Colorado Model Railroad Museum in Greeley, Colorado

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Greeley, Colorado · Updated October 19, 2026 · 12 min read

Model railroad museumOpen Monday and Thursday to Sunday; closed Tuesday and Wednesday

The Colorado Model Railroad Museum in Greeley is home to the Oregon, California and Eastern, a 5,500-square-foot HO scale railroad with more than 500 locomotives and 72 scale miles of track, built by founder David Trussell and volunteers who gave more than 40,000 hours to it.

  • 5,500-square-foot HO layout
  • 72 scale miles of track
  • More than 500 locomotives
  • Walk-through 1919 caboose
  • Opened to the public in 2009
  • Free for visitors with ADA needs

Colorado Model Railroad Museum at a glance

Hours
Monday and Thursday to Saturday 10 am to 4 pm, Sunday noon to 4 pm; closed Tuesday and Wednesday
Admission
Adults $15, seniors 65+ $13, kids 12 and under $9, ages 3 and under free; pay at the door (as of October 2026)
Seasonal events
Military Trains Weekend (Veterans Day), Night Trains, Summer Train Camp
Plan for
About 1 to 2 hours
Best for
Model railroaders, young train fans and grandparents with grandkids
Best ages
Ages 3 and up
Accessibility
All areas except the mezzanine are ADA compliant, and visitors with ADA needs get free admission. Service animals are welcome.

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

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Colorado Model Railroad 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 Greeley.

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.

David Trussell's dream, built one tree at a time

The museum began as the dream of founder and builder David Trussell in 1998. His idea was a model railroad that would not just look real but run like a real railroad, and it took more than seven years and over 40,000 volunteer hours to build. The result is the Oregon, California and Eastern, an HO scale railroad that fills 5,500 square feet inside a 10,000-square-foot open span building in Greeley.

When it opened to the public in 2009, the OC&E quickly drew attention from the hobby's best-known voices. A longtime senior editor of Model Railroader magazine called it the finest model railroad he had ever seen, adding that the model railroad of the future had arrived. Since then it has welcomed visitors from more than 60 countries and all 50 states.

The layout now carries more than 500 locomotives and thousands of freight and passenger cars on 72 scale miles of fully connected track, through scenery that includes more than 20,000 hand-placed miniature trees. On many days a dispatcher controls the traffic, and on others a custom computer system runs it. Volunteers still keep it all going, and they are a big part of the visit: the wide aisles let you stand right beside them and ask questions.

The museum is a nonprofit whose mission is a model railroading experience that educates, inspires and brings joy to all ages. Grants from local foundations, patrons, a brick campaign and model railroad manufacturers help keep the trains moving.

Mountain vistas in miniature and a real caboose

The OC&E is the centerpiece. Unlike many public layouts behind glass, this one has wide, walk-in aisles that put you right among the mountains, towns and canyons, with trains rolling past at eye level. There is a mezzanine for a view from above. Look closely at the scenery, because the Eye Spy game at the front desk sends you hunting for tiny details, and a self-guided tour sheet is available there too.

Beyond the layout, the museum collects real railroading artifacts, including a switch key collection, railroad lanterns and Colorado and Southern caboose No. 10583, built in 1919, which you can explore inside and out. A Lionel trains collection and a Department 56 Christmas Villages collection add more to see, and the Little Shop that Could sells gifts for all ages.

Don’t miss

  1. The Oregon, California and Eastern layoutSeventy-two scale miles of connected HO track and more than 500 locomotives, operated like a real railroad by a dispatcher or a computer system.
  2. Colorado and Southern caboose No. 10583Built in 1919, it is open for visitors to walk through and inspect up close.
  3. The Eye Spy gameA search-and-find challenge that turns the 20,000-tree scenery into a treasure hunt for kids and adults.
  4. Department 56 Christmas VillagesA holiday village collection that fits right in with the museum's winter Night Trains.
  5. Lionel Trains CollectionA look at the classic toy trains many grandparents grew up with.

