Baltimore & Ohio Ellicott City Station Museum, Maryland
Depot museumFreeOpen Wednesday to Sunday; closed Mondays and Tuesdays
The Baltimore & Ohio Ellicott City Station Museum is the oldest railroad station in America, built in 1831 at the end of the first 13 miles of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, the nation's first common carrier railroad.
- Oldest railroad station in America
- Built in 1831
- National Historic Landmark since 1968
- Free admission
- HO model of the first 13 miles
- Restored 1927 caboose
Baltimore & Ohio Ellicott City Station Museum at a glance
- Hours
- Wednesday and Thursday 10 am to 3 pm; Friday to Sunday 10 am to 5 pm; closed Monday and Tuesday
- Admission
- Free; donations welcome. Guided tours by appointment, $10 per person
- Seasonal events
- Holiday Train Garden
- Plan for
- About 1 hour
- Best for
- Families with model train fans and history lovers
- Best ages
- Ages 3 and up
- Accessibility
- Two levels with stairs to the second floor and no elevator; an accessible ramp is outside in the Turntable Pit.
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Contact and directions
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to Baltimore & Ohio Ellicott City Station 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 Ellicott City.
Rally Takes the Train
Eight pages from the book
Turn the page
That's 8 of 25 pages
See who’s waiting at the station
Grandmommy and Papa are at the last stop. Get the full hand-painted book, $13.99 on Amazon.
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25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.
Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.
Where American railroading took its first steps
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was founded in 1827, named for its starting point and for the Ohio River it meant to reach, and it became the first common carrier railroad in the United States. Its first 13 miles of track ran west from Baltimore to the mill town then called Ellicott's Mills. Passenger service began in May 1830 with horse-drawn rail cars, and in August 1830 the B&O demonstrated the Tom Thumb, the first American-built steam locomotive, at Ellicott's Mills.
The stone station at the end of that line was built in 1831, first as a freight depot. In 1857 it was renovated to handle passengers as well. Passenger trains stopped calling at Ellicott City in 1949, but freight kept moving through until 1972. By then the building had already been named a National Historic Landmark, in 1968.
When the railroad left, the community stepped in. Historic Ellicott City, Inc. restored the station after its 1972 closure, and a second restoration in 1999 returned the building to its 1857 appearance. Today the Historic and Cultural Resources Section of the Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks manages the museum, keeps admission free and fills the calendar with programs for families, most famously the Holiday Train Garden.
Two floors of station life and a freight house model
The museum is on two levels. On the first floor you will find the gift store, restrooms and the Freight Agent's Office. Climb the stairs to the second floor for the Superintendent's Office, the Telegraph and Ticket Office, the Men's Waiting Room and the Car House, each set up to show how the station worked.
From the Waiting Room, platform doors lead outside to the Freight House. Inside is an HO-scale model, about 40 feet long, that recreates the B&O's first 13 miles from Baltimore to Ellicott City. Nearby sits the museum's recently restored caboose, built in 1927. Look for the Turntable Pit outside, which also holds the museum's accessible ramp.
Don’t miss
- The HO-scale model of the first 13 milesHoused in the Freight House, this long layout shows the original B&O route from Baltimore to Ellicott City in miniature.
- The 1927 cabooseRecently restored, it is the museum's piece of full-size rolling stock and a favorite with kids.
- The Telegraph and Ticket OfficeOn the second floor, it shows where agents sold tickets and handled the telegraph that kept the station in touch with the line.
- The Superintendent's Office and Men's Waiting RoomPeriod rooms that bring back the station as travelers and railroaders knew it.
- The Turntable PitThe outdoor pit of the station's turntable is part of the grounds and is also where the museum's accessible ramp is.
Model trains, a caboose and a holiday train garden
The Freight House model is the big draw for young train fans, with the whole original route laid out in HO scale, and the restored 1927 caboose gives them a full-size train car to see. Indoors, the old offices and waiting room work best for school-age kids who can picture travelers and telegraph operators. Free admission makes it easy to drop in for under an hour.
