Ohio Railway Museum in Worthington, Ohio

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Worthington, Ohio · Updated October 19, 2026 · 13 min read

Trolley and streetcar museumTrain ridesSaturdays, May to September, plus holiday events

The Ohio Railway Museum, started in 1948 on the old Columbus, Delaware and Marion interurban railbed in Worthington, is one of the oldest railway museums in the country with its own operating line, and its all-volunteer crew still gives every Saturday visitor a train ride.

  • Founded in 1948
  • Train rides included with admission
  • Last surviving N&W E2a Pacific
  • Interurban No. 21 on National Register
  • Speeder and cab rides extra
  • All-volunteer nonprofit

Ohio Railway Museum at a glance

Hours
Saturdays 11 am to 5 pm, May 9 to September 26 (2026 season); special events in fall, winter and spring
Admission
Adults $12, seniors and military $10, ages 2 to 12 $10, under 2 free; includes standard train rides
Train rides
Standard train rides included with admission; speeder and cab rides extra, tickets in the depot
Seasonal events
Pumpkin Patch Express, Letters to Santa, Hippity Hoppity Easter Trolley, Scout Day, All Aboard Saturdays, Steam Returns to the ORM (2027)
Plan for
About 2 to 3 hours
Best for
Families with young kids and trolley fans
Best ages
Ages 2 to 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 Ohio Railway 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 Worthington.

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.

Railfans who met at Union Station and built a museum on an interurban line

The museum's roots go back to 1945, when a group of train enthusiasts calling themselves the Central Ohio Railfan's Association began meeting at the old Columbus Union Station. In 1948 they put down roots in Worthington, on the railbed of the Columbus, Delaware and Marion, an electric line built in 1901 that carried passengers and freight until 1933. The group incorporated in 1950 and took the name Ohio Railway Museum in 1993.

Its first artifact set the course for everything that followed. Ohio Public Service interurban car No. 21, a wooden combination passenger and baggage car built in 1905 by the Niles Car and Manufacturing Company of Niles, Ohio, was acquired in 1947 and moved to the grounds the next year. It is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. From there the collection grew to include streetcars, more interurbans, steam and diesel locomotives and railroad buildings, with a special focus on Ohio's electric railway heritage.

The biggest arrival came in 1959, when the Norfolk and Western donated E2a Pacific No. 578, a passenger engine that had worked into Columbus on the Scioto Division for years. The tiny Marble Cliff Quarry Co. No. 1, donated in 1954, helped pull it onto the property. The museum is candid that it has seen lean years and leadership changes. Through all of it, volunteers kept the line open, and today it is an all-volunteer nonprofit moving ahead with fresh energy, including plans to bring steam back to its rails in 2027.

Interurbans, a Columbus streetcar and a big Pacific steam engine

Saturday visits start at the depot, which doubles as a display room for rail artifacts and the place to buy extra ride tickets. Admission includes the day's standard train rides aboard Canadian National coach No. 5060, currently pulled by U.S. Army No. 7178, a 1943 GE 65-ton diesel the volunteers call Roger. The museum's PCC streetcar, Illinois Terminal No. 450, has also carried visitors along the line on operating days.

Around the grounds you will find streetcars and interurbans from across Ohio and beyond, including Columbus Railway Power and Light streetcar No. 703, a 1924 Kuhlman interurban from Ohio Public Service, and the Columbus, Delaware and Marion parlor car No. 501, the Red Bird. There is also a railway post office car, passenger cars, cabooses, a freight depot, a section house and a coal-age scale house. Volunteers show how they maintain track, trolley wire and air brakes, and the shaded picnic tables and gem mining sluice give families a break between rides.

Don’t miss

  1. Norfolk & Western No. 578Built in 1910, this E2a Pacific is the last survivor of 26 built for the Norfolk and Western and worked a 48-year career, including passenger runs into Columbus.
  2. Ohio Public Service No. 21The museum's first artifact, a 1905 wooden interurban with an oak interior, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
  3. CD&M No. 501, the Red BirdA 1926 steel interurban parlor car from the very line whose railbed the museum now runs on.
  4. Columbus streetcar No. 703One of more than 20 Kuhlman streetcars built in 1925 for downtown Columbus, being restored to running order.
  5. Illinois Terminal PCC No. 450A 1949 streamlined PCC car that has carried visitors up and down the museum line.
  6. Marble Cliff Quarry Co. No. 1A small 1924 Vulcan saddle-tank switcher that helped pull N&W 578 onto the property and returned to display in 2018.

