Jim Kluck Memorial Railside Green Arboretum in Schuyler, Nebraska

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Schuyler, Nebraska · Updated October 19, 2026 · 9 min read

Outdoor rail park

The Jim Kluck Memorial Railside Green Arboretum turned an abandoned, dusty railbed in Schuyler, Nebraska into a nearly three-acre garden of trees, shrubs, grasses and flowers, with a walking path and an old caboose at its heart.

  • Built on an old railroad right of way
  • Dedicated October 21, 1989
  • Nearly three acres
  • Old caboose on display
  • Cared for by volunteers

Jim Kluck Memorial Railside Green Arboretum at a glance

Hours
Not posted online; check with the city of Schuyler
Admission
No admission fee is listed
Plan for
About 30 minutes
Best for
A short walk with young kids and garden lovers
Best ages
Toddlers and up
Accessibility
A concrete path runs down the center of the arboretum.

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

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Jim Kluck Memorial Railside Green Arboretum? 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 Schuyler.

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.

How one man's dream grew from a dusty railbed

When the railroad left a stretch of right of way abandoned on the edge of downtown Schuyler, local resident and arborist Jim Kluck saw something else in it: a place for trees. On October 21, 1989, his dream took root, and the old railbed began its second life as an arboretum open for everyone to enjoy.

The site covers nearly three acres, and it now carries his name as the Jim Kluck Memorial Railside Green Arboretum. Local volunteers maintain it in his honor, tending dozens of varieties of trees, shrubs, bushes, grasses and flowering plants. A caboose on display midway along the path keeps the railroad's memory in the middle of the garden. The arboretum does not keep a website, so details on hours or events come from the city of Schuyler.

A garden walk to the caboose

A concrete path runs down the center of the arboretum with trees and flower beds on both sides. Many of the trees carry identification plates, so it is easy to learn names as you walk. About halfway along you reach the old caboose, the arboretum's link to the rail line that once ran here.

Don’t miss

  1. The cabooseSitting at about the midpoint of the path, it marks the railroad history beneath the garden.
  2. Labeled treesMany trees have information plates, a simple way for kids to learn tree names.

A short, shady stroll with a caboose at the end

This is a quick, easy outing for small kids: a paved concrete path, flowers on both sides and a caboose to find halfway down. It works well as a stretch-your-legs stop rather than a full day. The arboretum does not post whether visitors can go inside the caboose, so treat it as something to look at.

Plan your visit: tips for Jim Kluck Memorial Railside Green Arboretum

  • Look for the information plates on many of the trees.
  • Spring and summer are the best times to see the flower beds in bloom.
  • Pair the walk with a stop in downtown Schuyler, at the arboretum's edge.

The volunteers who keep Jim's garden growing

Local volunteers maintain the arboretum in Jim Kluck's honor and care for its many plant varieties. Anyone who wants to help with planting or upkeep can contact the city of Schuyler, which lists the arboretum among its recreation sites.

Bigger rail stops for the same trip

For a full railroad day, the Nebraska Railroad Museum in Fremont is about 29 miles east of Schuyler, and The Durham Museum in Omaha is about 60 miles. Heading west, Stuhr Museum Railroad Town in Grand Island is about 76 miles away. See Nebraska railroad museums for more.

Every train museum in Nebraska

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor view from inside a dark tunnel looking out at a sunny beach and cliffs
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

Walking under a row of trees on an old railbed must feel a little like a green tunnel, cool and shady, with a caboose waiting in the bright spot ahead. In our book, Rally's train dives into a dark tunnel and bursts back out into big light and happy cheers. I like thinking of the volunteers here making a happy ending for a forgotten piece of track. Our coloring pages include train scenes kids can color in.

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 Jim Kluck Memorial Railside Green Arboretum?

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.

Railside Green Arboretum: 20 questions about Schuyler's railroad garden

Where is the Railside Green Arboretum?

The Railside Green Arboretum is in Schuyler, Nebraska, on the edge of downtown. It sits on a former railroad right of way. It is not in Grand Island, despite sometimes being grouped with Grand Island's Railside downtown district. The city of Schuyler's website lists it among local recreation sites.

What is the Railside Green Arboretum?

It is a nearly three-acre arboretum built on an abandoned railroad right of way in Schuyler, Nebraska. Dozens of varieties of trees, shrubs, bushes, grasses and flowering plants grow there, with a walking path down the middle and an old caboose on display.

