North Platte Union Pacific Depot and Canteen, Nebraska
Depot museumThe 1918 depot was torn down in 1973; its story is told at nearby museums
From 1918 to 1973, North Platte's Union Pacific depot welcomed travelers on the main line, and from Christmas Day 1941 to April 1946 it was home to the North Platte Canteen, where volunteers greeted millions of service members passing through by train.
- Depot opened in 1918
- Home of the WWII Canteen
- Canteen open 1941 to 1946
- Depot torn down in 1973
- Historical marker in North Platte
North Platte Union Pacific Depot and Canteen at a glance
- Hours
- Not applicable; the depot no longer stands
- Admission
- Not applicable
- Best for
- World War II and railroad history fans
- Best ages
- School-age kids
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to North Platte Union Pacific Depot and Canteen? 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 North Platte.
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The depot where a whole town met the troop trains
North Platte's Union Pacific depot opened on March 20, 1918, and served the railroad until November 1, 1973. It is remembered above all for what happened there during World War II. Starting on Christmas Day 1941, local volunteers turned the depot into the North Platte Canteen, meeting every troop train that stopped in town with free food and a warm welcome.
The Canteen ran until April 1, 1946. By the time it closed, it had served more than six million service men and women, and on its busiest days as many as 5,000 service members came through the depot. The building was torn down in 1973, but a historical marker in North Platte still carries a shield from the depot, recording its dates and its years as the home of the Canteen.
Today the depot's story is kept alive by two nearby sites. The Lincoln County Historical Museum houses a North Platte Canteen exhibition, and the Golden Spike Tower's multimedia exhibits include the Canteen alongside the history of the railroad and the orphan trains.
Where to find the depot's story now
There is no depot building left to tour. Visitors can look for the Union Pacific Depot historical marker and then head to the Lincoln County Historical Museum for the Canteen exhibit or to the Golden Spike Tower, which overlooks the yards the depot once served.
Don’t miss
- The Union Pacific Depot historical markerIt holds a shield from the depot and records its 1918 to 1973 service and its years as the Canteen.
- The Canteen exhibit at the Lincoln County Historical MuseumThe fullest telling of the Canteen story in North Platte.
A story to share with older kids
With no building to explore, this is a history stop rather than a play stop. School-age kids may enjoy hearing that volunteers met every troop train with free meals, and then seeing the exhibit at the Lincoln County Historical Museum or watching trains from the Golden Spike Tower.
Plan your visit: tips for North Platte Union Pacific Depot and Canteen
- Visit the Lincoln County Historical Museum for the Canteen exhibit.
- The Golden Spike Tower includes Canteen history in its exhibits and overlooks the rail yard.
- Look up the Union Pacific Depot marker before you go so you can find it in town.
The Canteen volunteers and those who remember them
The Canteen itself was run by local volunteers, and today local museums carry its memory. The best way to honor the depot's story is to visit and support the Lincoln County Historical Museum, whose Canteen exhibition keeps those volunteers' names and work in view.
See the Canteen story in North Platte
The Lincoln County Historical Museum, about 3 miles away, has the Canteen exhibit. The Golden Spike Tower, about 4 miles, overlooks Bailey Yard, and the Cody Park Railroad Museum, about 2 miles, lets kids climb into a steam locomotive. Plan more stops with our guide to Nebraska train museums.
- Cody Park Railroad MuseumNorth Platte, NE · about 2 mi
- Lincoln County Historical Museum railroad exhibitsNorth Platte, NE · about 3 mi
- Golden Spike Tower & Visitor CenterNorth Platte, NE · about 4 mi
- Nebraska Prairie Museum railroad exhibitsHoldrege, NE · about 87 mi
- Stuhr Museum Railroad TownGrand Island, NE · about 127 mi
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
The North Platte Canteen was about strangers reaching out to travelers who needed a kind welcome. That is what Mr. Conductor does in our book: in his blue uniform, he holds out a hand to Rally and makes a small corgi feel he belongs on the train. My mom believed in that kind of kindness, and it is why she dreamed up the story. 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
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
- Train museums in Nebraska: every museum by town, with a map
- Train museums in every state: search by town or near you
- Christmas train rides in Nebraska
- Halloween train rides in Nebraska
- Every Amtrak route with kids
Work or volunteer at North Platte Union Pacific Depot and Canteen?
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.
North Platte Union Pacific Depot: 20 questions about the Canteen depot
Is the North Platte Union Pacific Depot still standing?
No. The North Platte Union Pacific depot served from March 20, 1918, to November 1, 1973, and was torn down in 1973. A historical marker in North Platte records its history, and the story of the depot and its Canteen is told at the Lincoln County Historical Museum.
What was the North Platte Canteen?
The North Platte Canteen was a volunteer effort in the Union Pacific depot during World War II. From Christmas Day 1941 to April 1, 1946, local people met troop trains with free food and a warm welcome, serving more than six million service men and women during their short stops.
