Montana Heritage Commission Railroad Exhibits in Virginia City, Montana

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Virginia City, Montana · Updated October 19, 2026 · 12 min read

Museum with a major rail exhibitTrain ridesVisitor centers open daily Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day

The Montana Heritage Commission preserves Virginia City and Nevada City, two gold rush towns holding over a million artifacts in 248 historic buildings, and keeps their railroad story alive at the Virginia City Depot and on the narrow gauge line between the towns.

  • Over 1 million artifacts
  • 248 historic buildings
  • Virginia City Depot visitor center
  • Narrow gauge line built in 1964
  • Train runs May 23 to Sept. 7, 2026
  • Open daily 10 am to 6 pm in summer

Montana Heritage Commission Railroad Exhibits at a glance

Hours
10 am to 6 pm daily, Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day; Nevada City Museum has extended hours
Admission
Pay per attraction or buy a package; train from $6 one way
Train rides
Alder Gulch Shortline, May 23 to Sept. 7, 2026; adult round trip $10, youth and senior $8, ages 3 and under free
Plan for
Half a day for both towns and the train
Best for
Families and Old West history fans on a Yellowstone road trip
Best ages
Ages 3 to 12
Parking
Public lots in Virginia City and Nevada City; RV camping in the lots is not allowed
Accessibility
Depot Park beside the Virginia City Depot is ADA accessible

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

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Montana Heritage Commission Railroad Exhibits? 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 Virginia City.

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.

A railroad Virginia City never had, until Charlie Bovey built one

The railroad never actually reached Virginia City in its gold rush heyday. Trains came only as far as Alder, about ten miles down the gulch. That changed in 1964, when Charlie Bovey, the collector who did so much to save Virginia City and Nevada City, built a short line of his own to carry visitors between the two towns. He bought a pair of coal-fired Davenport Dinky locomotives from the Anaconda Copper Mining Company's Great Falls smelter and laid track on used ties.

By 1969 those ties had worn out, and Bovey judged it unsafe to keep running heavy steam. Service came back in 1972 with the Work Train, a small gasoline-powered speeder pulling four gang cars. An ornamental boiler was added in 1988, and crews refined the engine over the winter of 1990 to 1991.

Then came the night of August 16, 1991. Two members of the railroad crew entered the Nevada City roundhouse to take fuel, using a lighter to see, and the gasoline exploded. The fire destroyed the roundhouse, about $100,000 worth of train artifacts including stained glass car windows, the Work Train, and both operable Dinky locomotives. About a month later, John Larkin of the Escanaba & Lake Superior Railroad in Wells, Michigan arrived hoping to buy three Soo Line passenger cars from around 1906. Years of negotiation with Ford Bovey followed, and in the spring of 1992 Larkin delivered a rebuilt version of the Work Train and four cars fitted with air brakes and seat cushions.

Today the Montana Heritage Commission, a state board, preserves and manages the towns' historic resources, with curatorial staff and volunteers cataloging a collection of more than one million Americana artifacts. All revenue from visits goes back into preserving Virginia City and Nevada City.

The depot, the Nevada City museum and a million objects

Start at the Virginia City Depot and Visitor Information Center at 413 West Wallace Street, on the lower west edge of town along Highway 287. The depot holds displays and exhibits about the town, shows history videos, and has a gift store with books, Alder Gulch souvenirs and train tickets. From here the Alder Gulch Shortline runs a narrated 15-minute trip to Nevada City.

At the other end, the Nevada City Museum and Music Hall sells tickets and passes, and the train leaves from the Charles A. and Sue Ford Bovey Visitor Center across the highway. Between the two towns, the mining history site at 1559 Highway 287 shows the Mount Vernon Dredge. Across both towns, more than 100 music and arcade machines and rare pieces such as the Gypsy Verbal Fortune Teller are part of the collection, and Living History Interpreters work in Nevada City on summer weekends.

