Michigan Transit Museum in Mount Clemens, Michigan

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Mount Clemens, Michigan · Updated October 19, 2026 · 12 min read

Depot museumTrain ridesDepot open Sundays 1 to 4 pm; train rides return in 2027

The Michigan Transit Museum is a volunteer-run nonprofit that has spent five decades preserving the story of Michigan railways, streetcars and electric interurbans, with its home in the 1859 Grand Trunk depot in downtown Mount Clemens and a short train ride on the old Selfridge Spur.

  • Grand Trunk depot built in 1859
  • Volunteer run since 1974
  • Depot open Sundays, year round
  • One-mile ride on the Selfridge Spur
  • Trick-Or-Treat Trains and Holiday Express

Michigan Transit Museum at a glance

Hours
Depot open Sundays 1 to 4 pm, year round
Admission
Depot admission not posted online; train fares $7 adults, $4 ages 4 to 12
Train rides
About one mile on the Selfridge Spur from Henry B. Joy Park; summer trains return in 2027
Seasonal events
Trick-Or-Treat Trains, Holiday Express
Plan for
About 1 hour at the depot
Best for
Families with young kids and Michigan transit history fans
Best ages
Toddlers to age 12

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

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Michigan Transit 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 Mount Clemens.

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.

Streetcar fans, an 1859 depot and a spur line to Selfridge

The Michigan Transit Museum began in 1974 as a small group of people who loved streetcars and wanted to keep Michigan's transit history from slipping away. From the start their interest went beyond steam trains to the electric interurbans and city streetcars that once tied Michigan towns together, and the group's mission still names all three: railways, streetcars and interurbans.

Their home became the Grand Trunk depot in Mount Clemens, built in 1859 and counted among the city's oldest landmarks. Volunteers moved in and renovated the building, which a state listing describes as restored to its appearance around 1900, and turned it into a museum focused on Michigan transit.

Beginning in the mid-1980s, members started building a collection of their own: locomotives, passenger cars, cabooses, boxcars, motorcars and maintenance equipment. That equipment made it possible to do something few depot museums can, which is take the public for a ride. The museum runs trains on the Grand Trunk Selfridge Spur, a line of roughly a mile that heads toward Selfridge Air National Guard Base and back.

Every bit of this is done by volunteers. The museum has been fully volunteer operated for its whole history, and members still gather each month at the depot to plan the work ahead, including bringing the summer trains back in 2027.

Two places to visit: the depot and the Joy Park line

Start at the Grand Trunk depot on Grand Avenue in downtown Mount Clemens, where volunteers lead depot tours on Sunday afternoons. The exhibits focus on local and Michigan transit history, and the building itself, with more than 160 years behind it, is a big part of the visit. Note that the tracks beside the depot belong to the CN mainline and are not used for the museum's rides.

The train rides leave from a separate spot, Henry B. Joy Park in Clinton Township. The short run out along the Selfridge Spur and back gives kids a real ride on historic equipment, and the museum points out that some of its rolling stock, including cabooses, boxcars and motorcars, is worth seeing up close beyond what you notice from a seat on the train.

Don’t miss

  1. The 1859 Grand Trunk depotOne of Mount Clemens' oldest landmarks, renovated by the museum's volunteers and now the heart of the museum.
  2. The Selfridge Spur rideA roughly one-mile trip from Joy Park toward Selfridge Air National Guard Base and back, set to return in 2027.
  3. The rolling stock collectionLocomotives, passenger cars, cabooses and boxcars gathered since the mid-1980s, some of which you only appreciate by looking closely.
  4. Motorcars and maintenance equipmentThe small track vehicles and work equipment that kept lines running, a part of railroading that big museums often skip.
  5. Streetcar and interurban historyThe museum was founded by streetcar enthusiasts, and Michigan's electric railways remain central to its mission.

Sunday depot visits now, costume trains when the rides return

The depot is a good short outing for young kids on a Sunday afternoon, and volunteers can schedule private tours on request when they are available. Kids who love watching trains will notice that the CN mainline runs right next to the depot, though those tracks are not part of the museum.

