequinologist Tour adds the Restoration Shop, Machine Shop and Store House, and Yard Tours take guests out to equipment that the regular walking tours do not reach.

Don’t miss

The 18-stall brick roundhouseBuilt new between 2008 and 2010, it is a working shop where the museum's steam locomotives live and are cared for.
The 115-foot turntableThe turntable is how locomotives get in and out of the stalls, and guides use it to explain how a roundhouse actually functioned.
The Restoration ShopRestoration specialists work here on locomotives and cars, and the extended Ferroequinologist Tour gives you more time inside.
Machine Shop and Store HouseTwo working shop spaces, included on the three-hour Ferroequinologist Tour.
The yard collectionYard Tours open up equipment that sits beyond the standard walking route, a good choice for repeat visitors and serious rail fans.

Youth Tours, caboose rides and a day of big machines

The museum runs Youth Tours just for younger train fans and their families. These 45-minute tours start at 1 pm in the Depot Visitor Center on select afternoons from June through August, cover the steam locomotives, rolling stock and turntable in kid-friendly terms, and end with a small craft. On select summer days the museum also offers short caboose rides on its grounds.

Free family days add even more to climb and look at: Touch-A-Truck, Touch-A-Train in August puts emergency vehicles, semis and farm tractors alongside the trains. The tour route is on one level and works for wheelchairs, and everyone needs closed-toe shoes with soles.

Plan your visit: tips for Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum

Buy tickets online: tickets are limited, and only online purchases guarantee your day and time.
Wear closed-toe shoes with soles; the museum requires soled footwear.
Tours do not run on Sundays.
Cancellations are refundable up to 24 hours before the tour, minus processing fees.
Groups of 20 or more should book at least 30 days ahead.

Each holiday season, Santa Comes to the Roundhouse lets families climb aboard a steam-powered train for the trip to the roundhouse, where Santa waits among the historic steam locomotives. On other evenings, the Evening Lantern Tours lead families through the grounds by the light of an old oil lantern, with ghost stories and railroad legends along the way. Dates are posted on the museum's events page, and you can see our list of Christmas train rides in Ohio for more holiday ideas.

The foundation and the restoration crew

The Jerry & Laura Jacobson Foundation owns and operates the museum, and its restoration specialists do the daily work of preserving the collection. Visitors help most by buying a tour ticket, booking a group visit, or coming out for the free festival days, and you can follow the museum on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to keep up with restoration news.

Rail stops a short drive from Sugarcreek

The Dennison Railroad Depot Museum is only about 19 miles away and pairs well with a morning roundhouse tour. The Orrville Railroad Heritage Society is about 26 miles north, and the Byesville Scenic Railway is about 36 miles away if the kids want a ride. For more, browse every train museum in Ohio.

Every train museum in Ohio

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor view from inside a dark tunnel looking out at a sunny beach and cliffs — From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

The Evening Lantern Tours here go through the roundhouse by the glow of an old oil lantern, and I keep picturing small faces watching that light bob in the dark. It reminds me of the tunnel in our book: everything goes dark, then there's a big bright light and happy cheers. My mom dreamed up that moment before she died in 2021. You can read how her idea became a book on our story page.

Free for train families

Print the Rally coloring pages before you go

Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.

Get the free coloring pages

A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.

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Every Amtrak route with kids

Work or volunteer at Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum?

We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.

Sources

Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.

Age of Steam Roundhouse: 20 questions visitors ask

Where is the Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum?

The Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum is at 213 Smokey Lane Rd SW, Sugarcreek, Ohio 44681. Sugarcreek sits in Ohio's Amish Country, and the museum's Youth Tours start from its Depot Visitor Center. Put the Smokey Lane address in your GPS, and call (330) 852-4676 if you need help finding the entrance.

Is the Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum in Sugarcreek, Ohio worth visiting?

For anyone who loves steam locomotives, it is a rare chance to walk through a working roundhouse rather than a static display. Interpreters lead each tour through the 18-stall building and out to the 115-foot turntable, and restoration crews are often at work on the collection. Families with younger kids can pick the shorter Youth Tours in summer.

What is the Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum?

It is a museum built around a fully operational 18-stall brick roundhouse and a 115-foot turntable in Sugarcreek, Ohio. The building houses steam and diesel locomotives, railroad cars, tools and machinery, and restoration specialists work there to preserve them. The Jerry & Laura Jacobson Foundation owns and funds it and opens it to the public for guided tours.

When was the Age of Steam roundhouse built?

Construction of the roundhouse began in 2008, after the Ohio Central System was sold to Genesee & Wyoming on September 30 of that year, and the building was completed in 2010. It was built from the start as a working roundhouse, with 18 brick stalls and a 115-foot turntable, to house Jerry Jacobson's collection.

What are the Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum hours?

As of October 2026, public Roundhouse Tours run April through November on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, with start times of 10:00 am, 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm. The museum is a guided tour site, so plan around those times rather than dropping in. There are no tours on Sundays, and off season visits are handled case by case.