Don’t miss

  1. Virginia City DepotThe depot is the railroad's home base and the Montana Heritage Commission's main visitor center, with town history exhibits, videos and the train ticket window.
  2. Alder Gulch ShortlineThe narrow gauge train Charlie Bovey started in 1964 still makes the 1.5-mile run between Virginia City and Nevada City every summer.
  3. Nevada City Museum and Music HallA large old town museum at the far end of the line, with a collection of music machines and longer hours than the other sites.
  4. Mount Vernon DredgeThe dredge at the mining history stop explains the gold dredging that left the tailings the railroad was later built on.
  5. Living History InterpretersOn summer Saturdays and Sundays, interpreters bring Nevada City's buildings to life, and the museum opens an hour early at 9 am.

Ride between towns and explore old storefronts

Kids can ride the narrow gauge train between the towns, then wander boardwalks and peek into historic buildings filled with music and arcade machines. Weekend Living History Interpreters in Nevada City make a summer Saturday or Sunday the best time to bring young children.

Children 3 and under ride the train free. Public restrooms are at the Virginia City Depot and the Bovey Visitor Center, and Depot Park, a flat grassy area by the pond next to the depot, is ADA accessible and a good place for a break.

Plan your visit: tips for Montana Heritage Commission Railroad Exhibits

  • Train tickets are sold only in person on the day you ride; pick your return time when you buy.
  • The train does not run in bad weather.
  • Most attractions close outside Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day.
  • Call 406-843-5247 on weekdays to book a group visit or school field trip.

Preserving Montana's heritage, building by building

The Montana Heritage Commission, part of the state's Department of Commerce, manages Virginia City, Nevada City and Reeder's Alley. Curatorial staff and volunteers clean, stabilize and document each object, a slow job that takes money and people. You can help by volunteering, becoming a benefactor or donating, and every ticket sold supports the towns' preservation.

More Montana rail history from Virginia City

Our page on the Alder Gulch Short Line Railroad covers the train ride itself in detail. The Butte, Anaconda and Pacific Railway is about 57 miles away, and the Livingston Depot Center about 72 miles. There is more to find among Montana's train museums and rides.

Every train museum in Montana

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.

The little train here rolls along a gulch where miners once dug for gold, and I can just see a child pressed to the glass watching it go by. That is my favorite page in our book: Rally at the arched window, looking out at the ocean and saying hello to a white bird. The view is different in Montana, but the nose on the window is exactly the same.

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 Montana Heritage Commission Railroad Exhibits?

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.

Virginia City railroad exhibits: 20 questions answered

What are the Montana Heritage Commission railroad exhibits?

They are the railroad history displays and the narrow gauge train that the Montana Heritage Commission runs in Virginia City and Nevada City. The Virginia City Depot holds exhibits, videos and the train ticket window, and the Alder Gulch Shortline carries visitors between the two towns. The railroad story is part of a much larger Old West collection.

Where is the Virginia City Depot?

The Virginia City Depot and Visitor Information Center is at 413 West Wallace Street, on the lower west edge of Virginia City along Montana Highway 287. It is home to the Alder Gulch Shortline, a gift store and the Montana Heritage Commission's visitor center, with public restrooms on site.

What are the summer hours in Virginia City and Nevada City?

As of October 2026, Montana Heritage Commission visitor sites are open 10 am to 6 pm, seven days a week, from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. The Nevada City Old Town Museum and Music Hall keeps extended hours. The commission's office is open 8 am to 5 pm on summer weekdays.

Is Virginia City, Montana open in the winter?

Virginia City is the county seat and a living town, so it is open year round, but most shops, restaurants and attractions do not open until Memorial Day weekend. The Montana Heritage Commission's winter office hours depend on staffing, and an appointment is recommended. Call 406-843-5247 before an off season trip.

How much is the train between Virginia City and Nevada City?

As of October 2026, Alder Gulch Shortline fares are $10 round trip and $8 one way for adults, $8 round trip and $6 one way for youth 4 to 11 and seniors 65 and up, and $8 each round trip for groups of six or more. Children 3 and under ride free.

When does the train run in Virginia City in 2026?

The Alder Gulch Shortline runs every day from May 23 to September 7, 2026, with limited capacity. The first trip leaves Nevada City at 10:30 am and the last leaves Virginia City at 6 pm. Trains leave Virginia City on the hour and Nevada City on the half hour, and do not run in bad weather.

Can you buy Alder Gulch train tickets in advance?

