Huntington Railroad Museum, West Virginia

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Huntington, West Virginia · Updated October 19, 2026 · 10 min read

Railroad museumFreeSummer afternoons, Memorial Day to September, per its operator's last posted schedule

The Huntington Railroad Museum is an outdoor display of rail equipment beside Memorial Park, kept by the Collis P. Huntington Railroad Historical Society to honor the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway that founded the city.

  • Established in 1959
  • Outdoor C&O rail display
  • Operating hand pump car
  • Next to Safety Town
  • Listed as free to visit

Huntington Railroad Museum at a glance

Hours
Last posted: Memorial Day to end of September, 2 pm to 5 pm, other times by appointment with 24 hours' notice; call to confirm
Admission
Listed as free
Plan for
About 30 to 45 minutes
Best for
Families with young kids and C&O fans
Best ages
Ages 3 to 10

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

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Huntington 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 Huntington.

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.

An open-air tribute to the railroad that founded Huntington

The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway created Huntington in 1871 as its western terminus, and this small outdoor museum keeps that story in view. It is operated by the Collis P. Huntington Railroad Historical Society, the volunteer group formed in 1959, and it sits at the end of Memorial Park at 14th Street West and Memorial Boulevard, right beside the city's Safety Town.

The museum has long been linked with C&O No. 1308, a rare Baldwin-built 2-6-6-2 Mallet locomotive listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and it shows other rail vehicles and exhibits about Collis P. Huntington himself. Opening hours have been limited to summer afternoons, and the museum does not keep its own website, so a quick call before visiting is the best way to confirm what is on display and when the gates are open.

Rolling stock under the open sky

Expect a compact outdoor site with several rail displays, signals and rolling stock, and an operating hand pump car that the historical society has highlighted for visitors. Exhibits also touch on Collis P. Huntington, the railroad magnate the city is named for. Check ahead about C&O No. 1308, since one recent account describes it in the past tense.

Don’t miss

  1. C&O No. 1308A Baldwin 2-6-6-2 Mallet on the National Register of Historic Places, long associated with this museum; confirm it is on view before you go.
  2. The hand pump carAn operating hand car, the kind track crews once pumped along the rails by arm power.
  3. Collis P. Huntington exhibitsDisplays about the C&O leader whose name the city and the historical society both carry.

Big trains and Safety Town next door

Being outdoors, the museum is easy for kids who need room to move, and the hand pump car and full-size rail equipment make a strong impression on small train fans. Safety Town sits right next door. Visit on a dry afternoon, since there is little shelter, and keep children off the equipment unless a volunteer invites them aboard.

Plan your visit: tips for Huntington Railroad Museum

  • Call (304) 523-0364 before visiting, since current hours are not posted online.
  • Appointments outside summer hours have been offered with 24 hours' notice.
  • Go on a dry day: everything is outdoors.
  • Use 14th Street West and Memorial Boulevard as your GPS destination.

Kept by Huntington's railroad historical society

The Collis P. Huntington Railroad Historical Society, a volunteer nonprofit, operates the museum. Visitors can help by calling ahead, visiting in season, and asking the society how donations or volunteer time can support the collection.

Keep exploring Huntington's railroad story

The Collis P. Huntington Railroad Historical Society, the volunteers behind this display, keeps its office about 2 miles away and ran the New River Train excursions for 52 years. For a working train ride, the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway is about 74 miles away, and the Hinton Railroad Museum is about 100 miles away in southern West Virginia. Or browse our West Virginia train museum guide.

Every train museum in West Virginia

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.

Full-size railroad equipment looks enormous next to a child, and it looks enormous next to a corgi too. In our book, Rally's short legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. A display like this one in Huntington shows kids just how high those steps really are. You can find more picture books for small train fans in our train books for toddlers list.

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 Huntington 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.

Huntington Railroad Museum: 20 questions before you go

What is the Huntington Railroad Museum?

The Huntington Railroad Museum is an outdoor railroad museum in Huntington, West Virginia, operated by the Collis P. Huntington Railroad Historical Society. It displays rail equipment and exhibits tied to the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, which founded the city, and to Collis P. Huntington, the railroad leader the city is named for.

Where is the Huntington WV railroad museum?

The museum is at the corner of 14th Street West and Memorial Boulevard in Huntington, West Virginia, at the end of Memorial Park and right next to Safety Town. Directory listings give the ZIP code as either 25701 or 25704, so use the street corner as your GPS destination.

What are the Huntington Railroad Museum hours?

The museum does not post current hours online. Its operator's last published schedule listed the outdoor museum as open from Memorial Day through the end of September, 2 pm to 5 pm, with other times by appointment at least 24 hours in advance. Call (304) 523-0364 to confirm before you go.

Is the Huntington Railroad Museum free?

