Golden Spike Tower and Visitor Center in North Platte, Nebraska

Written By Kelsey Cecil

North Platte, Nebraska · Updated October 19, 2026 · 12 min read

Historic rail siteOpen daily; later summer hours Memorial Day to Labor Day

The Golden Spike Tower and Visitor Center gives visitors the best view of Union Pacific's Bailey Yard, the world's largest classification rail yard, from two observation decks atop an eight-story tower in North Platte.

  • Overlooks the world's largest rail yard
  • Eight-story tower with elevators
  • Guides are former Union Pacific workers
  • Open daily year-round
  • Home base of North Platte Rail Days

Golden Spike Tower and Visitor Center at a glance

Hours
Daily 9 am to 5 pm Central; 9 am to 7 pm from Memorial Day through Labor Day
Admission
General admission prices are not posted online; call (308) 532-9920. Field trips $6 per person, bus tours $10 per person
Seasonal events
North Platte Rail Days (August), Twilight bus tours, Whistle Stop Birthdays
Plan for
About 1 to 2 hours
Best for
Rail fans, families and road-trippers on I-80
Best ages
All ages; toddlers to teens
Accessibility
Elevators run to the top of the tower.

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

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Golden Spike Tower and Visitor Center? 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 North Platte.

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.

Watching the yard that North Platte grew up around

North Platte has been a railroad town from the start. Union Pacific's chief engineer, Grenville Dodge, laid out the town while the transcontinental railroad was being built, picking the spot for its good water and its distance from Grand Island. The first train rolled through in 1866, when it was still a rough "Hell on Wheels" camp, and by 1867 Dodge had shops and winter quarters in place and mainline operations had begun. Two years later the rails from east and west met at Promontory Summit in Utah.

The railroad shaped everything that followed. Buffalo Bill Cody based his Scouts Rest Ranch here partly because the rails could carry his Wild West Show anywhere. From 1941 to 1946, volunteers at the North Platte Canteen greeted more than six million members of the armed forces with home-baked food during their 10-minute train stops. Passenger service ended in 1971 after roughly 105 years.

The freight railroad only kept growing. Bailey Yard, named for former Union Pacific president Edd H. Bailey, now covers about 2,850 acres and stretches some eight miles, sitting where key east-west and north-south corridors cross on the country's busiest freight line. The Golden Spike Tower was built so the public could finally see that work up close, and its guides, many of them retired Union Pacific employees, explain it from the people who did the job.

Eight stories above the hump

Your visit starts in the lobby with a welcome video on Union Pacific and Bailey Yard, then interpretive displays on the history of the railroad, the yard and North Platte. Areas inside include a Hall of Fame, a display on the Orphan Train, and dining car exhibits. Elevators carry you up to the 7th and 8th floor observation decks, where you can watch crews sort cars across the yard below.

From up top you are looking at two hump yards, one for eastbound and one for westbound trains. Cars are pushed over a mound, 34 feet high on the eastbound side and 20 feet on the westbound side, then roll by gravity into more than a hundred bowl tracks, about four cars a minute. Back on the ground, the outdoor courtyard flies 23 flags for the states Union Pacific serves, and the Brick Pavilion holds engraved bricks honoring railroad workers and community members. The gift shop, Railtown Trading Co., is stocked with train novelties for every age.

Don’t miss

  1. The 8th floor observation deckThe top of the eight-story tower gives the widest view of Bailey Yard, the largest classification rail yard in the world.
  2. The hump yardsWatch cars crest the eastbound and westbound humps and roll into the bowl tracks, the heart of how Bailey Yard sorts freight.
  3. The Orphan Train exhibitOne of the tower's interior displays, listed among its main areas to explore.
  4. The Brick PavilionCommemorative bricks carry the names of railroad employees and community members, given in memory, in honor or in recognition.
  5. The courtyard flagsTwenty-three state flags fly in the courtyard, one for each state Union Pacific serves.

Elevators, giant windows and trains in every direction

For a train-loving kid, there are few places with more trains in view at once. Children can ride the elevator to the top, press up to the observation deck windows and count locomotives moving through the yard. The visitor center offers Whistle Stop Birthdays, school field trips at $6 per student, and a Train Room that groups can rent for two hours.

