Gold Coast Railroad Museum in Miami, Florida

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Miami, Florida · Updated October 19, 2026 · 13 min read

Railroad museumTrain ridesOpen Wednesday to Sunday; closed Mondays and Tuesdays

Founded by a University of Miami student in the 1950s on the grounds of a World War II airship base, the Gold Coast Railroad Museum is one of Florida's three official state railroad museums and home of the armored presidential railcar Ferdinand Magellan.

  • Founded in 1957
  • Presidential car Ferdinand Magellan
  • Official Florida state railroad museum
  • Narrow gauge Link train rides
  • Built on a WWII blimp base
  • Next door to Zoo Miami

Gold Coast Railroad Museum at a glance

Hours
Wednesday to Friday 11 am to 4 pm; Saturday and Sunday 10 am to 4 pm; closed Monday, Tuesday and major holidays
Admission
Adults $12, ages 3 to 12 $10, seniors 65+ $8, 2 and under free; military free
Train rides
Link train $10 daily; first Saturday standard gauge coach ride $15; Saturday cab rides $20 and speeder rides $10
Plan for
About 2 to 3 hours
Best for
Families with young kids and presidential history fans
Best ages
Toddlers to age 12
Parking
Next to Zoo Miami; the museum is the second entrance on the right

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

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Gold Coast 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 Miami.

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.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

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

A college student, a sugar company engine and a blimp base

The museum traces back to August 1956, when University of Miami student William J. Godfrey learned that the university's south campus, the former Naval Air Station Richmond, held almost three miles of unused track. He pictured an operating steam engine there that could teach engineering and history, and he took the idea to university president Dr. Jay F.W. Pearson, who happened to be a rail fan himself.

The U.S. Sugar Company agreed to donate Florida East Coast locomotive #153. It left the sugar company on February 19, 1957 and was moved cold over Atlantic Coast Line, Florida East Coast and Seaboard Air Line rails, arriving on the south campus on April 12, 1957, where a welcoming crowd gathered on part of the Navy's old blimp landing pad. That same year the Miami Railroad Historical Society formed to care for and run the engine, led by Godfrey as president, Henry G. Dooley and Charles H. Rose III, with a founding board and early helpers such as Walter Locke, who later led the group and was known to dress as a convincing railroad hobo.

The society set up in part of an old wooden Navy warehouse they called Dogpatch Station and named their line the Gold Coast Railroad. On public Sundays, members in period dress ran the Gold Coast Special behind a live steam locomotive; in 1961 a ride cost 50 cents with admission. In April 1958 the government declared U.S. Car No. 1, the Ferdinand Magellan, surplus, and Godfrey moved quickly to bring the armored presidential car to Miami. In 1984 the Florida Legislature named Gold Coast one of the state's three official railroad museums. It remains a nonprofit run with the help of volunteer docents and members.

Presidents' car, steam 153 and a shed full of rail cars

The museum keeps more than 40 historic rail cars, many of them lined up along real track on the old air station grounds. The headliner is the Ferdinand Magellan, the armor-plated car used by Presidents Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower and Reagan. Nearby sits Florida East Coast steam locomotive #153, the engine that started it all. Other cars used in the museum's education program include Seaboard Air Line baggage coach #259 and U.S. Army hospital car #89436, and the wider roster runs from cabooses and boxcars to stainless steel sleepers and Chicago area commuter cars.

Behind the shed of rail cars, a separate model railroad building holds two operating O scale layouts, the Key West layout and the Flagler System layout, where vintage and modern Lionel trains run through detailed scenery. The East Coast HO Exhibitor's Society (ECHOES) runs a modular HO layout there too and swaps in new trains regularly. You will also find a Naval Air Station Richmond exhibit and Thomas play tables for small children.

Don’t miss

  1. Ferdinand Magellan, U.S. Car No. 1The armored presidential car carried Presidents Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower and Reagan, and the museum secured it after the government declared it surplus in 1958.
  2. Florida East Coast locomotive #153Donated by the U.S. Sugar Company and delivered in 1957, this steam engine is the reason the museum exists.
  3. The Link trainA one of a kind 2 foot narrow gauge locomotive, East Swamp & Gatorville #3, gives 10 minute rides around the back of the property past the rail yard.
  4. Key West and Flagler System O scale layoutsTwo detailed O scale model railroads in their own building, where Lionel trains run regularly.
  5. Naval Air Station Richmond exhibitIt tells the story of the second largest World War II airship base in the country, the ground the museum stands on.
  6. U.S. Army hospital car #89436One of the cars the museum calls irreplaceable for teaching visitors about the golden age of rail.

