Princeton Railroad Museum, West Virginia

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Princeton, West Virginia · Updated October 19, 2026 · 12 min read

Railroad museumFree

The Princeton Railroad Museum tells the story of the Virginian Railway, the coal hauler that helped build Princeton, through railroad artifacts, artwork, books, photographs, more than 100 lanterns and a restored Virginian caboose that visitors can explore.

  • Focus on the Virginian Railway
  • Restored Virginian caboose No. 308
  • Over 100 railroad lanterns
  • Kids' track-building corner
  • Open since 2006
  • On historic old Mercer Street

Princeton Railroad Museum at a glance

Hours
Year-round, 11 am to 4 pm (Wednesday to Sunday on the museum's hours page; call to confirm the days)
Admission
Free, according to the museum's newer listing; call to confirm
Seasonal events
West Virginia Day observance, Anniversary community day on Mercer Street
Plan for
About 1 hour
Best for
Families with young kids, Virginian Railway fans and school groups
Best ages
Ages 3 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 Princeton 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 Princeton.

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.

Keeping the Richest Little Railroad in the World on Mercer Street

Princeton grew up with the railroad, and this museum exists to explain how. Its main subject is the Virginian Railway, a line nicknamed the "Richest Little Railroad in the World." The Virginian was formed in 1907 by joining the Deepwater Railway in West Virginia with the Tidewater Railway in Virginia, and it was paid for by one man, the financier Henry H. Rogers, whose ownership stayed quiet until the company was incorporated. William N. Page served as president of both of the earlier railways.

Rogers wanted the most direct route possible for hauling coal, and he spent accordingly. The finished line ran 443 miles from Sewells Point on Hampton Roads in Norfolk, Virginia, to Deepwater, West Virginia, carved through mountains with tunnels, bridges and cuts. In West Virginia, close to two thirds of the excavation was solid rock, much of it moved by hand labor, mules and carts. The Virginian operated from 1909 until 1959, when the Norfolk and Western bought it.

The museum on old Mercer Street celebrated its 15th anniversary in October 2021 with a free community day that opened all five of Princeton's museums at once, complete with trolley rides between them and costumed figures from history. Director Patricia Smith leads the museum, and the City of Princeton has been a steady partner: Bo Barker and the crew at the Princeton Public Works Department helped restore the museum's caboose and later took on new metal panels and fresh paint where rust had crept in.

Lanterns, photographs and a caboose by the door

Inside, the exhibits center on the Virginian Railway, with the Norfolk and Western and other railroads also represented. Expect cases of railroad artifacts, artwork, books, photographs and corporate railroad paperwork that show what working on the line meant for this corner of the state. The lantern collection is a highlight: more than 100 pieces, ranging from electric and gas lamps to steel and brass ones.

Outside, Virginian caboose No. 308 sits next to the museum, restored and open for visitors to explore. Families will also find a children's area where kids can build their own track, plus puzzles and books, and a gift shop on the way out. Recent listings for the museum also mention a model railroad, so ask about it when you arrive.

Don’t miss

  1. Virginian caboose No. 308One of 25 cabooses the St. Louis Car Company built for the Virginian in 1948 and 1949, it was donated to the City of Princeton in 1989 and moved to the museum in 2010. The museum and city crews fixed its floor and repainted it in caboose red.
  2. The lantern collectionMore than 100 railroad lanterns, lights and lamps in electric, gas, steel and brass versions show how crews signaled and worked after dark.
  3. Virginian Railway exhibitsArtifacts, photographs, artwork and company paperwork trace the line Henry H. Rogers built to move coal from the mountains to the sea.
  4. The children's track cornerA play area where kids build track, with puzzles and books close by, gives little visitors something to do with their hands.
  5. The gift shopA small shop near the exhibits, a good last stop for a train book or souvenir.

Building track and exploring a real caboose

Kids get a dedicated corner where they can build a track, plus puzzles and books to keep busy while grown-ups read the exhibits. The big draw is caboose No. 308 outside, which the museum invites visitors to explore. Children who love lights may also enjoy hunting through the lantern cases for the brass and the electric ones.

