New Jersey Museum of Transportation / Pine Creek Railroad in Wall Township, New Jersey

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Wall Township, New Jersey · Updated October 19, 2026 · 12 min read

Heritage railroad with a museumTrain ridesTrain rides on weekends; special events vary

The New Jersey Museum of Transportation operates the Pine Creek Railroad, a 3 foot narrow gauge line in Wall Township founded in 1952 and counted among the oldest operating narrow gauge railway exhibits in the country.

  • Founded in 1952
  • 3 foot narrow gauge railroad
  • About 15-minute train ride
  • Run entirely by volunteers
  • Parties in 100-year-old Freneau Station

New Jersey Museum of Transportation / Pine Creek Railroad at a glance

Hours
Weekends, trains every half hour from 11 am; the contact page lists 11 am to 3:30 pm Saturday and Sunday
Admission
$6 per person age 3 and up, $2 under 3 (special events priced separately)
Train rides
15-minute narrow gauge train ride, weekends every half hour
Plan for
About 1 hour
Best for
Families with toddlers and young kids
Best ages
Toddlers to age 10
Accessibility
Service dogs are welcome; other accessibility details are not posted, so call ahead.

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

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to New Jersey Museum of Transportation / Pine Creek Railroad? 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 Wall Township.

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 sand pit steamer to Allaire's little railroad

The museum likes to say it all began in a sand pit. Around 1950 the Raritan River Sand Company in Nixon, New Jersey was being pushed toward diesel power and thinking about scrapping its small steam engines. Two rail enthusiasts, James Wright, who worked for his family's sand company, and Jay L. Wulfson, who managed a dress company in South River, formed Wright & Wulfson, Inc. and bought a Baldwin 0-4-0T that became Pine Creek No. 1.

With Pierre "Pete" Rasmussen, an agent for the Central Railroad of New Jersey, they founded the Pine Creek Railroad Museum in 1952 on a 2.5-acre lot on Route 9 in Marlboro Township, a few miles north of Freehold. They laid narrow gauge track using rail rescued from abandoned sand pits, built a small engine house, and drew in volunteers who helped piece together a passenger coach so the line could carry riders.

The late 1950s brought a side venture, the Copper Creek Railroad at Cowboy City in Howell, and a Porter 0-4-0T saddle tanker bought from Raritan River Sand. When Cowboy City closed, the equipment came home to Pine Creek, which by then had also leased Ely-Thomas Shay No. 6. Around this time the volunteers formed the New Jersey Museum of Transportation, Inc. as a not-for-profit. The founders eventually went their own way: Pine Creek No. 1 was sold to Disneyland, and Wulfson and Rasmussen donated the remaining rolling stock and assets to the new museum.

In 1962 a land reassessment made a move to a new home urgent, and the railroad today runs in Wall Township, inside Allaire State Park. The museum is careful to point out that it has always been separate from the park and from Historic Allaire Village. It is a nonprofit run entirely by volunteers and receives no state or federal funding.

A working museum you ride through

Do not look for a big building full of display cases. The museum calls itself a working museum: the train and every building in the public area are historic, and the way to see the collection is to ride the narrow gauge train and then walk the grounds. The ride itself lasts about 15 minutes on the 3 foot gauge Pine Creek Railroad, and trains leave every half hour on regular weekend operating days.

Between rides, families can look over the station buildings, including the roughly 100-year-old Freneau Station that the museum uses for birthday parties, and the picnic tables beside it. The museum's volunteers also work on restoration projects, which it shares on its website and Facebook page.

Don’t miss

  1. The Pine Creek Railroad rideThe 15-minute narrow gauge ride is the heart of the visit, and it is how the museum shares its historic equipment with the public.
  2. Freneau StationThis roughly 100-year-old station building is the setting for the museum's birthday parties and one of the historic structures on the grounds.
  3. The historic buildings in the public areaEvery building visitors can walk around is itself part of the collection, so take a slow lap of the grounds after your ride.
  4. Volunteer restoration projectsThe museum posts its current restoration work on its Projects page, a good way to see what the volunteers are bringing back to life.