Directory listings describe the Huntington Railroad Museum as a free outdoor museum. No admission price is posted. If you enjoy the visit, consider a donation to the Collis P. Huntington Railroad Historical Society, the volunteer group that maintains the display. Call (304) 523-0364 with questions.

Is C&O 1308 at the Huntington Railroad Museum?

C&O No. 1308, a rare Baldwin-built 2-6-6-2 Mallet on the National Register of Historic Places, has long been associated with the museum. One recent account describes Huntington as its home for decades in the past tense, so call (304) 523-0364 before visiting if seeing the 1308 is your main reason to go.

When was the Huntington Railroad Museum established?

The museum dates its start to 1959, the year the Collis P. Huntington Railroad Historical Society was founded and joined the National Railway Historical Society. The society built both indoor and outdoor collections, and the outdoor display by Memorial Park is the one known today as the Huntington Railroad Museum.

Who runs the Huntington Railroad Museum?

The Collis P. Huntington Railroad Historical Society, a volunteer nonprofit founded in 1959, operates the museum. The same group ran the New River Train excursions until 2019. The national railway society now lists it as an inactive chapter, so calling ahead is the best way to confirm the museum is open.

Are there photos of the Huntington Railroad Museum?

The museum has no website of its own, so the best place to see photos ahead of time is in reviews and travel listings for Huntington. Once there, the outdoor setting makes it easy to photograph the equipment. Ask a volunteer before climbing onto anything for a picture.

Is the Huntington Railroad Museum worth a stop?

For families in Huntington or passing through, it is a quick, free stop that puts real railroad equipment in front of kids, with Safety Town next door. Rail fans come for the C&O connection. Because hours are limited to summer afternoons, call ahead so you are not met by a locked gate.

Is the Huntington Railroad Museum good for toddlers?

It can be, for a short visit. Everything is outdoors, so small children can move around freely and look at big equipment up close, and Safety Town is right beside it. Plan for 30 to 45 minutes, bring sun protection in summer, and keep little ones close around the rails.

Can kids ride the hand car at the Huntington Railroad Museum?

The historical society describes an operating hand pump car as part of the outdoor museum. It does not post whether visitors can ride or pump it themselves, so ask a volunteer when you arrive, or call (304) 523-0364 beforehand if your child is set on trying it.

Can you go inside the trains at the Huntington Railroad Museum?

The museum does not post whether visitors can step inside its locomotives or cars. Policies at outdoor displays like this usually depend on which volunteers are on hand. Call (304) 523-0364 before visiting to ask, and follow any signs or volunteer instructions at the site.

Is there parking at the Huntington Railroad Museum?

The museum does not list parking details online. It sits at the corner of 14th Street West and Memorial Boulevard beside Memorial Park and Safety Town, so check that area for street or park parking, or call (304) 523-0364 to ask where visitors usually park.

Is the Huntington Railroad Museum wheelchair accessible?

Accessibility details are not posted. Because the museum is an outdoor display, ground surfaces near tracks can be uneven, and boarding rail equipment usually means steps. Call (304) 523-0364 before your visit to ask about paths and which displays can be seen easily from a wheelchair or stroller.

Can I schedule a group visit to the Huntington Railroad Museum?

The museum's operator has offered visits outside regular summer hours by appointment, with at least 24 hours' notice. That makes it possible to arrange a stop for a scout troop or family reunion. Call (304) 523-0364 to request a time and confirm a volunteer can meet your group.

Does the Huntington Railroad Museum have Christmas or holiday events?

The museum does not list any Christmas or holiday events online, and its posted season runs only from Memorial Day through September. For holiday train ideas elsewhere in the state, look for seasonal rides on West Virginia's tourist railroads instead.

Who was the Huntington Railroad Museum named for?

The museum is named for the city, which in turn honors Collis P. Huntington, a Central Pacific "Big Four" magnate who later led the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway. The C&O founded Huntington in 1871 as its western terminus, and the museum includes exhibits about him.

How can I help the Huntington Railroad Museum?

Volunteers from the Collis P. Huntington Railroad Historical Society keep the museum going. To offer a donation or your time, call (304) 523-0364 or reach the society through its New River Train website. Visiting in season and telling friends about it also helps keep the collection in the public eye.

How long should I plan at the Huntington Railroad Museum?

Most families will need 30 to 45 minutes to walk the outdoor displays, look at the hand pump car and read about the C&O. Add time if your kids want to explore Safety Town or the rest of Memorial Park nearby, which makes it easy to stretch the outing into a longer afternoon.

What train attractions are near the Huntington Railroad Museum?

The Collis P. Huntington Railroad Historical Society's office is about 2 miles away. For a real train ride, the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway in Nelsonville, Ohio, is about 74 miles away. The Hinton Railroad Museum in southern West Virginia is about 100 miles away for a longer rail history drive.

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