The second floor is up a flight of stairs and there is no elevator, so plan to carry little ones or fold the stroller. Each holiday season the Holiday Train Garden, billed as an event for all ages, is the museum's most popular time for families.
Plan your visit: tips for Baltimore & Ohio Ellicott City Station Museum
- Skip Mondays and Tuesdays, when the museum is closed.
- The museum is also closed on major holidays, including Thanksgiving, December 25 and January 1.
- Book a guided tour ahead with the museum manager for a deeper visit.
- Head through the Waiting Room's platform doors so you do not miss the Freight House model and caboose.
The museum's best-known event is its Holiday Train Garden, which opens in late November for visitors of all ages and turns the old station into a winter stop for model train fans. Check the Howard County Recreation and Parks special events listings for dates and times, and see our guide to Christmas train rides in Maryland to plan more holiday outings.
Restored by neighbors, run by the county
Historic Ellicott City, Inc. rescued and restored the station after the railroad left in 1972, and today the Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks runs it through its Historic and Cultural Resources Section, with a museum manager and assistant manager on site. Admission is free, so donations and gift store purchases help, and booking a guided tour is another good way to support the museum.
Following the B&O beyond Ellicott City
The other end of those first 13 miles is in Baltimore, where the B&O Railroad Museum is about 9 miles away. The Baltimore Streetcar Museum is about 10 miles off, and the Bowie Railroad Museum is about 18 miles south. For a full list, see all the train museums in Maryland.
- National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation / B&O Railroad MuseumBaltimore, MD · about 9 mi
- Baltimore Streetcar MuseumBaltimore, MD · about 10 mi
- National Capital Trolley MuseumColesville, MD · about 17 mi
- Bowie Railroad MuseumBowie, MD · about 18 mi
- Gaithersburg Community MuseumGaithersburg, MD · about 23 mi
- Union Stationhistoric railway terminal, DC · about 28 mi
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
The second floor here has the old Telegraph and Ticket Office, where travelers once bought their way onto the B&O. In our book Rally never needs a ticket counter, but he does meet Mr. Conductor, in a blue uniform, holding out a hand to welcome him aboard with Mom and Dad. That small kindness was my mom's favorite part of the story she dreamed up for us.
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.
Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)More for train families
- Train museums in Maryland: every museum by town, with a map
- Train museums in every state: search by town or near you
- Christmas train rides in Maryland
- Halloween train rides in Maryland
- Every Amtrak route with kids
Work or volunteer at Baltimore & Ohio Ellicott City Station 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.
B&O Ellicott City Station Museum: 20 questions visitors ask
What is the B&O Ellicott City Station Museum?
The Baltimore & Ohio Ellicott City Station Museum is the oldest railroad station in America, built in 1831 at the end of the first 13 miles of the B&O Railroad. Howard County Recreation and Parks runs it as a free museum with restored station rooms, an HO-scale model of the original route and a 1927 caboose.
Where is the Ellicott City train station museum?
The museum is at 3711 Maryland Avenue, Ellicott City, Maryland 21043. It is the original B&O station building at the end of the railroad's first 13 miles from Baltimore. Call the main line at (410) 313-1945 if you need directions.
What are the B&O Ellicott City Station Museum hours?
As of October 2026, the museum is open Wednesday and Thursday from 10 am to 3 pm and Friday through Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm. It is closed Mondays and Tuesdays, and also on January 1, Easter Sunday, Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and December 25.
How much does the B&O Ellicott City Station Museum cost?
Admission to the B&O Ellicott City Station Museum is free, and donations are welcome. If you want a guided tour, those are available by appointment for $10 per person as of October 2026. Self-guided visits during open hours cost nothing.
Is the Ellicott City station really the oldest in America?
Yes, the museum describes itself as the oldest railroad station in America. The building dates to 1831, though some guides give 1830, the year passenger service to Ellicott's Mills began. It was named a National Historic Landmark in 1968.
What is the history of the B&O Railroad's Ellicott City station?