No. Tickets are sold only in person, first come, first served, on the day you ride, and cannot be reserved or bought by phone. Buy them at the Virginia City Depot or the Nevada City Museum. You choose both your departure and return times when you buy, which guarantees your seat back.

Did the railroad ever reach Virginia City?

Not in the gold rush era. Historic railroad service only went as far as Alder, Montana, about ten miles away. The line that runs into Virginia City today was built in 1964 by Charlie Bovey as a visitor railroad connecting Virginia City with Nevada City, a mile and a half away.

Who was Charlie Bovey?

Charlie Bovey was the collector and preservationist whose family's work is closely tied to Virginia City and Nevada City. In 1964 he built the narrow gauge line between the towns and bought two coal-fired Davenport Dinky locomotives from the Anaconda Copper Mining Company's Great Falls smelter to run it during the summers through 1969.

What happened in the Nevada City roundhouse fire?

On the night of August 16, 1991, two railroad crew members entered the Nevada City roundhouse to take fuel, using a lighter to see. The gasoline exploded, burning the roundhouse, about $100,000 in train artifacts including stained glass car windows, the gasoline Work Train, and both operable Dinky steam locomotives.

How did the Virginia City train come back after the 1991 fire?

About a month after the fire, John Larkin of the Escanaba & Lake Superior Railroad in Wells, Michigan came to Virginia City wanting to buy three Soo Line passenger cars from around 1906. After years of talks with Ford Bovey, he delivered a rebuilt Work Train and four cars with air brakes and seat cushions in spring 1992.

What is in the Virginia City Depot?

The depot works as the Montana Heritage Commission's information center. Inside are displays and exhibits about the town, history videos, and a gift store with books, Alder Gulch souvenirs and train tickets. It is the best first stop for maps, passes and advice on planning your day in both towns.

How big is the Virginia City and Nevada City collection?

Virginia City and Nevada City hold more than one million Americana artifacts in 248 historic buildings. Curatorial staff and volunteers research, catalog and stabilize the objects, and some are moved to the secure McFarland Curatorial Center. An online Collections Gallery lets you browse pieces as they are documented.

Is Virginia City good for kids who like trains?

Yes. Kids can ride the narrow gauge train between the two towns, then explore old buildings, music machines and, on summer weekends, Living History Interpreters in Nevada City. Children 3 and under ride the train free, and the 15-minute narrated ride is a good length for little ones.

Where do you park in Virginia City and Nevada City?

Both towns have large parking lots for visitors, but camping in them is not permitted, including in RVs. The Rambling Moose Campground in Virginia City has spaces for RVs and campers. The Virginia City Depot sits along Highway 287 on the west edge of town, which makes it an easy place to start.

Are there restrooms at the Virginia City train stations?

Yes. Public restrooms are at the Virginia City Depot and Visitor Information Center and on the south side of the Bovey Visitor Center in Nevada City, where the train departs. There are also four outhouses in the Nevada City museum area.

Can schools or groups book a visit to Virginia City?

Yes. Call the Montana Heritage Commission at 406-843-5247 between 8 am and 5 pm on weekdays to make a group reservation or schedule a school field trip, and leave a message if no one answers. Groups of six or more get a lower round trip train fare.

Can you have a wedding or event in Virginia City?

Yes. The Montana Heritage Commission rents several sites, including Depot Park, a flat, ADA accessible grassy area by the pond between the Opera House and the train depot, as well as Discovery-Ellingsen Park, Brewery Park, the Bale of Hay Saloon patio and Nevada City Old Town. Call 406-843-5247 or email mhc@mt.gov.

How can I volunteer or donate to the Montana Heritage Commission?

The commission welcomes volunteers to help curatorial staff care for the collection, and it accepts donations and benefactors. All revenue from its tours, tickets and even the restored Village Pump gas station goes toward preserving Virginia City and Nevada City. Call 406-843-5247 to ask about volunteer openings or request the annual report.

What train museums are near Virginia City, Montana?

The Butte, Anaconda and Pacific Railway historic district is about 57 miles away, the Livingston Depot Center about 72 miles, and the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula about 147 miles. Virginia City is also about 90 miles from the West Yellowstone entrance, so it fits well into a national park trip.

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