The museum welcomes school groups, scouts and 4-H clubs, so it works well for a class trip or a troop outing. It is a compact museum, which suits younger children who do best with a shorter stop.

Plan your visit: tips for Princeton Railroad Museum

  • Call (304) 487-5060 to confirm the open days, since the museum's listings differ on whether it opens daily or Wednesday to Sunday.
  • To book a tour or special event, leave your name and number on the answering machine and the museum will call back.
  • Leave time to explore caboose No. 308 outside the building.
  • School groups, scouts and 4-H clubs are welcome; call ahead for a group visit.

A museum supported by its director and its city

Director Patricia Smith runs the museum, which the City of Princeton lists among its departments, and the city's Public Works crew has repeatedly pitched in on the caboose. Visitors help by stopping in, bringing a school or scout group, and buying something in the gift shop. To ask about donating railroad items or helping out, call the director at (304) 920-2451 or email princetonrailroadmuseum@aol.com.

More railroad stops within a drive of Princeton

The Hinton Railroad Museum is about 24 miles away and makes an easy pairing for a rail history day. Roanoke, Virginia, about 63 miles off, has both the Virginia Museum of Transportation and the O. Winston Link Museum, which suit anyone curious about the Norfolk and Western. For more ideas, browse all the train museums in West Virginia.

Every train museum in West Virginia

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of a conductor in a blue suit shaking Rally's paw on the train
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

A caboose was where the conductor rode at the back of a freight train, and Princeton lets kids climb into a real one, Virginian No. 308. In our book, Mr. Conductor in his blue uniform holds out a hand to welcome Rally aboard. I like the idea of little ones standing where a real conductor once kept watch. If your child wants to draw their own conductor, our coloring pages are free to print.

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 Princeton 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.

Princeton Railroad Museum: 20 questions families ask

What is the Princeton Railroad Museum?

The Princeton Railroad Museum is a small museum at 99 Mercer Street in Princeton, West Virginia, devoted mainly to the Virginian Railway. It displays railroad artifacts, artwork, books, photographs, corporate railroad material and more than 100 lanterns, and its restored Virginian caboose No. 308 is open for visitors to explore. The Norfolk and Western and other railroads are represented too.

Where is the Princeton WV railroad museum located?

The museum is at 99 Mercer Street, Princeton, West Virginia 24740, in the historic old Mercer Street district. Caboose No. 308 sits right beside the building, which makes it easy to spot. The museum does not post parking details online, so call (304) 487-5060 if you need directions or advice on where to park.

What are the Princeton Railroad Museum hours?

As of October 2026, the museum's own hours page lists year-round hours of Wednesday to Sunday, 11 am to 4 pm, while a newer museum listing says it opens seven days a week, 11 am to 4 pm. Call (304) 487-5060 before you go to confirm which days the doors are open.

How much does it cost to visit the Princeton Railroad Museum?

The museum's newer listing describes admission as free as of October 2026. The museum's own pages do not post a ticket price, so call (304) 487-5060 to confirm before your visit. A stop in the gift shop or a donation is a good way to support the museum if you enjoy it.

Does the Princeton Railroad Museum offer tours?

Yes. The museum books tours and special events by phone. Call (304) 487-5060, leave your name and phone number on the answering machine, and staff will call you back as soon as they can. Guided tours are also mentioned on the museum's newer visit page, which is a good option for groups who want the full story.

Can kids go inside the caboose at the Princeton Railroad Museum?

Yes. Restored Virginian caboose No. 308 is set up for people to explore, and it is one of the favorite parts of a visit for children. Built by the St. Louis Car Company in 1948 or 1949, it was moved to the museum in 2010, given a repaired floor and repainted in classic caboose red.

What is the history of Virginian caboose 308?

Caboose No. 308 is one of twenty-five cabooses, numbered 300 to 324, that the St. Louis Car Company built for the Virginian Railway in 1948 and 1949. Norfolk Southern donated it to the City of Princeton in 1989, and it reached the museum in the fall of 2010. The museum and the city's Public Works crew restored it.