A short ride sized for little conductors

At about 15 minutes, the train ride is a good length for toddlers and preschoolers, and children under 3 ride for a small reduced fare. The museum's Kids Activities page points families to Operation Lifesaver's games and puzzles about railroad safety and what it takes to be an engineer.

For birthdays, the museum rents Freneau Station for two-hour parties starting at 11 am or 2 pm. There is seating for 20 children, each child gets a paper conductor's or engineer's hat, and a train ride can be added with each child's name printed on the ticket.

Plan your visit: tips for New Jersey Museum of Transportation / Pine Creek Railroad

  • Tickets are sold only at the ticket booth, with no service fee.
  • Tickets are good only for the date bought, since train capacity is limited.
  • Come early or call (732) 938-5524 if you want a ride on a busy day.
  • No pets are allowed, but service dogs are welcome.
  • Check the museum's Facebook page for schedule changes and cancellations.

The museum runs special events through the year with their own times and ticket prices, and it posts the details and any changes on its Facebook page. For more holiday ideas around the state, see our list of Christmas train rides in New Jersey.

Volunteers with no public funding

The New Jersey Museum of Transportation is a nonprofit run entirely by volunteers, with no state or federal funding behind it. Every ride ticket and birthday party helps keep the trains running, and the museum's website has a Join Us and Donate page for anyone who wants to help as a member, volunteer or donor.

More New Jersey rail stops within an hour or so

The Black River & Western Railroad is about 43 miles away for a longer train ride. The Whippany Railway Museum is about 48 miles north, and the Maywood Station Museum is about 51 miles. Browse all the train museums in New Jersey to plan more stops.

Every train museum in New Jersey

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.

I love that the birthday kids here get their own name printed on the train ticket. It makes me think of Rally packing for his trip in our book: his turtle toy, his green bone and his yellow ball, all lined up like the most important things in the world. Little travelers take their tickets and their bags very seriously. If your small rider wants to color Rally's packing day, try our coloring pages.

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 New Jersey Museum of Transportation / Pine Creek Railroad?

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.

Pine Creek Railroad: 20 questions families ask

What is the New Jersey Museum of Transportation Pine Creek Railroad?

The Pine Creek Railroad is the narrow gauge train ride operated by the New Jersey Museum of Transportation, a volunteer-run nonprofit in Wall Township. Founded in 1952, it is one of the oldest operating narrow gauge railway exhibits in the country. The museum is a working museum, so the main experience is riding the train and walking the historic grounds.

Where is the Pine Creek Railroad located?

The New Jersey Museum of Transportation is at 4265 Atlantic Avenue, Wall Township, New Jersey 07727, inside Allaire State Park. Its mailing address is P.O. Box 622, Farmingdale, NJ 07727-0622, so use the Atlantic Avenue street address in your GPS. The museum's website has a Directions page if you need more detail.

Is the Pine Creek Railroad part of Allaire State Park or Allaire Village?

No. The railroad runs inside Allaire State Park, but the museum says it is, and always has been, completely separate from both the park and Historic Allaire Village. Pine Creek Railroad belongs to the New Jersey Museum of Transportation, an independent nonprofit run by volunteers without state or federal funding.

When does the Pine Creek Railroad run?

As of October 2026, trains normally run on weekends starting at 11 am, leaving every half hour. The homepage gives the window as 11 am to 4 pm, while the contact page lists Saturday and Sunday hours of 11 am to 3:30 pm, so plan to arrive well before 3:30. Special events have their own times, and the museum posts changes on Facebook.

How much are Pine Creek Railroad train ride tickets?

As of October 2026, tickets are $6 per person for ages 3 and older and $2 for children under 3. Special events are priced differently. Tickets are only valid for the date you buy them, because the museum limits how many people can be on the train at once.

Where do I buy tickets for the Pine Creek Railroad?

Tickets are sold only at the ticket booth on site, not online. The museum notes that there is no internet service fee when you buy in person. On busy days, the museum suggests coming early or calling (732) 938-5524 before you head out if you have your heart set on a ride.

How long is the train ride at the Pine Creek Railroad?

