Robert W. Willaford Railroad Museum at the Plant City Union Depot, Florida

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Plant City, Florida · Updated October 19, 2026 · 12 min read

Depot museumFree

The Plant City Union Depot, built in 1909 for the Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Air Line, now houses the Robert W. Willaford Railroad Museum, with free admission and one of the country's best-rated spots to watch trains across the street.

  • Union depot built in 1909
  • Free admission
  • Restored 1963 Seaboard caboose No. 5735
  • 1942 Whitcomb locomotive
  • Top-rated train viewing platform
  • ADA accessible with ramps

Robert W. Willaford Railroad Museum at the Plant City Union Depot at a glance

Hours
Tuesday to Friday 11 am to 4 pm; Saturday 10 am to 4 pm
Admission
Free; donations welcome
Plan for
About 1 to 2 hours, longer if you stay to watch trains
Best for
Families with young train watchers and rail fans
Best ages
Toddlers to age 11
Parking
On-site parking, plus public parking within walking distance
Accessibility
ADA accessible with ramps, wide walkways and mobility-device friendly exhibits.

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

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Robert W. Willaford Railroad Museum at the Plant City Union Depot? 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 Plant City.

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.

Where two railroads met in a farm and phosphate town

Plant City's union depot went up in 1909, and the town grew around it. Farming, lumber and phosphate mining, the industries that built Plant City, all depended on the railroad, and this one station served two of Florida's major lines, the Atlantic Coast Line and the Seaboard Air Line. The depot was also where the town's mail arrived and where Western Union kept its telegraph office, so for decades it was the place news and goods came into town. One account says as many as forty-four passenger trains a day once stopped here.

The depot stayed in service until 1971 and was then added to the National Register of Historic Places, protecting the building for the next generation. A Hillsborough County historical marker now stands outside its entrance.

Today the depot is home to the Robert W. Willaford Railroad Museum, run by the Robert W. Willaford Railroad Museum Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Its mission is to teach visitors how the railroad shaped eastern Hillsborough County and Plant City. The Society keeps admission free, cares for a large collection of railroad memorabilia, restored the museum's signature caboose, and runs field trips for local schools.

Inside the depot and across the tracks

Inside the old station, the museum displays a sizable collection of railroad artifacts and memorabilia telling the story of the depot, its railroads and the people who worked them. Outside, the best-known piece is a fully restored Seaboard Air Line caboose, No. 5735, built in 1963, and next to it a 1942 Whitcomb locomotive. Both make good photo backdrops, along with the historic depot itself.

Across from the depot is the Train Viewing Platform, which Trains magazine has rated among the top 75 places to watch trains in the United States. Expect up to 15 to 20 trains in 24 hours, often including the Tropicana orange juice train, TECO coal trains and ethanol trains. If you cannot make it in person, the museum runs a live train cam on its website.

Don’t miss

  1. Seaboard Air Line caboose No. 5735Built in 1963 and completely restored, it is the museum's best-known piece.
  2. 1942 Whitcomb locomotiveA small industrial locomotive displayed with the caboose outside the depot.
  3. Train Viewing PlatformRated by Trains magazine among the top 75 train-watching spots in the country, right across from the museum.
  4. The Tropicana orange juice trainOne of the regular trains seen from the platform, a favorite for kids who know what is inside the cars.
  5. The 1909 depot buildingA union station that once served two railroads, the town's mail and its Western Union telegraph office.

Trains to watch, a caboose to admire and a scavenger hunt

This is a strong stop for young train fans because real trains go by all day across the street. Kids can see the restored caboose and Whitcomb locomotive up close, and school groups do the Henry Train Hunt scavenger hunt during their visit. The museum calls itself family friendly for all ages, and its field trip program is aimed at kindergarten through fifth grade.

House rules are simple: no running, climbing, food or drinks inside, and no touching artifacts without permission. Stay well back from the active rail line on the platform. The museum is ADA accessible, with ramps, wide walkways and exhibits that work for mobility devices and strollers. For a picnic, use the viewing platform, nearby McCall Park or the grass in front of the equipment.

Plan your visit: tips for Robert W. Willaford Railroad Museum at the Plant City Union Depot

  • Bring a picnic: the viewing platform, McCall Park and the grass by the equipment work for lunch.
  • Check the live train cam on the museum website to see how busy the line is.
  • Food and drinks stay outside the museum building.
  • School groups of 10 to 25 should book a field trip; buses use the north lot or the viewing platform lot.
  • The museum is closed Sunday and Monday.

The Willaford Railroad Museum Society

The Robert W. Willaford Railroad Museum Society, Inc. is the 501(c)(3) nonprofit that keeps the depot museum open, free and growing. Because there is no admission charge, donations and sponsorships carry the work, and the Society asks visitors to leave a Google review to help more families and schools find it. Follow along on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for museum news.

Rail stops around Tampa Bay

The Henry B. Plant Museum in Tampa is about 21 miles west, and the Florida Railroad Museum in Parrish, with its train rides, is about 29 miles south. The Central Florida Railroad Museum is about 50 miles northeast. See more on our list of train museums in Florida.