When train rides resume in 2027, the one-mile trip is a manageable length for toddlers, children 3 and under ride free with a paid adult, and seasonal Trick-Or-Treat Trains invite kids to ride in costume with candy along the way.

Plan your visit: tips for Michigan Transit Museum

  • The depot and the train ride are in different places: trains leave from Henry B. Joy Park in Clinton Township, not the depot.
  • Train tickets are sold in person at Joy Park, by cash or card.
  • Private depot tours can be arranged on request, depending on volunteer availability.
  • Email is the museum's preferred contact method for tour, donation and volunteer questions.

When the trains are running, the museum's fall Trick-Or-Treat Trains ask riders to come in their Halloween best, with candy handed out along the way, and the Holiday Express runs at Christmastime with tickets sold through Clinton Township Parks and Recreation. Dates are announced later in each year. For other options, see our guides to Halloween train rides in Michigan and Christmas train rides in Michigan.

Fifty years of volunteers

The Michigan Transit Museum is a nonprofit that has been run entirely by volunteers since its founding. Members meet at the depot on the second Thursday of each month, and the museum welcomes new members, donations and artifact offers. If you have time and an interest in old railroad equipment, the volunteer projects are a direct way to help get the trains rolling again.

More rail history around metro Detroit

The Detroit Historical Museum railroad exhibits are about 19 miles away. In Dearborn, about 27 miles off, you can pair the Henry Ford Museum railroad collection with a ride on the Greenfield Village Railroad. For a wider plan, see all of Michigan's train museums.

Every train museum in Michigan

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of Rally the corgi dreaming about his toy turtle, green bone and yellow ball
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

A depot that has been waiting for passengers since 1859 makes me think about packing. In our book, Rally gets ready for his trip by stuffing his turtle toy, his green bone and his yellow ball into a suitcase, because a corgi has priorities. I like imagining all the bags that have passed through a station that old. If your little one wants to pack along with Rally, our coloring pages are a good start.

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 Michigan Transit 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.

Michigan Transit Museum: 20 questions before you visit

Where is the Michigan Transit Museum in Mount Clemens?

The museum's depot is on Grand Avenue in downtown Mount Clemens, listed as 200 Grand Avenue, Mount Clemens, MI 48046. It is housed in the old Grand Trunk depot. Train rides leave from a separate location, Henry B. Joy Park in Clinton Township, so check which part you plan to visit before setting your GPS.

What are the Michigan Transit Museum hours?

As of October 2026, the depot museum is open every Sunday from 1 to 4 pm, year round. Private tours outside those hours can be scheduled on request, depending on when volunteers are available. Because the museum is entirely volunteer run, it is worth checking its website or Facebook page before a special trip.

Does the Michigan Transit Museum offer train rides?

Yes, though not right now. As of October 2026, the museum says summer trains will return in 2027 and it is preparing to resume operations. The ride runs roughly one mile along the Grand Trunk Selfridge Spur toward Selfridge Air National Guard Base and back. Watch the museum's website for the restart date.

How much are Michigan Transit Museum train ride tickets?

As of October 2026, posted standard fares are $7 for adults and $4 for children ages 4 to 12, and children 3 and under ride free with a paid adult. Fares could change before rides resume in 2027, so confirm on the museum's train rides page before you go.

Where do Michigan Transit Museum trains depart from?

Trains depart from Henry B. Joy Park in Clinton Township, not from the depot museum. The museum stresses that the tracks next to the depot are part of the CN mainline and are not used for its rides. Tickets are bought in person at Joy Park.

How do I buy Michigan Transit Museum train tickets?

Regular train tickets are sold in person at Joy Park, and the museum accepts both cash and major credit cards. The Holiday Express is different: those tickets are purchased through Clinton Township Parks and Recreation. Check the museum's website when rides resume in 2027 for dates and details.

Is the Michigan Transit Museum worth visiting, and what do reviews say?

