Pueblo Railway Museum, Colorado

Oct 19

Pueblo, Colorado · Updated October 19, 2026 · 12 min read

Railroad museumTrain ridesFreeRail yard open for self-guided visits in daylight; train rides on public event days

The Pueblo Railway Museum is an all-volunteer collection of full-size locomotives, railcars and artifacts in the rail yard behind historic Pueblo Union Depot, where the Pueblo Railway Foundation operates, preserves and displays railroad history and gives rides on public event days.

All-volunteer, no paid staff
Behind historic Pueblo Union Depot
Steam engine ATSF 2912
No entrance fee for events
Caboose and speeder rides
Foundation formed in 2003

Pueblo Railway Museum at a glance

Hours: Rail yard open during daylight for self-guided visits; rides only on scheduled event days
Admission: Free; no entrance fee for public events
Train rides: Event days only: caboose ride $10, locomotive ride $15, speeder ride $10 (as of October 2026)
Seasonal events: Railfan Night, Easter Bunny Express, National Train Day, America's Birthday, Back To School Train, Railfan Day, Oktoberfest, Cemetery Express, Pueblo Express Christmas Trains
Plan for: About 1 hour; longer on event days
Best for: Families on a budget and rail fans exploring Pueblo
Best ages: Toddlers to age 12

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

Contact and directions

Address301 W B St, Suite 100, Pueblo, CO 81003(opens in a new tab)
Phone(719) 544-1773
Emailemail@pueblorailway.org
Websitepueblorailway.org(opens in a new tab)

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Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Pueblo 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 Pueblo.

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.

Pueblo's volunteers keep their rail yard running

Pueblo grew up as a railroad town, and the Pueblo Railway Museum keeps that story within sight of the Pueblo Union Depot, the station built in 1889 and 1890 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The museum is a program of the Pueblo Railway Foundation, formed in 2003 to carry on and expand the collection and work of the Pueblo Locomotive & Railroad Historical Society. Its mission is simple: operate, preserve and display railroad equipment and history.

Every bit of that work is done by volunteers. The foundation has no paid staff and keeps administrative costs low so that money goes to restoring equipment and sharing it. Travel guides note that the collection draws on the five major railroads that served the West, and every locomotive and car either belongs to the foundation or is on loan from owners who are museum members themselves. The City and County of Pueblo help with annual grants, and volunteers work with local schools on class tours and with the public library on summer learning programs.

The collection keeps growing in thoughtful ways. In October 2022 the museum received hundreds of railroad artifacts from the estate of Jim Lhotak, a Denver & Rio Grande Western machinist from 1963 to 1998, whose collection also held the train photographs of his Burnham shops coworker Jon Bockelman. The museum has turned that gift into the James N. Lhotak Digital Exhibition, so two railroaders' lifelong love of trains is now shared with everyone.

Steam, diesels and odd machines in the depot yard

The museum lives in the trainyard behind Pueblo Union Depot, on B Street at the southwest end of Victoria Avenue in historic downtown Pueblo. You can walk through any time during daylight for a self-guided look at the equipment. Highlights include Santa Fe steam locomotive No. 2912, GP7 diesel No. 102 known as The Patriot, its sisters No. 103 and No. 104, Rio Grande No. 1432 and Colorado & Southern No. 10538.

Some of the most fun pieces are the unusual ones: the Pikes Peak snow blower No. 22, a trolley from Belgium, a U.S. Army crane, the Rocket Cars, the Putt-Putt cars and the X car. A simulator car doubles as the gift shop on event days. For even more, call guide Ron Roach for a guided tour of the restoration shop, where projects in progress are kept.

Don’t miss

ATSF No. 2912The museum's big Santa Fe steam locomotive, the centerpiece of the yard.
GP7 No. 102, The PatriotA named diesel that often joins sister units No. 103 and No. 104 on display.
Pikes Peak Snow Blower No. 22A rare snow-clearing machine that kids and adults both stop to puzzle over.
The restoration shopNot open on drop-in visits, but a call to the museum's tour guide can get you a guided look at work in progress.
The Belgium trolleyA European streetcar that stands out among the American freight and passenger equipment.