Ride, picnic, pan for gems, then ride again

Kids get a real ride every Saturday because standard train rides are included with admission, and families can add speeder rides and locomotive cab rides with extra tickets from the depot. Between rides there are shaded picnic tables, a gem mining sluice and friendly volunteers happy to explain every car. Children under 2 ride free.

Holidays bring kid-sized events: costumes and a train ride to pick a pumpkin at the Pumpkin Patch Express, Letters to Santa in November and December, and an Easter Trolley to Bunny Junction with an egg hunt. Most of the visit is outdoors, so dress for the weather.

Plan your visit: tips for Ohio Railway Museum

  • Admission tickets are sold at the gate; buy speeder and cab ride tickets in the depot.
  • Pack a lunch: there are shaded picnic tables on the grounds.
  • Call (614) 885-7345 on Saturdays during open hours, or leave a voicemail other days.
  • Scouts in uniform get in free on Scout Day each August 1.

Holiday events keep the Ohio Railway Museum busy after the summer season. The Pumpkin Patch Express invites kids in costume to trick-or-treat through the museum and ride the train to the pumpkin patch, and Letters to Santa runs in November and December. In spring, the Easter Trolley heads to Bunny Junction. Check the events page for dates and tickets, and see our guides to Halloween train rides in Ohio and Christmas train rides in Ohio for more ideas.

An all-volunteer crew since 1948

The Ohio Railway Museum is an all-volunteer nonprofit. Volunteers run the trains, staff the depot, lead the tours and do the heavy work on rails, ties, trolley wire and air brakes. The museum says every ticket, purchase and donation keeps it going. To lend a hand, email volunteer@ohiorailwaymuseum.org, or sign up for the newsletter to follow its events.

Central Ohio rail stops nearby

The Ohio History Connection railroad collection in Columbus is only about 9 miles away. The Marion Union Station Association is about 35 miles north, and the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway is about 60 miles southeast. See our Ohio train museum guide for the full list.

Every train museum in Ohio

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of a dad lifting Rally the corgi up the big stairs of a red train car
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

At the Ohio Railway Museum, everyone boards the same old Canadian National coach for the Saturday ride, and I can picture the little ones stretching for that first step. That is Rally's problem in our book: his short corgi legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. My kids think that page is the funniest one. You can read where Rally's story came from 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 Ohio Railway 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.

Ohio Railway Museum: 20 questions families ask

What are the Ohio Railway Museum hours?

As of October 2026, the museum is open Saturdays from 11 am to 5 pm during its season, which ran May 9 through September 26 in 2026. It is closed for regular visits the rest of the year, but holds special events such as the Pumpkin Patch Express and Letters to Santa. Check the events page for upcoming dates.

How much are Ohio Railway Museum tickets?

As of October 2026, admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and military, $10 for kids ages 2 to 12, and free for children under 2. Admission covers full museum access and all standard train rides that day. Tickets are sold at the gate, and special events are ticketed separately online.

Where is the Ohio Railway Museum in Worthington?

The Ohio Railway Museum is at 990 Proprietors Road, Worthington, Ohio 43085, just north of Columbus. It sits on the old Columbus, Delaware and Marion railbed, the interurban line that once ran through the area. Enter that address in your GPS and call (614) 885-7345 on a Saturday if you need help finding it.

Do you get a train ride at the Ohio Railway Museum?

Yes. Every admission includes the day's standard train rides aboard Canadian National coach No. 5060, currently pulled by U.S. Army No. 7178, a 1943 GE diesel. You can ride as often as the schedule allows that day. Speeder rides and locomotive cab rides cost extra, with tickets sold in the depot.

Can you ride in the locomotive cab at the Ohio Railway Museum?

Yes. The museum offers locomotive cab rides as an extra on open Saturdays, and its visit page promotes a chance to take the controls of a real train. Cab ride tickets are sold in the depot, separate from admission. Ask the volunteers there about availability, since extras can be limited on busy days.

Does the Ohio Railway Museum do a Christmas event?

Yes. Letters to Santa is the museum's holiday event, listed for November and December 2026. Details and ticket links are posted on the events page as the season approaches. For questions, call (614) 885-7345 and leave a voicemail, or follow the museum on Facebook and Instagram for announcements.

What is the Pumpkin Patch Express at the Ohio Railway Museum?

The Pumpkin Patch Express is the museum's Halloween event. Kids come in costume to trick-or-treat through the museum, play games, enjoy treats and ride the train out to a pumpkin patch to pick their own pumpkin. Tickets are sold in advance through the museum's events page, so check there for dates.