Thomas tables, a little train and a speeder

Young children usually head first to the Thomas play tables and the model train building, where the O scale and HO layouts keep trains moving. The Link train is the easiest ride for small kids: a 10 minute loop on a 2 foot narrow gauge train, offered several times a day when the weather allows. On Saturdays, older kids can ride the railroad speeder, which zips along close to the rails for about 20 minutes.

On the first Saturday of the month, families can take a 25 minute standard gauge ride around the whole property in a passenger car or caboose. Rides depend on volunteer staff and equipment, so call before you promise anyone a train. Much of the collection sits outdoors in South Florida sun, so plan water and shade breaks.

Plan your visit: tips for Gold Coast Railroad Museum

  • Call (305) 253-0063 before you go to confirm which rides are running that day.
  • AAA members get buy one, get one admission; Museums for All guests with EBT or WIC pay $3 for up to four people.
  • Only one discount can be used per transaction.
  • Pets are not allowed, but service animals are welcome.
  • Pair the visit with Zoo Miami, which is right next door.

Members, docents and a Miami model train club

The Gold Coast Railroad Museum is a nonprofit, and members can join its volunteer docents. Memberships run from $25 for an individual to $60 for a family plan with free admission for a year, store and event discounts and Link train rides. The ECHOES club keeps the HO layout running. To help, email volunteers@gcrm.org about volunteering or donations@gcrm.org about giving.

Keep going up the Florida rail map

The Boca Express Train Museum in Boca Raton, about 54 miles north, shows off two restored 1947 cars at a 1930 depot. The Flagler Museum in Palm Beach, about 79 miles away, tells the story of the man behind the Florida East Coast Railway, and the Sugar Express in Clewiston is about 85 miles inland. Browse train museums across Florida for more.

Every train museum in Florida

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of a dad lifting Rally the corgi up the big stairs of a red train car
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

On first Saturdays at Gold Coast, families can climb up into a real passenger car or caboose for a ride around the yard. Those steps on a full size car are tall, and I can just picture Rally stopping at the bottom, the way he does in our book, until Dad gives him a boost. Little legs need a little help sometimes. If your kids want to see Rally on the stairs, it is one of our free coloring pages.

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 Gold Coast 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.

Gold Coast Railroad Museum: 20 questions Miami families ask

Where is the Gold Coast Railroad Museum?

The Gold Coast Railroad Museum is at 12450 SW 152nd Street in Miami, Florida 33177, on the grounds of the former Naval Air Station Richmond. It sits right next to Zoo Miami: the museum says to take the second entrance on your right. Call (305) 253-0063 if you need directions.

What are the Gold Coast Railroad Museum hours?

As of October 2026, the museum is open Wednesday through Friday from 11 am to 4 pm and Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm. It is closed Mondays and Tuesdays, and on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. The museum notes that hours can change, so check its website before you go.

How much are Gold Coast Railroad Museum tickets?

As of October 2026, admission is $12 for adults, $10 for children ages 3 to 12, $8 for seniors 65 and older, and free for children 2 and under. Train rides are priced separately, from $10 for the Link train to $20 for a cab ride. Only one discount can be used per transaction.

Is the Gold Coast Railroad Museum free?

General admission is not free for most visitors, but some groups pay little or nothing. As of October 2026, military visitors get in free, Museums for All guests with EBT or WIC pay $3 for up to four people, AAA members get buy one, get one admission, and children 2 and under are always free. Members also get a year of free admission.

Is the Gold Coast Railroad Museum free on the first Saturday?

The museum does not post a free admission day on first Saturdays. The first Saturday of each month is when it runs its standard gauge coach rides, 25 minute trips around the property for $15 per person, so it is a popular day to visit. Regular admission prices and discounts still apply.

Can you ride a train at the Gold Coast Railroad Museum?

Yes. The 2 foot narrow gauge Link train gives 10 minute rides for $10, weekdays at 12, 1:30 and 3 pm and hourly on weekends from 11 am to 3 pm, weather permitting. Standard gauge coach rides run the first Saturday of each month. Rides depend on volunteers and equipment, so call (305) 253-0063 first.