Caboose rides, speeders and a ride in the cab

Event days are the time to bring kids. Depending on the day, the museum runs either its full-size train, where children can ride in a caboose or up in the locomotive, or its speeder cars, small motorized track cars that are a thrill for little ones. Some days both run. There is no entrance fee, so you only pay for the rides you take.

Family events fill the calendar, from the Easter Bunny Express and a Back To School Train to the Cemetery Express on Halloween and the Pueblo Express Christmas Trains in December. Between events, a daytime walk through the yard to spot the snow blower and the steam engine makes a short, free outing.

Plan your visit: tips for Pueblo Railway Museum

Bring cash or a check for rides; cards are accepted but cash and checks are preferred.
Call (719) 544-1773 to arrange a guided restoration shop tour.
Follow the museum's blog for event updates, since dates and times can change.
Rides are offered only during public events unless special arrangements are made.

On Halloween evening the museum runs the Cemetery Express, and in December the Pueblo Express Christmas Trains run on two Friday and Saturday weekends plus Christmas Eve, from 4 pm to 8 pm. Entry to the yard is free and you pay only for the ride. Find more seasonal rides in our guides to Christmas trains in Colorado and Halloween train rides in Colorado.

An all-volunteer foundation

The Pueblo Railway Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with no paid staff, so every ride and restoration depends on volunteers and donors. Membership dues and donations are tax deductible, and the foundation also welcomes donated goods, services and railway artifacts. Volunteers are needed for preservation projects, rail yard upkeep and event days.

Rail rides within an hour of Pueblo

The Royal Gorge Route Railroad in Canon City is about 36 miles west. Up toward Colorado Springs, the Manitou & Pikes Peak Cog Railway is about 44 miles away, and the Cripple Creek & Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad about 45 miles. Browse more on our Colorado train museums page.

Every train museum in Colorado

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.

In Pueblo, the volunteers who run the trains are the same people who fix them, sell the tickets and answer every question. That reminds me of Mr. Conductor in our book, in his blue uniform, holding out his hand to welcome Rally aboard. My mom wanted the people on the train to feel kind and safe, and I think she would have liked this yard. You can read more on our 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 Colorado: every museum by town, with a map
Train museums in every state: search by town or near you
Christmas train rides in Colorado
Halloween train rides in Colorado
Every Amtrak route with kids

Work or volunteer at Pueblo 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.

Pueblo Railway Museum: 20 questions families ask

Where is the Pueblo Railway Museum?

The Pueblo Railway Museum is in the trainyard behind the Pueblo Union Depot, on B Street at the southwest end of Victoria Avenue in historic downtown Pueblo, Colorado. Its listed address is 301 W B St, Suite 100, Pueblo, CO 81003. Call (719) 544-1773 if you need directions.

How much are Pueblo Railway Museum tickets?

There is no entrance fee for the museum's public events or for a self-guided daytime walk through the yard. You pay only for rides. As of October 2026, a caboose ride on the full-size train is $10, a locomotive ride is $15 and a speeder car ride is $10. Cash or check is preferred, though credit cards are accepted.

When is the Pueblo Railway Museum open?

You can visit the rail yard any time during daylight hours for a self-guided tour, since it sits outdoors behind the Pueblo Union Depot. Train rides and gift shop hours are tied to public event days, which are listed on the museum's events page. Dates and times can change, so check before you go.

Can you ride a train at the Pueblo Railway Museum?

Yes, on public event days. Each event features either the full-size train, with caboose and locomotive rides, or the speeder cars, and sometimes both. Rides are not offered on regular days unless special arrangements are made with the museum, so plan your visit around the events calendar.

What events does the Pueblo Railway Museum hold?

The 2026 calendar includes Railfan Night in January, a Front Range Passenger Rail event in March, the Easter Bunny Express, National Train Day, Train Rides at the Depot in June, America's Birthday on July 4, a Back To School Train, Railfan Day, Oktoberfest, the Cemetery Express and the Pueblo Express Christmas Trains.

Does the Pueblo Railway Museum run Christmas trains?

Yes. As of October 2026, the Pueblo Express Christmas Trains run Friday and Saturday, December 11 and 12, and Friday and Saturday, December 18 and 19, from 4 pm to 8 pm each night, plus Thursday, December 24, from 4 pm to 8 pm. There is no entrance fee; you pay only for rides.