The train ride lasts about 15 minutes on the museum's 3 foot narrow gauge track. That length suits young children well. With time to buy tickets, wait for the next half-hourly departure and walk around the historic buildings, most families spend about an hour.

Is there a museum building to tour at the New Jersey Museum of Transportation?

Not a traditional one. The museum describes itself as a working museum: the train and all the buildings in the public area are historic, and there is no large building full of artifacts. To enjoy the collection, ride the train and then walk around the public area to see the station buildings and equipment.

Can I have a birthday party at the Pine Creek Railroad?

Yes. Parties are held in the roughly 100-year-old Freneau Station, which seats 20 children, for two hours starting at 11 am or 2 pm. As of October 2026, the station rental is $50 and includes a tour, plus a paper conductor's or engineer's hat for each child. Call Idella LuBrant at (732) 927-0013 to book.

Can I add a train ride to a Pine Creek Railroad birthday party?

Yes. A train ride can be added to a birthday party for an extra charge per person age 3 and over, and the birthday child's name goes on the ticket. Parties are offered most weekends, but not on special event dates. Call (732) 927-0013 to check your date and the current ride add-on price.

Does the New Jersey Museum of Transportation host school field trips?

Yes. The museum lists education and school group visits on its website, and it says it is a popular choice for educational field trips. For school groups and other special visits, contact Idella LuBrant at (732) 927-0013 to talk through dates, group size and pricing.

Are dogs allowed at the Pine Creek Railroad?

No pets are allowed at the New Jersey Museum of Transportation, but service dogs are welcome. If you are spending the day in Allaire State Park with a pet, plan for someone to stay with the dog while the rest of the family rides the train.

Is the Pine Creek Railroad good for toddlers?

Yes. The 15-minute ride is a manageable length for small children, and kids under 3 ride for $2 as of October 2026. Because the museum is mostly outdoors with historic buildings and a short train ride, it works well as a first train trip. Check the weather, since the visit is largely outside.

Is the Pine Creek Railroad a steam train?

The railroad's history is rooted in steam: it began with small steam locomotives bought from a New Jersey sand company, including a Baldwin 0-4-0T and a Porter saddle tank engine. The museum does not say on its site which locomotive pulls the regular weekend train, so call (732) 938-5524 if riding behind steam matters to you.

When was the Pine Creek Railroad founded?

The Pine Creek Railroad Museum was founded in 1952 by James Wright, Jay L. Wulfson and Pierre "Pete" Rasmussen on a lot on Route 9 in Marlboro Township. Volunteers later formed the New Jersey Museum of Transportation as a nonprofit, and a land reassessment in 1962 pushed the museum to relocate.

Did a Pine Creek Railroad locomotive go to Disneyland?

Yes. According to the museum's history, Pine Creek No. 1, a Baldwin 0-4-0T originally bought from the Raritan River Sand Company, was sold to Disneyland in California after the founders and volunteers parted ways. Another early engine, Copper Creek No. 3, went to a museum in Cooperstown, New York.

Does the Pine Creek Railroad have special events?

Yes. The museum holds special events with their own schedules and ticket prices, and it does not take birthday party bookings on those dates. Events can change or be cancelled without notice, so check the museum's Facebook page or website for the current lineup before you go.

Who runs the New Jersey Museum of Transportation?

The museum is a nonprofit run entirely by volunteers and supported without any state or federal funding. Volunteers operate the trains, care for the historic buildings and work on restoration projects. Ticket sales, parties and donations are what keep it going.

How can I volunteer at or donate to the Pine Creek Railroad?

The New Jersey Museum of Transportation has a Join Us and Donate page on its website, njmt.org. For general questions, email ihl1954@aol.com or call (732) 938-5524. Because the railroad gets no public funding, memberships and donations go straight toward keeping the trains and buildings in service.

What other train museums are near the Pine Creek Railroad?

The Black River & Western Railroad in the Flemington and Ringoes area is about 43 miles away, the Whippany Railway Museum about 48 miles, and the Maywood Station Museum about 51 miles. The Liberty Historic Railway in the Jersey City area is roughly 38 miles away.

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