Can you ride in the locomotive cab at Gold Coast Railroad Museum?

Yes. Cab rides put you beside the engineer for a 25 minute run around the property. As of October 2026 they cost $20 per person and are offered Saturdays at 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30. The museum recommends calling ahead to make sure cab rides are running that day.

What is the speeder ride at the Gold Coast Railroad Museum?

A railroad speeder is a small motor car that rides just feet above the rails, and the museum runs one every Saturday on the same route as its standard gauge train. As of October 2026, the 20 minute ride costs $10 per person, with departures from 10:30 am to 3:30 pm on the half hour.

What is the Ferdinand Magellan at the Gold Coast Railroad Museum?

The Ferdinand Magellan, U.S. Car No. 1, is the armor-plated railcar used by Presidents Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower and Reagan. When the federal government declared it surplus in April 1958, museum founder William Godfrey moved to bring it to Miami. It is the best known car in the collection.

Does the Gold Coast Railroad Museum have anything for Thomas the Tank Engine fans?

Yes, for the youngest fans. The museum has Thomas play tables where small children can push trains around, along with a model railroad building and the little Link train ride. The museum does not list a Day Out with Thomas event; check its events page or Facebook for current programs.

Does the Gold Coast Railroad Museum have a Polar Express or Christmas train?

The museum does not describe a Polar Express or Christmas train on its website. It does post special events on an upcoming events page, so check that page or the museum's Facebook account in the fall for holiday plans, or email events@gcrm.org. Note the museum is closed on Christmas Day and Thanksgiving.

Is the Gold Coast Railroad Museum haunted?

The museum itself does not make any haunted claims. Its grounds do carry real wartime history: it stands on the former Naval Air Station Richmond, a World War II blimp base whose Hangar 2 burned down on September 15, 1945. For any Halloween events, check the museum's events page or Facebook.

What events does the Gold Coast Railroad Museum hold?

The museum posts special events on an upcoming events page on its website and promotes them on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Event bookings, such as private gatherings, go through events@gcrm.org, and members get 10 percent off event bookings and special pricing on select events. Join the mailing list for updates.

Does the Gold Coast Railroad Museum have model trains?

Yes. A separate building behind the rail car shed holds two operating O scale layouts, the Key West layout and the Flagler System layout, where Lionel trains run. The East Coast HO Exhibitor's Society also runs a large modular HO layout there and changes the trains regularly, so repeat visits show something new.

How many trains are at the Gold Coast Railroad Museum?

The museum says it houses more than 40 historic rail cars, including the Ferdinand Magellan and Florida East Coast steam locomotive #153. Its roster includes cabooses, boxcars, stainless steel sleepers, a U.S. Army hospital car and commuter cars, and some equipment has been sold over time to keep the museum financially stable.

When was the Gold Coast Railroad Museum founded?

The idea took shape in 1956 when University of Miami student William J. Godfrey proposed running a steam engine on unused track at the south campus. FEC locomotive #153 arrived on April 12, 1957, and the Miami Railroad Historical Society formed that year. The museum became an official Florida state railroad museum in 1984.

Can I bring my dog to the Gold Coast Railroad Museum?

No. Pets are not allowed at the Gold Coast Railroad Museum, but service animals are welcome. If you are combining the trip with Zoo Miami next door, plan to leave pets at home for the day. Call (305) 253-0063 with any questions about service animals.

How long should you spend at the Gold Coast Railroad Museum?

Most families can see the rail cars, model train building and air station exhibit in about two to three hours, plus time for a ride. The Link train takes 10 minutes and the standard gauge, cab and speeder rides take 20 to 25 minutes. Many visitors pair it with a day at Zoo Miami next door.

How can I volunteer at or support the Gold Coast Railroad Museum?

Email volunteers@gcrm.org to volunteer, or donations@gcrm.org to give. Memberships range from $25 for an individual to $60 for a family of two adults and up to four children, and every level makes you eligible to join the volunteer docents. Family members also get Link ride passes and shop discounts.

What train museums are near the Gold Coast Railroad Museum?

The Boca Express Train Museum in Boca Raton is about 54 miles north, the Flagler Museum in Palm Beach about 79 miles, and the Sugar Express in Clewiston about 85 miles. The Railroad Museum of South Florida in Fort Myers is about 111 miles away across the state.

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