The B&O was founded in 1827 as the nation's first common carrier railroad. Service to Ellicott's Mills began in May 1830 with horse-drawn cars. The station was built in 1831 as a freight depot and renovated for passengers in 1857. Passenger service ended in 1949 and freight in 1972.
What was the Tom Thumb at Ellicott City?
The Tom Thumb was the first American-built steam locomotive, and the B&O demonstrated it at Ellicott's Mills, as Ellicott City was then called, in August 1830. Before that, horse-drawn rail cars carried passengers between Baltimore and Ellicott's Mills. The museum tells the story of those earliest days of the line.
When is the Holiday Train Garden at the B&O Ellicott City Station Museum?
As of October 2026, the Holiday Train Garden is listed to start on November 27 and is open to all ages. It is the museum's signature holiday event. Check the Howard County Recreation and Parks special events listings or call (410) 313-1945 for the full run of dates and hours.
Does the B&O Ellicott City Station Museum have a model train?
Yes. The Freight House holds an HO-scale model, about 40 feet long, depicting the first 13 miles of the B&O Railroad from Baltimore to Ellicott City. Reach it through the platform doors in the Waiting Room. It is a favorite with kids and model railroaders alike.
Is there a caboose at the Ellicott City station?
Yes. The museum's recently restored caboose, built in 1927, sits outside near the Freight House. It is the museum's full-size piece of rolling stock, a good photo stop for young train fans, and a nice contrast with the tiny HO-scale trains in the Freight House next door.
What is inside the B&O Ellicott City Station?
The first floor holds the gift store, restrooms and the Freight Agent's Office. Upstairs are the Superintendent's Office, the Telegraph and Ticket Office, the Men's Waiting Room and the Car House. Outside are the Freight House with its HO model, the 1927 caboose and the Turntable Pit.
Is the B&O Ellicott City Station Museum accessible?
Partly. The museum is on two levels with stairs to the second floor and no elevator. There is an accessible ramp outside the building in the Turntable Pit. If you have specific access needs, call (410) 313-1945 before your visit so staff can help you plan.
Can I book a guided tour of the B&O Ellicott City Station?
Yes. Guided tours are available by appointment for $10 per person as of October 2026. To schedule one, contact museum manager Conor Conneally at (410) 313-2924 or cconneally@howardcountymd.gov. Tours are a good choice for school groups, scouts and rail fans who want more depth.
Is the B&O Ellicott City Station Museum good for kids?
Yes. The HO-scale model of the original route and the restored 1927 caboose are big hits with young train fans, and free admission means a short visit is no loss. The stairs to the second floor and the lack of an elevator are worth knowing about if you have a stroller.
Where can I see B&O Ellicott City Station Museum photos?
Howard County's museum page includes a historic photo gallery of the station, which is the best place to see old images before you go. No separate museum social media account is listed there, so the county's site is the main online source for pictures.
What do B&O Ellicott City Station Museum reviews say?
Visitors and travel guides most often single out the building itself, the oldest railroad station in America, and the long model of the B&O's first 13 miles. The free admission and the Holiday Train Garden also come up often in family recommendations.
Is the B&O Ellicott City Station part of the B&O Railroad Museum?
Some directories list it with the B&O Railroad Museum, but the Ellicott City station is run today by the Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks. The two are about 9 miles apart, and together they cover both ends of the B&O's first 13 miles of track.
What else is there to do in Ellicott City with kids?
The station museum is a natural first stop for a day in historic Ellicott City, since the railroad shaped the town's story. Pair it with the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore, about 9 miles away, or the Baltimore Streetcar Museum, about 10 miles away, for a full rail day.
Where can I eat near the B&O Ellicott City Station Museum?
The museum does not list restaurants or brunch spots on its page, and does not mention a café inside. It does have restrooms and a gift store on the first floor. Ask staff at the front desk for suggestions when you arrive, or call (410) 313-1945 before your visit.
Who runs the Ellicott City Station Museum?
The Historic and Cultural Resources Section of the Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks manages the museum, with Conor Conneally as museum manager and John Slavnik as assistant manager. The station was first restored by Historic Ellicott City, Inc. after its 1972 closure.
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