Who was Jim Kluck?

Jim Kluck was a Schuyler resident and arborist whose dream was to turn the town's abandoned, dusty railbed into a garden. The arboretum is named the Jim Kluck Memorial Railside Green Arboretum, and local volunteers maintain it in his honor today.

When did the Railside Green Arboretum open?

The arboretum began on October 21, 1989, when Jim Kluck's dream grew from an abandoned railbed into an arboretum for everyone to enjoy. Since then volunteers have kept planting and caring for it, and it has grown into a nearly three-acre green space.

Is there a train at the Railside Green Arboretum?

There is an old caboose on display at about the midpoint of the walking path. It is the arboretum's main railroad feature and a nod to the rail line that once used the site. There is no train ride, and no other rail equipment is listed.

Can you go inside the caboose at Railside Green?

The arboretum does not post whether the caboose is open to visitors. Plan on seeing it from the outside, and ask the city of Schuyler if you want to know whether it is ever opened for events or tours.

Is the Railside Green Arboretum free?

No admission fee is listed for the arboretum, which is a small public green space on the edge of downtown Schuyler. If you are planning a group visit or event, check with the city of Schuyler first.

What are the Railside Green Arboretum hours?

Hours are not posted online. The arboretum is an outdoor space on the edge of downtown, best visited in daylight. Check the city of Schuyler's recreation page or call city offices if you need to confirm access before you go.

How big is the Railside Green Arboretum?

The arboretum covers nearly three acres along the old railroad right of way. It is long and narrow like the rail line it replaced, with a concrete path running down the center and plantings on both sides, so a full walk is short and easy.

How long does it take to walk the Railside Green Arboretum?

Most visitors need about 30 minutes to walk the path, read some of the tree labels and look at the caboose. Garden lovers who stop to study the plants may stay longer. It makes a good short break on a drive through Schuyler.

Is the Railside Green Arboretum good for toddlers?

Yes, as a short stop. The path is concrete, the flower beds are colorful in season, and finding the caboose halfway along gives little ones a goal. Bring water and sun protection in summer, since it is an outdoor site.

Is the Railside Green Arboretum stroller friendly?

A concrete path runs down the center of the arboretum, which helps with strollers and wheelchairs. Detailed accessibility information is not posted, so check with the city of Schuyler if you have specific needs before visiting.

What plants grow at the Railside Green Arboretum?

The arboretum is home to dozens of varieties of trees, shrubs, bushes, grasses and flowering plants. Many trees have information plates with their names. A specific plant list is not published online, so the labels on site are the best guide.

Who takes care of the Railside Green Arboretum?

Local volunteers maintain the arboretum in honor of Jim Kluck, and their care is what keeps the many plant varieties thriving. To get involved, contact the city of Schuyler, which features the arboretum on its recreation pages.

When is the best time to visit the Railside Green Arboretum?

Spring through early fall is the best season, when the trees are leafed out and the flower beds are blooming. The arboretum does not publish a bloom calendar, so a visit any time from late spring to fall is a safe bet for color.

Are there events at the Railside Green Arboretum?

The arboretum does not post a regular event calendar online. Check the city of Schuyler's website or local news for any plantings, clean-up days or community gatherings held there, and ask about volunteer days if you would like to help.

Is the Railside Green Arboretum the same as Railside in Grand Island?

No. Railside in Grand Island is a downtown district that hosts the annual Sculpture Walk Railside public art display. The Railside Green Arboretum is a separate garden in Schuyler, Nebraska, built on an old railroad right of way.

Why is it called Railside Green?

The name comes from the land itself. The arboretum was planted on an abandoned railroad right of way, or siding, so the green space sits right where the rails once ran. The caboose on display keeps that history visible.

Can I bring a picnic to the Railside Green Arboretum?

Picnic rules are not posted online. The arboretum is a small, quiet green space on the edge of downtown Schuyler, so a simple snack on a walk is usually fine for families, but check with the city of Schuyler about larger gatherings.

What railroad museums can I visit after Railside Green?

The Nebraska Railroad Museum in Fremont is the closest, about 29 miles east of Schuyler. The Durham Museum in Omaha is about 60 miles away, and Stuhr Museum Railroad Town in Grand Island is about 76 miles west. Each has a page on our site with visiting tips, and our Nebraska page lists every railroad museum and rail site in the state.

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