Legos, Thomas and a caboose to climb into

Kids have plenty to do beyond watching trains. There is an Eye Spy game, Lego building, a play area with Thomas the Tank Engine, simulators and the 1919 caboose. The layout itself is hands-off, but several interactive stations around the exhibit let kids push buttons and see things move. If anything drops into the scenery, tell a volunteer and they will fish it out.

In summer, the museum runs a week-long Summer Train Camp with Legos, a dinosaur dig, train safety lessons, crafts and games, and the CMRMKids website has more activities. Food and drinks stay in the lobby, so plan snack breaks there.

Plan your visit: tips for Colorado Model Railroad Museum

  • Tickets are sold at the door, not online.
  • The museum is closed Tuesdays, Wednesdays and major holidays, including Easter and the summer holiday Mondays.
  • Photos and videos are encouraged; tag #COmodelRRmuseum.
  • If you arrive from out of town and find it closed, the museum says to call or knock.
  • Ask at the front desk for the self-guided tour and the Eye Spy game.

The museum marks the seasons with themed operating days. Military Trains Weekend around Veterans Day runs military model trains, with free admission for veterans and active military, and Night Trains evenings dim the lights so lighted passenger trains glow through the scenery, setting a holiday mood alongside the Christmas village collection. For full-size holiday rides, see our list of Christmas train rides in Colorado.

Volunteers on the layout and supporters behind it

The Colorado Model Railroad Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit kept running by volunteers, who also answer questions in the aisles. Visitors can help by becoming members (with discounts and event access), joining the brick campaign, donating, shopping in the Little Shop that Could or training to become an operator on the OC&E.

Pair Greeley with these rail stops

Head about 49 miles north to the Cheyenne Depot Museum in Wyoming, or about 47 miles south to the Forney Museum of Transportation in Denver. Full-size trains and rides wait at the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden, about 52 miles away. Find more on our Colorado train museums page.

Every train museum in Colorado

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of Rally the corgi dreaming about his toy turtle, green bone and yellow ball
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

Someone hand-placed more than 20,000 tiny trees on this layout, and I love that kind of patience. Rally packs with the same care in our book: his turtle toy, his green bone and his yellow ball, each one chosen. My kids like to count the items out loud, the way I imagine children here counting miniature trains. If your little reader likes small details, our train books for toddlers list has more to pore over.

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

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

Work or volunteer at Colorado Model Railroad 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.

Colorado Model Railroad Museum: 20 questions before your visit

Where is the Colorado Model Railroad Museum?

The Colorado Model Railroad Museum is at 680 10th Street, Greeley, Colorado 80631, in downtown Greeley. Call (970) 392-2934 for directions. The museum partners with the DoubleTree by Hilton in downtown Greeley, which offers museum visitors 15 percent off a stay through the museum's booking link.

What are the Colorado Model Railroad Museum hours?

As of October 2026, the museum is open Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm and Sunday from noon to 4 pm. It is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and on New Year's Day, Easter, Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Special December hours are posted on its contact page.

How much are Colorado Model Railroad Museum tickets?

As of October 2026, admission is $15 for adults, $13 for seniors 65 and up, $9 for kids 12 and under, and free for ages 3 and under. Tickets are sold at the door. Visitors with ADA needs get free admission, because the mezzanine is not yet accessible.

How long does a visit to the Colorado Model Railroad Museum take?

The museum says most visits take about an hour to an hour and a half, depending on how long you spend on the Eye Spy game. Its about page suggests planning at least two hours if you want to take in the whole layout in detail, so serious modelers should leave extra time.

How big is the Colorado Model Railroad Museum layout?

The Oregon, California and Eastern layout covers 5,500 square feet inside a 10,000-square-foot open span building. It has more than 500 locomotives, thousands of freight and passenger cars, 72 scale miles of connected HO track and more than 20,000 miniature trees.

Who built the Colorado Model Railroad Museum?

The layout was the dream of founder and builder David Trussell, who began planning it in 1998. It took more than seven years and over 40,000 volunteer hours to complete, and it opened to the public in 2009. The museum is now run as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by volunteers and donors.

