Las Vegas Railroad Society and Related Preservation Collections in Las Vegas area, Nevada
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Taking the kids to Las Vegas Railroad Society and Related Preservation Collections? 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 Las Vegas area.
Rally Takes the Train
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Keeping the railroad town's story on track
The Las Vegas Railroad Society describes its mission as collecting, preserving and exhibiting historical railroad and mining equipment, and bringing the industries and culture of the late 1800s and early 1900s to life by running trains. Education sits at the center of that work: the society aims to teach the public, and especially students in local schools, about the city's railroad history and American railroading as a whole. A museum directory also describes the society as keeping a collection of railroad artifacts and equipment.
Some of the region's most important railroad history lives on paper. UNLV Special Collections holds the Union Pacific Railroad Collection, the original corporate records of the railroad's operations in southern Nevada, Utah and southern California, spanning 1828 to 1986 and focused on Las Vegas and Los Angeles. It also keeps Las Vegas and Tonopah Railroad blueprints. The society does not post visiting hours, an address or ticket prices online, so contact it before you plan a trip.
What the collections hold
The society's focus is railroad and mining equipment from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, shown through operating trains when it runs them. At UNLV, the Las Vegas and Tonopah blueprints show four miles of line per sheet at 6 3/4 inches to the mile, and include a sheet from the Bullfrog Goldfield Railroad, which shared Las Vegas and Tonopah track, yards and facilities between Beatty and Goldfield.
Don’t miss
- Union Pacific Railroad Collection at UNLVOriginal corporate records of Union Pacific operations in southern Nevada, Utah and southern California, from 1828 to 1986.
- Las Vegas and Tonopah Railroad blueprintsDetailed track maps, four miles to a sheet, including a Bullfrog Goldfield Railroad sheet.
For young rail fans
The society's mission puts local school students first, and operating trains are its way of teaching history. It does not post a public ride schedule or family programs online, so ask directly about upcoming run days or school visits before promising little ones a ride.
Plan your visit: tips for Las Vegas Railroad Society and Related Preservation Collections
- Confirm any society run day or open house directly before driving out.
- Researchers can look up the Union Pacific and Las Vegas and Tonopah collections through the UNLV Special Collections portal.
- Pair research with a ride or museum visit elsewhere in the region.
Volunteers and archivists
The Las Vegas Railroad Society is a volunteer railroad group built around preserving equipment and teaching rail history, and university archivists care for the region's railroad records at UNLV. If you want to help, ask the society about membership and volunteering, or support local rail preservation by visiting the museums nearby.
Rail museums within a drive of Las Vegas
For a museum with regular hours, the Kingman Railroad Museum in Arizona is about 91 miles away, and the Western America Railroad Museum in Barstow, California is about 136 miles. You can also browse every train museum in Nevada to plan a rail day closer to home.
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
This group says its main hope is teaching local schoolkids about their city's railroad, and that feels right to me. My own kids are learning to read now, and every new word is a big step. In our book, Rally cannot climb the tall train stairs on his short corgi legs, so Dad gives him a boost. Every young rail fan needs someone to give that first lift. Our train books for toddlers list is a gentle place to start.
Free for train families
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
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
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Work or volunteer at Las Vegas Railroad Society and Related Preservation Collections?
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.
Las Vegas Railroad Society and rail archives: 20 common questions
What is the Las Vegas Railroad Society?
The Las Vegas Railroad Society is a local railroad preservation group. Its stated mission is to collect, preserve and exhibit historical railroad and mining equipment, bring the industries and culture of the late 1800s and early 1900s to life through operating trains, and teach the public and local students about railroad history.
Does the Las Vegas Railroad Society have a museum?
A museum directory describes the society as keeping a collection of railroad artifacts and equipment that visitors can learn from. The society does not post museum hours, an address or a visitor page online, so confirm with the society directly before planning a visit around it.
What are the Las Vegas Railroad Society hours?
The society does not list public hours online. Hours for groups like this often depend on volunteer run days and events. Before you go, try to reach the society through a current listing or local rail club contacts to confirm whether anything is open on the day you plan to visit.
How much does it cost to visit the Las Vegas Railroad Society?