Does the Pueblo Railway Museum have a Halloween train?

Yes. The Cemetery Express runs on Saturday, October 31, 2026, from 4 pm to 8 pm in the yard behind the Pueblo Union Depot. As with every public event, there is no entrance fee, and ride tickets are sold for whichever train is running that evening.

Can you tour the Pueblo Railway Museum restoration shop?

Yes, by arrangement. The museum's tour guide, Ron Roach, gives guided tours of the restoration shop, where there is more equipment and restoration work to see. Call (719) 544-1773 to set up a time, since the shop is not part of the self-guided yard walk.

What locomotives are at the Pueblo Railway Museum?

The roster includes Santa Fe steam locomotive No. 2912, GP7 diesel No. 102 called The Patriot, GP7s No. 103 and No. 104, Rio Grande No. 1432 and Missouri Pacific equipment. Other pieces include Colorado & Southern No. 10538, a Pikes Peak snow blower, a Belgian trolley and a U.S. Army crane.

What are the speeder cars at the Pueblo Railway Museum?

Speeder cars are small motorized track cars once used by railroad crews to inspect and maintain the line. The museum gives speeder rides at some public events, at $10 per ride as of October 2026. Its collection also includes Putt-Putt cars and other small track vehicles.

Who runs the Pueblo Railway Museum?

The museum is a program of the Pueblo Railway Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit formed in 2003 to continue the work of the Pueblo Locomotive & Railroad Historical Society. It is an all-volunteer organization with no paid staff. The City and County of Pueblo help fund it through annual grants.

What is the Pueblo Union Depot?

The Pueblo Union Depot is the historic passenger station in downtown Pueblo, built in 1889 and 1890 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The railway museum's equipment and event rides are in the trainyard directly behind it, so the depot makes an easy landmark to find.

Is the Pueblo Railway Museum good for kids?

Yes, especially on event days, when kids can ride in a caboose, up in the locomotive or on a speeder car. Family events such as the Easter Bunny Express, the Back To School Train and the Christmas trains are aimed at children. A daytime yard walk is free and short enough for toddlers.

Can school groups visit the Pueblo Railway Museum?

Yes. The foundation works with local schools to give special tours as a class activity, and it partners with the public library on summer educational programs. Teachers can call (719) 544-1773 or email email@pueblorailway.org to plan a visit or ask about rides by special arrangement.

What is the James N. Lhotak Digital Exhibition?

In October 2022 the museum received hundreds of railroad artifacts from the estate of Jim Lhotak, a Rio Grande machinist from 1963 to 1998. His collection included the train photographs of his coworker Jon Bockelman. The museum shares the collection online as the James N. Lhotak Digital Exhibition.

Can I see photos of the Pueblo Railway Museum?

Yes. The museum's website has a roster page with images of each item in the collection, and it shares photos and videos on Instagram, Facebook and its YouTube channel. Visitors are welcome to take their own pictures on a self-guided daylight walk through the yard.

What do reviews say about the Pueblo Railway Museum?

Travel listings describe it as a hands-on place to see full-size locomotives, railcars and artifacts around the 1889 to 1890 Union Depot, and many visitors note that entry is free. For recent visitor reviews and photos, check Tripadvisor, Google and the museum's Facebook page.

How can I volunteer or donate to the Pueblo Railway Museum?

The foundation needs volunteers for historic preservation projects, rail yard maintenance and event days. Donations and membership dues are tax deductible to the extent allowed, and it also accepts donated goods, services and railway artifacts. Email email@pueblorailway.org or call (719) 544-1773 to get involved.

How do I pay for rides at the Pueblo Railway Museum?

Ride tickets are bought on event days. Cash or check are preferred, but credit cards are also accepted. Prices depend on which train is running: $10 for a caboose ride or $15 in the locomotive on the full-size train, and $10 for a speeder ride, as of October 2026.

What train attractions are near the Pueblo Railway Museum?

The Royal Gorge Route Railroad in Canon City is about 36 miles away, the Manitou & Pikes Peak Cog Railway about 44 miles, and the Cripple Creek & Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad about 45 miles. Pueblo works well as a base for a southern Colorado rail trip.

Keep exploring

More family train guides from Rally

Kelsey Cecil