For families with young kids and anyone interested in local railroad history, it makes a pleasant short visit. You get to step inside an 1859 Grand Trunk depot restored by volunteers, and when rides return in 2027, a short trip on historic equipment. Its Facebook page, with more than 9,000 followers, is a good place to read visitor comments.

Where can I see photos of the Michigan Transit Museum?

The museum's Facebook page and Instagram account, michigan_transit_museum, are the best places to see current photos of the depot, the equipment and ride days. The museum's website also has an equipment section organized by locomotives, passenger cars, cabooses, boxcars and motorcars.

How old is the Mount Clemens depot?

The Grand Trunk depot that houses the museum was originally built in 1859, making it one of Mount Clemens' oldest landmarks. The museum occupied and renovated it, and a state listing describes the depot as restored to its appearance around 1900. It now serves as a museum of Michigan transit history.

When was the Michigan Transit Museum founded?

The museum's own website says it was founded in 1974 as a small group with a passion for streetcars and Michigan transit. Its Facebook page gives 1973 as the founding year. Either way, it has been a volunteer-operated nonprofit for roughly five decades.

Is the Michigan Transit Museum free?

The museum does not post an admission price for the depot online. Train rides have posted fares of $7 for adults and $4 for children 4 to 12. For depot admission, call (586) 463-1863 or message the museum on Facebook, and consider a donation, since the museum is volunteer run.

What trains does the Michigan Transit Museum have?

Since the mid-1980s, the museum has been building a collection of historic locomotives, passenger cars, cabooses, boxcars, motorcars and maintenance equipment. The museum notes that some of this rolling stock is not something you would see just by riding the train. Its website lists the equipment by category.

Does the Michigan Transit Museum have Halloween train rides?

When rides are operating, the museum runs Trick-Or-Treat Trains in the fall, where riders dress in their Halloween best and get candy. Dates are announced later in the year. Since regular trains resume in 2027, check the museum's website for the season's schedule.

Is there a Christmas train at the Michigan Transit Museum?

Yes, the museum runs a Holiday Express in the holiday season when its trains are operating. Tickets are purchased through Clinton Township Parks and Recreation rather than from the museum directly, and dates are announced later in each year. Check the museum's train rides page for updates.

Is the Michigan Transit Museum good for toddlers?

It is a good fit for young kids. A Sunday depot visit is short and manageable, and the ride, when running, is only about a mile out and back. Children 3 and under ride free with a paid adult. Accessibility and stroller details are not posted, so call ahead if you need them.

Can I book a private or group tour of the Michigan Transit Museum?

Yes. Private tours of the depot can be scheduled on request, depending on volunteer availability. The museum prefers email for private tour questions, using webmaster@michigantransitmuseum.com, and you can also call (586) 463-1863. Give plenty of notice, since every guide is a volunteer.

How can I volunteer at or join the Michigan Transit Museum?

Start with the museum's membership page. Members meet on the second Thursday of each month at 6 pm at the Mount Clemens depot, and meetings are open to all members. The museum welcomes questions about volunteer projects by email and is working to get its trains running again in 2027.

Can I donate artifacts to the Michigan Transit Museum?

Yes, the museum invites questions about donating artifacts, and it prefers to receive them by email at webmaster@michigantransitmuseum.com. Its website also has a membership and donations page for financial gifts. As an all-volunteer nonprofit, it relies on that support to care for the depot and its equipment.

What is the Michigan Transit Museum's mission?

The museum exists to preserve the history of Michigan railways, streetcars and electric interurbans, using the historic Mount Clemens depot as its museum and running train rides as an educational experience. That focus on electric transit comes from its founders, who were streetcar enthusiasts.

What train museums are near the Michigan Transit Museum?

The Detroit Historical Museum's railroad exhibits are about 19 miles away. The Henry Ford Museum's railroad collection and the Greenfield Village Railroad in Dearborn are both about 27 miles off. Huckleberry Railroad at Crossroads Village near Flint is about 52 miles away.

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