Is there a ghost trolley at the Ohio Railway Museum?

The museum does not describe a ghost trolley event on its current website. Its posted fall event is the Pumpkin Patch Express, a family Halloween day with trick-or-treating and a train ride to the pumpkin patch. For any evening or ghost themed rides, check the museum's Facebook page or call (614) 885-7345.

What is on the Ohio Railway Museum roster?

The collection includes Norfolk and Western E2a Pacific No. 578, Ohio Public Service interurbans No. 21 and No. 64, Columbus, Delaware and Marion No. 501, Columbus streetcar No. 703, Illinois Terminal PCC No. 450, Kansas City streetcar No. 472, Marble Cliff Quarry Co. No. 1 and U.S. Army No. 7178. The website lists each car's history.

Is steam coming back to the Ohio Railway Museum?

Yes, for a limited run. The museum has announced Steam Returns to the ORM, two weekends of steam operation marking 200 years of American railroading, beginning on National Train Day 2027. It says this is the first steam on its rails in about half a century and expects tickets to sell out, so watch its events page.

Is the Ohio Railway Museum expanding?

The museum's website does not describe a specific expansion project. It says it is moving forward with renewed momentum, and it has a streetcar under restoration and steam operations planned for 2027. For news on new projects, follow its Facebook page or subscribe to the newsletter on ohiorailwaymuseum.org.

How old is the Ohio Railway Museum?

The museum traces its start to 1945, when the Central Ohio Railfan's Association began meeting at Columbus Union Station, and it was founded in Worthington in 1948. It incorporated in 1950 and adopted the Ohio Railway Museum name in 1993. The museum calls itself one of the oldest railway museums in the country.

Is the Ohio Railway Museum good for toddlers?

Yes. Children under 2 ride free, the included train rides are short and easy for little ones, and there are picnic tables and a gem mining sluice to break up the day. Holiday events like the Pumpkin Patch Express and the Easter Trolley are aimed at young kids. Most of the visit is outdoors.

Is the Ohio Railway Museum the same as the Northern Ohio Railway Museum?

No. The Ohio Railway Museum is in Worthington, just north of Columbus. The Northern Ohio Railway Museum is a separate organization in the Chippewa Lake and Seville area of northeast Ohio, with its own tickets and schedule. Make sure you buy tickets from the right museum's website before you drive.

What is the Easter trolley at the Ohio Railway Museum?

The Hippity Hoppity Easter Trolley takes families by trolley to Bunny Junction for an egg hunt, a visit with the Easter Bunny, music, storytime and a spring craft. The museum listed it for April 4. Check the events page for the current year's date and tickets before you plan around it.

Does the Ohio Railway Museum have a Scout Day?

Yes. On Scout Day, set for August 1, scouts in uniform get free admission and can ride the train and the speeder and get close to the locomotives. Troops and packs are welcome to come together, and a Scout Day patch can be pre-ordered as a keepsake. Confirm the date on the museum's events page.

Is the Ohio Railway Museum wheelchair accessible?

The museum does not post accessibility details online. Visits involve outdoor grounds, steps into historic cars and boarding a vintage coach. Call (614) 885-7345 during Saturday hours, or send a message through the website, to ask what is accessible and how volunteers can help with boarding.

Who runs the Ohio Railway Museum?

The Ohio Railway Museum is an all-volunteer nonprofit. Every person you meet there is a volunteer, from the train crew to the depot staff, and they also handle track, overhead wire and brake work. The museum relies on ticket sales, purchases and donations to keep its collection and line in operation.

How can I volunteer at the Ohio Railway Museum?

Email volunteer@ohiorailwaymuseum.org to ask about volunteering. The museum is entirely volunteer run, so help is needed with train operations, the depot, tours, restoration and track maintenance. You can also donate through the website, sign up for the newsletter, or follow the museum on Facebook to see where help is needed.

What else is there to see near the Ohio Railway Museum?

The Ohio History Connection railroad collection in Columbus is about 9 miles away. The Buckeye Lake Museum railroad exhibits are about 30 miles, Marion Union Station about 35 miles, and the Historic South Charleston Railroad Depot about 38 miles. The Hocking Valley Scenic Railway in Nelsonville is about 60 miles southeast.

Keep exploring

More family train guides from Rally

Kelsey Cecil
Previous

Union Depot Railroad Museum in Mendota, Illinois
Next

Astoria Riverfront Trolley, Oregon