Nebraska Railroad Museum in Fremont, Nebraska

Written By Kelsey Cecil

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

Rail preservation groupRelocating from Fremont to Nebraska City; no public hours posted

The Nebraska Railroad Museum is a volunteer nonprofit that grew out of the Eastern Nebraska Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, preserved the 1869 Fremont and Elkhorn Valley line, and is now building a new home in Nebraska City.

  • Formerly an NRHS chapter
  • Owned the Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad
  • Moving to Nebraska City
  • BNSF donated eight acres

Nebraska Railroad Museum at a glance

Hours
No public hours; the museum lists hours as to be determined
Admission
Not applicable while relocating
Best for
Rail fans following the move to Nebraska City

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

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Nebraska 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 Fremont.

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.

From a Fremont rail line to a Nebraska City depot

The Nebraska Railroad Museum began as the Eastern Nebraska Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. Its volunteers owned and operated the Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad, running excursions in 1920s rail cars over 17 miles of 1869 track between Fremont and Hooper, and the museum's work has centered on telling that line's story and the wider story of railroading's impact on America.

The excursion trains stopped running in the early 2010s, and the museum is now relocating. BNSF Railway donated eight acres and 2,000 feet of track at Nebraska City's Burlington Railroad Depot, which will become the museum's new base. The museum's website still lists its hours as to be determined, so there is nothing to visit in Fremont for now. The group keeps a mailing address in Fremont and posts updates and volunteer projects on Facebook.

What the public can see right now

There are no regular public hours while the move is underway. The museum's website has pages for equipment, a photo gallery and volunteer projects, and its Facebook page is the most active place to follow the collection's progress toward Nebraska City.

Nothing to visit yet

With no public site open, families will need to wait for the Nebraska City location. In the meantime, The Durham Museum in Omaha and the Union Pacific Railroad Museum in Council Bluffs are both within about 40 miles of Fremont.

Plan your visit: tips for Nebraska Railroad Museum

  • Follow the museum's Facebook page for news on the Nebraska City depot.
  • Mail to the museum goes to PO Box 642, Fremont, NE 68026.
  • Ask on Facebook about volunteer projects if you want to help with the move.

Volunteers carrying the collection forward

The museum is a volunteer-run nonprofit. Rail fans who want to help can follow its volunteer projects on the website and Facebook page and reach out about joining or donating as the Nebraska City site takes shape.

Railroad history you can visit near Fremont today

The museum's former line has its own history page: the Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad. For a visit now, The Durham Museum in Omaha is about 33 miles away and the Union Pacific Railroad Museum about 36 miles. Browse train museums across Nebraska 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.

A museum in the middle of a move reminds me of the tunnel in our book. Everything goes dark for a while, and then there's a big bright light and happy cheers on the other side. I hope the volunteers moving this collection to Nebraska City get that moment. My mom imagined that tunnel scene long before I painted it; you can read about her on our story page.

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 Nebraska 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.

Sources

Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.

Nebraska Railroad Museum: 20 questions about its past and its move

Is the Nebraska Railroad Museum open?

Not at the moment. The Nebraska Railroad Museum is relocating from Fremont to Nebraska City, and its website lists hours as to be determined. There is no regular public site to visit right now. Follow the museum's Facebook page for news about when the new location will welcome visitors.

Where is the Nebraska Railroad Museum moving?

The museum is moving to the Burlington Railroad Depot in Nebraska City. BNSF Railway donated eight acres and 2,000 feet of track there for the museum's use. An opening date has not been posted, so watch the museum's Facebook page and website for progress reports.

Is there a Nebraska Railroad Museum in Omaha?

The Nebraska Railroad Museum is not in Omaha; it was based in Fremont and is moving to Nebraska City. For railroad history near Omaha, The Durham Museum is about 33 miles from Fremont, and the Union Pacific Railroad Museum and RailsWest Railroad Museum are just across the river in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Is there a railroad museum in North Platte, Nebraska?

The Nebraska Railroad Museum is not in North Platte. North Platte is a separate railroad stop on I-80 far to the west of Fremont, and our Nebraska page lists the railroad attractions there, including the Golden Spike Tower and the Cody Park Railroad Museum, with hours and visiting tips for each.

What is the Nebraska Railroad Museum?