The tower is accessible, with elevators to the top, so strollers and wheelchairs can reach the decks. During North Platte Rail Days each August, the Whistle Stop Kidz Zone adds activities aimed at younger kids.

Plan your visit: tips for Golden Spike Tower and Visitor Center

  • Do not trust map apps to the address; the tower warns they can route you into the rail yard. Follow the directions on its website from Exit 177 or Exit 179.
  • Be careful at the stop sign onto Homestead Road; cross traffic does not stop and moves fast.
  • Summer evenings are open until 7 pm, good for a late stop on a drive.
  • Group bookings, meals and private rentals need at least two weeks' notice.

The tower's biggest weekend is North Platte Rail Days, held each August, which offers guided bus tours inside Bailey Yard that are not available the rest of the year, twilight views from the tower, a regional model train show, the Whistle Stop Kidz Zone and live music at the tower and at Cody Park. The tower lists the 2027 dates as August 5 to 8, with VIP passes for early tour access.

Retired railroaders who know the yard

Many of the tower's tour guides are former Union Pacific employees who can explain the details of Bailey Yard from experience. Visitors support the center by shopping at Railtown Trading Co., booking group tours, field trips or birthdays, renting the tower for private events, or buying an engraved brick for the Brick Pavilion in honor of someone who worked on the railroad.

Round out a North Platte rail day

The Lincoln County Historical Museum is about 2 miles away, a good next stop for regional history. The Cody Park Railroad Museum and the Union Pacific depot exhibits are both about 4 miles. For the rest of the state, see Nebraska train museums.

Every train museum in Nebraska

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of Rally the corgi looking out an arched train window at the ocean and a white bird
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

Eight stories up, with the whole yard spread below, I think kids must feel the way Rally does in our book when he looks out the arched train window at the ocean and says hello to a white bird. The view is the gift. On the Pacific Surfliner it is waves; in North Platte it is thousands of rail cars on the move. If your kids want more window-seat stories, I keep a list of train books for toddlers.

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 Golden Spike Tower and Visitor Center?

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.

Golden Spike Tower: 20 questions before you go up

What is the Golden Spike Tower and Visitor Center?

The Golden Spike Tower and Visitor Center is an eight-story observation tower in North Platte, Nebraska, built beside Union Pacific's Bailey Yard, the world's largest classification rail yard. Two observation decks look over the yard, and the building also holds a welcome video, history displays, a Hall of Fame and a large gift shop.

How much does the Golden Spike Tower cost?

The tower does not post general admission prices on its website, so call (308) 532-9920 for current walk-in rates. As of October 2026, group prices are posted: field trips are $6 per person and bus tours are $10 per person, with meal packages from $45. Special group rates are available.

What are the Golden Spike Tower hours?

As of October 2026, the tower is open daily, Monday through Sunday, from 9 am to 5 pm Central time. From Memorial Day through Labor Day it stays open later, from 9 am to 7 pm. Holiday hours may differ, so call (308) 532-9920 if you are visiting near a holiday.

Where is the Golden Spike Tower and how do I get there?

The tower is at 1249 North Homestead Road in North Platte, and it is the tallest building in town. Do not rely on map apps, which the tower warns can send you into the rail yard. Use the posted directions from I-80 Exit 177 via Philip Avenue and A Street, or from Exit 179 via Newberry Access.

What is Bailey Yard?

Bailey Yard is Union Pacific's rail yard in North Platte, named for former Union Pacific president Edd H. Bailey. It covers about 2,850 acres and reaches about eight miles in length, and the tower says it handles around 10,000 rail cars a day. It sits where major east-west and north-south freight corridors meet.

What can you see from the top of the Golden Spike Tower?

From the 7th and 8th floor decks you look down on Bailey Yard and its two hump yards, where cars are pushed over a mound and roll by gravity into the bowl tracks, about four a minute. You can watch locomotives, crews and long freight trains coming and going from every direction.

Is the Golden Spike Tower wheelchair accessible?