No admission prices are posted online. Some preservation groups open free on event days and charge for rides, but nothing confirms how this society handles it. Ask the society directly about any fees for visits, rides or school programs before you go.
Where is the Las Vegas Railroad Society located?
The society is based in the Las Vegas area, but it does not post a street address for visitors online. Because there is no published location, do not drive out on a guess. Confirm the current site and any visiting arrangements with the society first.
Can you ride a train with the Las Vegas Railroad Society?
The society says it uses operating trains to bring railroad history to life, so rides may happen at its events. It does not post a ride schedule or prices online. Ask the society about upcoming run days before promising kids a ride.
What does the Las Vegas Railroad Society preserve?
Its focus is historical railroad and mining equipment from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the era when railroads and mines shaped southern Nevada. The society aims to show how those industries worked by running trains rather than only displaying equipment.
Does the Las Vegas Railroad Society work with schools?
Education is a core part of its mission. The society says it wants to teach the public and all students in local schools about the city's railroad history and American railroading. Teachers interested in a visit or presentation should contact the society to ask what it can offer.
How can I join or volunteer with the Las Vegas Railroad Society?
The society does not post membership or volunteer details online. Groups like this depend on volunteers to restore equipment and run trains, so it is worth asking directly about joining. Local rail clubs and museums in the region may also help you get in touch.
What is the Union Pacific Railroad Collection at UNLV?
It is a collection held by UNLV Special Collections containing the original corporate records of the Union Pacific Railroad's operations in southern Nevada, Utah and southern California, with a particular focus on Las Vegas and Los Angeles. The records span 1828 to 1986.
Can I research Las Vegas railroad history at UNLV?
Yes. UNLV Special Collections lists railroad material on its online portal, including the Union Pacific Railroad Collection and Las Vegas and Tonopah Railroad blueprints. Look up the collections on the portal first, then contact Special Collections about how to view the originals.
What are the Las Vegas and Tonopah Railroad blueprints?
They are track blueprints held by UNLV Special Collections, showing four miles of railroad line per sheet at a scale of 6 3/4 inches per mile. They are a detailed record of the Las Vegas and Tonopah route for researchers, modelers and anyone curious about early Nevada railroading.
What was the Bullfrog Goldfield Railroad's link to the Las Vegas and Tonopah?
The Bullfrog Goldfield Railroad used the track, yard and facilities of the Las Vegas and Tonopah Railroad between Beatty and Goldfield, Nevada. One sheet from the Bullfrog Goldfield is included with the Las Vegas and Tonopah blueprints at UNLV Special Collections.
Is the Las Vegas Railroad Society good for kids?
Its mission centers on teaching local students, and operating trains are a natural fit for kids. Without posted hours or events, though, it is not a drop-in family outing. For a guaranteed day with young children, a museum with regular hours and train rides is the safer plan.
Does the Las Vegas Railroad Society run Christmas trains?
No holiday train events are posted online for the society. If you are looking for a Christmas train near Las Vegas, check our Nevada holiday train guide and the state page for museums that run seasonal rides, and contact the society to ask about any events of its own.
Does the Las Vegas Railroad Society have a website or social media page?
No current official website or social media page for the society is listed. Directory listings exist, but they may be out of date. Search for a recent listing or ask at local rail museums before relying on old contact details.
Where can I see railroad equipment near Las Vegas?
The Kingman Railroad Museum in Arizona is about 91 miles from the Las Vegas area, and the Western America Railroad Museum in Barstow, California is about 136 miles. Our Nevada state page lists other rail museums in the state, including ones closer to Las Vegas.
Where are Nevada's major railroad rolling stock collections?
The Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City holds a significant collection of Nevada-related rolling stock, both restored and unrestored, much of it wooden passenger and freight cars tied to the Virginia and Truckee. Our Nevada state page lists the state's other rail museums too.
What era of railroading does the Las Vegas Railroad Society focus on?
The society focuses on the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when railroads and mining built much of Nevada. Its goal is to show the industries and cultural heritage of that period by running trains and exhibiting equipment.
Is the Las Vegas Railroad Society open to the public?
The society's mission includes educating the public, but it does not publish regular public hours, an address or visitor details. Treat it as a group to contact first rather than a museum to drop in on, and confirm any open house or run day directly.
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