How much are Age of Steam Roundhouse tickets?

As of October 2026, Roundhouse Tour tickets are $20 for adults ages 17 to 64, $17 for seniors 65 and up and for veterans, $12 for youths ages 3 to 16, and free for children 2 and under. Special tours and events are priced separately. Check ageofsteamroundhouse.org for current prices before you go.

Should I buy Age of Steam Roundhouse tickets online?

Yes. Tickets are limited, and while you can buy them at the ticket counter, the museum says only online purchases are guaranteed for your chosen day and time. Tickets can be refunded if you cancel at least 24 hours before the tour, though processing fees are not returned, and no refunds are given inside that window.

How long does an Age of Steam Roundhouse tour take?

A standard Roundhouse Tour lasts about an hour and a half, so plan your day in Sugarcreek around that. The Youth Tour is shorter at about 45 minutes, and the Ferroequinologist Tour is an extended three-hour guided visit. Add a little time at the start to check in at the Depot Visitor Center.

Are there Age of Steam Roundhouse tours for kids?

Yes. Youth Tours are 45-minute interpretive tours for younger train fans and their families, starting at 1:00 pm in the Depot Visitor Center on select afternoons from June through August. Kids learn how steam locomotives and roundhouses work and finish with a small craft. As of October 2026, children 3 to 16 are $5, adults $10, and under 3 free.

Can you ride a train at the Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum?

Regular tours are on foot, not by train. The museum does offer Caboose Rides at the Roundhouse on select summer dates, at $4 per ride on its posted schedule, and the holiday Santa Comes to the Roundhouse event includes a steam-powered train ride to the roundhouse. Check the events page for current dates.

Does the Age of Steam Roundhouse do a Christmas event?

Yes. Santa Comes to the Roundhouse invites families to board a steam-powered train that carries them to the roundhouse, where Santa waits among the historic steam locomotives. Dates and tickets are posted on the museum's events page, and you can call (330) 852-4676 with questions about the season's schedule.

What are the Evening Lantern Tours at the Age of Steam Roundhouse?

Evening Lantern Tours are family-friendly after-dark visits led by the light of an old oil lantern, with ghostly tales and stories of railroad legends along the way. They are a different way to see the roundhouse than a daytime tour. The museum lists dates on its events page, so check there for the current schedule.

Is the Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum wheelchair accessible?

Yes. The museum says the entire tour route is on one level and accessible for wheelchairs, which covers the walk through the roundhouse on the standard guided tour. If you are visiting with a group or need special arrangements, call (330) 852-4676 or email info@ageofsteamroundhouse.org ahead of time.

What should I wear to the Age of Steam Roundhouse?

Wear real shoes. The museum requires soled footwear and strongly recommends comfortable, closed-toe shoes, since this is a working roundhouse with shop floors and rail equipment. Leave the flip-flops and sandals in the car, and if you have questions about what counts as suitable footwear, call (330) 852-4676 before you go.

Does the Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum offer group tours?

Yes, for groups of 20 or more. As of October 2026, group tours run during the April to November season, Tuesday through Saturday at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm, and last about an hour and a half. Groups must book at least 30 days ahead with a $100 nonrefundable deposit. Email grouptours@ageofsteamroundhouse.org.

What is the Ferroequinologist Tour at the Age of Steam Roundhouse?

The Ferroequinologist Tour is the museum's most in-depth option: an extended three-hour guided visit covering the steam locomotive collection, Restoration Shop, turntable, Machine Shop and Store House. With its three-hour length, it suits serious rail fans and older kids better than toddlers. Tickets and dates are on the museum's events page.

What are Yard Tours at the Age of Steam Roundhouse?

Yard Tours take guests to pieces of railroad equipment in the collection that are normally out of reach on the standard walking tours. They are a good second visit once you have seen the roundhouse itself. Tickets are sold separately through the museum's website, which lists available dates.

Who founded the Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum?

The museum is the legacy of Jerry Joe Jacobson, who built the Ohio Central System of short line railroads starting in the 1980s and ran passenger excursions between Sugarcreek and Baltic for fifteen years. He and his wife Laura created the Jerry & Laura Jacobson Foundation, which develops, owns and operates the museum. He died in 2017.

Are there free events at the Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum?

Yes, a few each year. Touch-A-Truck, Touch-A-Train lets kids explore emergency vehicles, semis and farm tractors alongside the trains, and the Fall Steam Festival celebrates steam machines, vintage base ball and more. Both are listed as free, with some exceptions marked on the event pages. Steam to Victory honors railroads' role in World War II.

What train museums are near the Age of Steam Roundhouse?

The Dennison Railroad Depot Museum is about 19 miles away, the Orrville Railroad Heritage Society about 26 miles, and the Byesville Scenic Railway about 36 miles. The Northern Ohio Railway Museum and the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad are both a little over 40 miles away, so Sugarcreek works well as a base for a rail weekend.

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Kelsey Cecil