Is there a track plan for the Colorado Model Railroad Museum layout?

The museum does not post a detailed track plan on its visitor pages. The OC&E is an HO scale layout with 72 scale miles of fully connected track, run by a dispatcher on many days and by a computer system on others. For layout details, ask a volunteer in the aisles or contact tours@cmrm.org.

Can you operate a train at the Colorado Model Railroad Museum?

Not on a casual visit, but you can learn. Operating on the Oregon, California and Eastern requires a two-day training process, and the museum's website explains how to sign up. Visitors can still use the many interactive stations around the exhibit, though the layout itself is hands-off.

Is the Colorado Model Railroad Museum good for kids?

Yes. Kids can play the Eye Spy game, build with Legos, visit a Thomas the Tank Engine play area, try simulators and walk through a 1919 caboose. The layout's wide aisles make it easy for small children to see, and the museum also runs a Summer Train Camp for kids.

Is the Colorado Model Railroad Museum wheelchair accessible?

All areas except the mezzanine are ADA compliant. Because the mezzanine cannot be made accessible for now, the museum offers free admission to visitors with ADA needs. Service animals are welcome. Call (970) 392-2934 if you have questions before your visit.

Can you take photos and videos at the Colorado Model Railroad Museum?

Yes. The museum encourages pictures and videos and invites visitors to share them on social media with #COmodelRRmuseum. Its YouTube channel and a Virtual Railfan feature also let you watch the trains run from home if you cannot visit in person.

Does the Colorado Model Railroad Museum have a YouTube channel?

Yes. The museum has its own YouTube channel with videos of the OC&E layout, and it offers a Virtual Railfan option for watching trains online. Modeler Bill Rogers also features many videos shot at the museum on his own site about trains and his personal layout.

What do reviews say about the Colorado Model Railroad Museum?

A longtime senior editor of Model Railroader magazine called the OC&E the finest model railroad he had ever seen. Travel guides describe it as America's most scenic model railroad. Visitors have come from more than 60 countries and all 50 states, and Tripadvisor carries many recent reviews.

What is the caboose at the Colorado Model Railroad Museum?

It is Colorado and Southern caboose No. 10583, built in 1919. Visitors can inspect it inside and out, and it is a favorite with kids. It joins other real railroad artifacts in the museum, such as a switch key collection and a lantern collection.

Does the Colorado Model Railroad Museum have holiday events?

Yes. As of October 2026, Night Trains featuring lighted passenger trains runs December 26 from 5 pm to 7 pm, and the museum posts special holiday hours from December 21 to 31. It closes on Christmas and New Year's Day. Its Department 56 Christmas Villages collection adds holiday spirit.

Is there a Veterans Day event at the Colorado Model Railroad Museum?

Yes. Military Trains Weekend runs November 6 to 8, 2026, during normal operating hours, with military model trains on the layout. Veterans and active military members get free admission all weekend. Check the museum's events page for the latest details.

Does the Colorado Model Railroad Museum offer group tours or rentals?

Yes. A self-guided tour is available at the front desk, and the museum offers group discounts, private tours and private facility rentals. Email tours@cmrm.org or call (970) 392-2934 to ask about dates, rates and what is included.

Can you bring food or pets into the Colorado Model Railroad Museum?

Food and drink are allowed only in the museum lobby, not around the layout. Service animals are welcome, but other pets are not mentioned as allowed. For a meal before or after, the museum points visitors to the restaurants in downtown Greeley.

How can I support or join the Colorado Model Railroad Museum?

You can become a member for special discounts and event access, buy a brick through the museum's brick campaign, donate, or volunteer. Members of the public can also train to become operators on the OC&E. Sign up for the newsletter on the museum's website to hear about events.

Is the Colorado Model Railroad Museum the same as the Colorado Railroad Museum?

No. The Colorado Model Railroad Museum in Greeley is built around the OC&E model layout. The Colorado Railroad Museum is a separate museum in Golden, about 52 miles away, with full-size locomotives and train rides. Both make a good pair for a train-loving family.

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Kelsey Cecil
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