Yes. The tower is accessible, with elevators that travel to the top, so visitors using wheelchairs, walkers or strollers can reach the observation decks. If you have specific needs for a group, call (308) 532-9920 ahead of time so staff can have everything ready before you arrive.

Do you have to climb stairs at the Golden Spike Tower?

No. Elevators carry visitors up the eight-story tower, though the tower does invite kids to climb to the top if they want the challenge. Either way you end up on the observation decks overlooking Bailey Yard. It is an easy stop for grandparents and families with little ones.

How long does a visit to the Golden Spike Tower take?

Most families spend one to two hours, including the welcome video, the history displays, time on the observation decks and a stop in the gift shop. Rail fans who like to watch the hump yards at work often stay longer. Prebooked group tours with a meal run about two hours.

Does the Golden Spike Tower offer guided tours?

Yes, for groups. Many of the tower's guides are former Union Pacific employees who explain how Bailey Yard works. Groups of all sizes are welcome, and bus tours, twilight bus tours, field trips and tour-and-meal packages all require booking at least two weeks ahead through the website or (308) 532-9920.

Can you tour inside Bailey Yard?

Bailey Yard itself is an active rail yard and is not open to walk-in visitors, which is why the tower exists. The tower says guided bus tours into Bailey Yard are available only during North Platte Rail Days each August. The rest of the year, the observation decks are the way to see it.

When is North Platte Rail Days?

North Platte Rail Days is held each August, and the tower lists the 2027 dates as August 5 to 8. The weekend includes guided bus tours of Bailey Yard, twilight views from the tower, a regional model train show, the Whistle Stop Kidz Zone and live music. VIP passes add early tour access.

Can I book a birthday party at the Golden Spike Tower?

Yes. The tower offers Whistle Stop Birthdays, booked by calling (308) 532-9920 at least two weeks in advance. Groups can also rent the Train Room for $80 for two hours as of October 2026. Ask about decorations, food and how many guests can come when you call.

Can you rent the Golden Spike Tower for a private event?

Yes. Private tower rentals are offered in cocktail style or sit-down style, and there are private breakfast and dinner packages paired with a tour. Rentals must be booked by phone at (308) 532-9920 at least two weeks ahead. It is a memorable setting for reunions and company events.

Does the Golden Spike Tower have a gift shop?

Yes. The gift shop, Railtown Trading Co., carries Union Pacific, railroad, Nebraska and holiday gifts, from t-shirts and sweatshirts to train novelties for kids and adults. It is open during regular tower hours and is a good place to pick up a souvenir for a young rail fan.

Is the Golden Spike Tower good for school field trips?

Yes. Field trips are $6 per person as of October 2026, with a maximum of 40 guests, and must be booked at least two weeks ahead. Students see the welcome video on Union Pacific and Bailey Yard, history displays and the yard from the observation decks. Book online or call (308) 532-9920.

What is the Brick Pavilion at the Golden Spike Tower?

The Brick Pavilion is an outdoor area paved with commemorative bricks embossed with the names of railroad employees and people from North Platte, the region and around the world. Bricks are placed in memory, in honor or in recognition of someone. Call the tower to ask about adding one.

Why is North Platte a railroad town?

Union Pacific's chief engineer Grenville Dodge platted North Platte during construction of the transcontinental railroad because of its good water and distance from Grand Island. The first train arrived in 1866, shops and winter quarters followed, and mainline operations began in 1867. Passenger service ended in 1971, but freight traffic made Bailey Yard huge.

Can you watch trains at the Golden Spike Tower at night?

The tower offers twilight bus tours for groups, booked at least two weeks ahead, and Rail Days features twilight views from the tower. In summer the tower stays open until 7 pm, giving you evening light over the yard. Call (308) 532-9920 to ask about current evening options.

What else is there to see near the Golden Spike Tower?

The Lincoln County Historical Museum is about 2 miles away. The Cody Park Railroad Museum and the North Platte Union Pacific depot exhibits are about 4 miles away. The Nebraska Prairie Museum in Holdrege is about 90 miles east, and Stuhr Museum Railroad Town in Grand Island is about 131 miles.

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