It is a nonprofit, volunteer-run organization dedicated to preserving Nebraska's railroad history. It interprets the story of the Fremont and Elkhorn Valley Railroad, whose tracks date to 1869, and the broader impact of railroading on America. It was formerly the Eastern Nebraska Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society.

What is the connection between the Nebraska Railroad Museum and the Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad?

The Nebraska Railroad Museum owned and operated the Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad, running excursions with volunteers on 17 miles of track between Fremont and Hooper. Those excursions were suspended in the early 2010s, and the museum is now focused on relocating to Nebraska City.

Where was the Nebraska Railroad Museum in Fremont?

The museum was associated with North Somers Avenue in Fremont, where the Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad's depot stood at 1835 North Somers Avenue. Its current mailing address is PO Box 642, Fremont, NE 68026. There is no public site to visit in Fremont while the museum relocates.

What equipment does the Nebraska Railroad Museum have?

The museum keeps an equipment page and photo gallery on its website, but it does not post a detailed roster with names or numbers. Its former railroad ran diesel locomotives and passenger cars dating from the 1920s. Check the website or Facebook page for current photos of the collection.

When will the Nebraska Railroad Museum open in Nebraska City?

The museum has not posted an opening date for its Nebraska City location. Work depends on volunteers and donations, so timelines can change. The museum's Facebook page, which has thousands of followers, is the best place to see updates and announcements about public events at the new site.

How can I volunteer with the Nebraska Railroad Museum?

The museum lists volunteer projects on its website, nebraskarailroadmuseum.com, and the move to Nebraska City will need many hands. The quickest way to get involved is to message the museum through its Facebook page and ask which projects need help.

How can I donate to the Nebraska Railroad Museum?

The museum is a nonprofit and receives no tax support, so donations matter. It does not post online giving details on its main pages. Write to PO Box 642, Fremont, NE 68026, or message the museum on Facebook to ask how to give toward the Nebraska City project.

How do I contact the Nebraska Railroad Museum?

The museum's website has a contact form and lists its mailing address as PO Box 642, Fremont, NE 68026. It does not post a public phone number. Facebook is the most active channel for questions, news about the move and volunteer opportunities.

Does the Nebraska Railroad Museum offer train rides?

Not currently. The museum used to run excursions on the Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad, but those were suspended in the early 2010s. The Nebraska City site includes 2,000 feet of donated track, but no ride schedule has been announced. Watch the museum's Facebook page for news.

What was the Nebraska Railroad Museum called before?

Before it became the Nebraska Railroad Museum, the group was the Eastern Nebraska Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. Under either name it has been a volunteer organization, and it owned and operated the Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad on the old Elkhorn line north of Fremont.

Why did BNSF donate land to the Nebraska Railroad Museum?

BNSF Railway donated eight acres and 2,000 feet of track at the Burlington Railroad Depot in Nebraska City to give the museum a new permanent home. The museum has not posted further details of the agreement online, so check its website or Facebook page for the full story.

Is the Nebraska Railroad Museum good for kids?

Right now there is no site for families to visit. Once the Nebraska City depot opens, check the museum's announcements for what children will be able to see. Until then, The Durham Museum in Omaha, about 33 miles from Fremont, is the closest railroad-themed stop on our Nebraska list.

Is the Nebraska Railroad Museum part of the National Railway Historical Society?

The museum grew out of the Eastern Nebraska Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, and the society still lists the Nebraska Railroad Museum on its website with a Fremont mailing address. Ask the museum directly about its current membership options and chapter ties.

What history does the Nebraska Railroad Museum preserve?

The museum preserves the story of the Fremont and Elkhorn Valley Railroad, a line laid out in 1869 that once reached across northern Nebraska toward the Black Hills and Wyoming. It also tells how railroading shaped America more broadly, from the transcontinental era to modern diesel freight.

Does the Nebraska Railroad Museum have a website?

Yes, at nebraskarailroadmuseum.com, with pages for equipment, a photo gallery and volunteer projects, plus a contact form. The site lists hours as to be determined. The Facebook page, facebook.com/NebraskaRailroadMuseum, is updated more often and is the better place for current news.

What train museums can I visit near Fremont instead?

The Durham Museum in Omaha is about 33 miles from Fremont, and the Union Pacific Railroad Museum and RailsWest Railroad Museum in Council Bluffs, Iowa are about 36 to 37 miles. The Burlington Northern Depot Museum in Red Oak, Iowa is about 73 miles away.

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