How many soldiers did the North Platte Canteen serve?
The Canteen served more than six million service members, and some accounts put the total at more than 6.5 million, between Christmas Day 1941 and April 1, 1946. On its busiest days, as many as 5,000 service members visited the Canteen in the Union Pacific depot.
When did the North Platte Canteen open and close?
The North Platte Canteen opened on December 25, 1941, just weeks after the United States entered World War II, and closed on April 1, 1946. For more than four years, volunteers met the trains at the Union Pacific depot.
When was the North Platte Union Pacific Depot built?
The depot shown on North Platte's historical marker served from March 20, 1918, until November 1, 1973. It sat on Union Pacific's main line through North Platte and became nationally known as the home of the World War II Canteen.
Where can I see the North Platte Canteen exhibit?
The Lincoln County Historical Museum in North Platte houses a North Platte Canteen exhibition, and the Canteen is one of its three main themes along with the pioneer period and agriculture. The Golden Spike Tower also includes the Canteen in its multimedia history exhibits.
Is there a historical marker for the North Platte Union Pacific Depot?
Yes. A Union Pacific Depot historical marker in North Platte includes a shield from the depot and lists its service from 1918 to 1973 and its years as home of the World War II Canteen. The Historical Marker Database lists the marker if you want to find it before you go.
Why was the North Platte depot torn down?
The depot closed on November 1, 1973, and was torn down that year. Reasons for the demolition are not explained on the marker. Passenger service through North Platte had ended, and the Lincoln County Historical Museum is the best place to ask about the depot's final years.
Is the North Platte Canteen a museum now?
The original Canteen building, the Union Pacific depot, no longer stands; it was torn down in 1973. Some travel listings describe a restored depot museum, but the historical marker and other accounts record the depot's demolition. For Canteen history, visit the Lincoln County Historical Museum.
Can kids learn about the North Platte Canteen?
Yes. School-age kids can see the Canteen exhibit at the Lincoln County Historical Museum, which also has historic structures spread across an eight-acre village, including a Pony Express cabin. Reading about the Canteen together before the trip helps kids understand why a whole town met the trains.
What does the Golden Spike Tower show about the Canteen?
The Golden Spike Tower, which overlooks Union Pacific's Bailey Yard, includes multimedia exhibits on railroad history, the orphan trains and the North Platte World War II Canteen. It is a good second stop after the Lincoln County Historical Museum.
Who ran the North Platte Canteen?
The Canteen was run by volunteers from North Platte and the surrounding area. They met every train that stopped, offering free meals and a friendly welcome to service members heading to or returning from the war. The Lincoln County Historical Museum tells their story.
How busy was the North Platte Canteen?
Very busy. On its peak days as many as 5,000 service members came through the Canteen in the Union Pacific depot. Volunteers served free meals to everyone who passed through by train, and over four years the total climbed past six million service men and women.
Is there a depot to tour in North Platte today?
The 1918 Union Pacific depot is gone, so there is no original depot building to tour. For railroad history you can visit the Golden Spike Tower above Bailey Yard, the Cody Park Railroad Museum about 2 miles away, and the Lincoln County Historical Museum with its Canteen exhibit.
How can I support the North Platte Canteen's memory?
Visit and support the Lincoln County Historical Museum, which keeps the Canteen story at the center of its exhibits. Admission, memberships and donations all help the museum preserve the volunteers' history for future generations, and sharing the story with kids keeps it alive too.
How long was the North Platte depot in service?
According to the historical marker, the Union Pacific depot served North Platte for more than 55 years, from March 20, 1918, to November 1, 1973. For a little over four of those years, from 1941 to 1946, it was also the home of the North Platte Canteen.
What railroad passed through the North Platte depot?
The depot belonged to the Union Pacific, whose main line runs through North Platte. Today the same railroad operates Bailey Yard, the world's largest classification yard, which you can watch from the Golden Spike Tower a few miles from downtown.
Is the North Platte depot site good for a quick stop?
The marker is a short stop for history fans, but families will get more from the nearby museums. The Lincoln County Historical Museum is about 3 miles away, and the Cody Park Railroad Museum, with a steam locomotive kids can climb, is about 2 miles.
What happened to the North Platte Canteen after the war?
The Canteen closed on April 1, 1946, after the war ended and the troop trains slowed. The depot continued in railroad service until November 1, 1973, and was torn down that year. The Canteen's memory now lives at the Lincoln County Historical Museum.
What railroad museums are near the North Platte depot site?
The Cody Park Railroad Museum is about 2 miles away, the Lincoln County Historical Museum about 3 miles and the Golden Spike Tower about 4 miles. To the east, the Nebraska Prairie Museum in Holdrege is about 87 miles and Stuhr Museum in Grand Island about 127 miles.
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