What was the Virginian Railway?

The Virginian Railway was a coal-hauling line formed in 1907 from the Deepwater Railway in West Virginia and the Tidewater Railway in Virginia, financed by Henry H. Rogers. It ran 443 miles from Sewells Point in Norfolk to Deepwater, West Virginia, and operated from 1909 until 1959, when the Norfolk and Western bought it.

Why was the Virginian called the Richest Little Railroad in the World?

The Virginian earned the nickname because one very wealthy man, Henry H. Rogers, paid for it outright, with cost no object. Engineers focused on the most direct route and on easy grades and alignment, cutting through solid rock and building tunnels and bridges. The museum's history exhibits explain how that approach made the railroad unusually efficient.

Are there photos of the Princeton Railroad Museum collection?

The museum shares photos of caboose No. 308 and samples of its lantern collection on its website, and the exhibits themselves include historic railroad photographs. Visitors are welcome to see everything in person, and you can call (304) 487-5060 to ask whether photography is fine during a group tour.

Is the Princeton Railroad Museum worth visiting?

For families nearby and anyone interested in the Virginian Railway, it makes a rewarding stop of about an hour. The lantern collection, the restored caboose and the kids' track-building corner give it more variety than its size suggests, and admission is listed as free. Pair it with other museums on Mercer Street for a fuller day.

Is the Princeton Railroad Museum good for toddlers?

Yes, for a short visit. The museum has a children's area where kids can build a track, along with puzzles and books, and the caboose outside gives little ones something real to explore. Because the museum is compact, it suits toddlers who are ready to move on after an hour or less.

Can school groups or scouts visit the Princeton Railroad Museum?

Yes. The museum says it loves school groups, scouts and 4-H clubs. To set up a visit, call (304) 487-5060 and leave your name and number on the answering machine, or email princetonrailroadmuseum@aol.com. Booking ahead lets staff plan a tour around the caboose and the Virginian Railway exhibits.

Can you ride a train at the Princeton Railroad Museum?

No regular train rides run at the museum. It is an exhibit museum with a caboose you can step inside. For its 15th anniversary in 2021, the museum offered free trolley rides between Princeton's museums, so watch for special community days that add rides, and call (304) 487-5060 to ask about upcoming events.

Does the Princeton Railroad Museum have a gift shop?

Yes, the museum has a gift shop. It is a handy place to pick up a souvenir for a young train fan, and purchases help support the museum. The museum does not list its gift shop stock online, so call (304) 487-5060 if you are looking for something specific.

When did the Princeton Railroad Museum open?

The museum marked its 15th anniversary on October 2, 2021, which places its opening in 2006. It celebrated with a free day on old Mercer Street when all five Princeton museums opened together, with trolley rides, live music, a petting zoo and costumed figures from history such as Mark Twain and Abraham Lincoln.

Is the Princeton Railroad Museum wheelchair accessible?

The museum does not post accessibility details online. If you are planning a visit with a wheelchair or stroller, call (304) 487-5060 ahead of time to ask about entry to the building and access to caboose No. 308, since climbing into a caboose usually involves steps.

How can I contact the Princeton Railroad Museum?

Call the museum at (304) 487-5060 or email princetonrailroadmuseum@aol.com. Director Patricia Smith can also be reached at (304) 920-2451. For tours and special events, leave your name and phone number on the answering machine and the museum will return your call as soon as possible.

Can I donate railroad items to the Princeton Railroad Museum?

The museum does not post a donation policy online. If you have Virginian Railway or Norfolk and Western items, lanterns, photographs or paperwork that might belong in its collection, call Director Patricia Smith at (304) 920-2451 or email princetonrailroadmuseum@aol.com to talk it over before bringing anything in.

What train museums are near the Princeton Railroad Museum?

The Hinton Railroad Museum is about 24 miles away. Roanoke, Virginia, about 63 miles off, has the Virginia Museum of Transportation, the O. Winston Link Museum and the N&W Historical Society Archives. The C&O Railway Heritage Center in Clifton Forge, Virginia, is about 75 miles away for a longer rail road trip.

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