Every train museum in Florida

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of Rally the corgi looking out an arched train window at the ocean and a white bird
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

A platform where the Tropicana juice train rolls by sounds like heaven for little train watchers. In our book, Rally does his watching from the other side: he presses his nose to an arched train window, sees the ocean go by, and says hello to a white bird. My kids always ask whether anyone waved back. You can color that window scene on 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 Robert W. Willaford Railroad Museum at the Plant City Union Depot?

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.

Plant City Union Depot: 20 questions families ask

What is the Historic Plant City Union Depot?

It is a 1909 train station in downtown Plant City, Florida, that once served both the Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Air Line railroads. Today it houses the Robert W. Willaford Railroad Museum, with railroad memorabilia, a restored caboose, a 1942 locomotive and a train viewing platform across the street.

What are the Willaford Railroad Museum hours?

As of October 2026, the Robert W. Willaford Railroad Museum is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 am to 4 pm and Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm. It is closed Sunday and Monday. Call (813) 719-6989 before a holiday visit to make sure the depot is open that day.

How much does the Plant City railroad museum cost?

Admission is free for everyone, as of October 2026, including school field trips. The museum is run by a nonprofit society, so donations are always appreciated and help keep the doors open. You can donate on site or through the museum's website.

Where is the Plant City Union Depot?

The depot is at 102 North Palmer Street, Plant City, Florida 33563, in historic downtown Plant City, a short walk from local shops and restaurants. A Hillsborough County historical marker stands outside the museum entrance, and the train viewing platform is directly across from the depot.

Is there parking at the Willaford Railroad Museum?

Yes. The museum has parking on site, and there is public parking within walking distance in downtown Plant City. Buses for school groups can use the north lot beside the museum or the lot by the south viewing platform.

When was the Plant City Union Depot built?

The museum says the depot was built in 1909, and other histories describe construction running from 1908 into 1909. It played a key role in Plant City's early growth, since the town's farming, lumber and phosphate mining all relied on the railroad.

Which railroads used the Plant City Union Depot?

The depot served two railroads, the Atlantic Coast Line and the Seaboard Air Line, which is why it was called a union depot. It also handled the town's mail and housed the Western Union telegraph office. Passenger service continued until 1971.

Is the Plant City Union Depot on the National Register of Historic Places?

Yes. The depot is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The museum gives the listing year as 1974, while the federal registry record, number 75000558, is dated 1975. A historical marker outside the museum entrance tells the depot's story.

What is the train viewing platform in Plant City?

Across from the depot is a Train Viewing Platform that Trains magazine rated among the top 75 places to watch trains in the United States. Expect up to 15 to 20 trains in a 24-hour period on the active line, so bring some patience and a snack to eat outside.

What trains can you see in Plant City?

Common sights from the platform include the Tropicana orange juice train, TECO coal trains and ethanol trains. Traffic runs up to about 15 to 20 trains per day. The museum also offers a live train cam on its website so you can check activity before you go.

Is there a train cam at the Plant City depot?

Yes. The Robert W. Willaford Railroad Museum streams a live train cam from Plant City on its website, letting you watch trains pass through town from home. It is also a handy way to see how busy the line is before a visit.

What is the caboose at the Plant City railroad museum?

The museum's best-known piece is Seaboard Air Line caboose No. 5735, built in 1963 and completely restored by the museum. It is displayed outside the depot along with a 1942 Whitcomb locomotive, and both are popular backdrops for family photos.

Can kids climb on the trains at the Willaford Railroad Museum?

Climbing is not allowed. Museum rules ask visitors not to run, climb or touch artifacts without permission. Kids can still see the restored caboose and the 1942 Whitcomb locomotive up close, take photos with them and watch real trains from the viewing platform.

Is the Plant City railroad museum good for toddlers?

Yes, especially for toddlers who love watching real trains. The museum describes itself as family friendly for all ages, admission is free, and trains pass by regularly. Keep little ones close near the active rail line, and plan snacks outside since food and drinks are not allowed inside.

Is the Willaford Railroad Museum wheelchair accessible?

Yes. The museum says it is ADA accessible, with ramps, wide walkways, mobility-device friendly exhibits and easy transitions between spaces. That also makes it workable with a stroller. Call (813) 719-6989 if you have specific needs to discuss before your visit.

Does the Plant City Union Depot offer field trips?

Yes. Field trips are free and suited to grades K to 5, with groups of 10 to 25 students. Students get a guided walk-through, CSX junction viewing, the caboose and locomotive, stories of railroad workers and the Henry Train Hunt scavenger hunt. One adult per 10 students is required, one per 5 recommended for K to 2.

Can you eat lunch at the Plant City train museum?

Not inside, since food and drinks are not allowed in the museum. Groups and families can eat at the Train Viewing Platform, in nearby McCall Park, or on the grass area in front of the railroad equipment, all close to the depot.

Who was the Plant City railroad museum named for?

The museum is named for Robert W. Willaford, and it is run by the Robert W. Willaford Railroad Museum Society, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The museum does not share his biography in its visitor information, so ask the volunteers on your visit or call (813) 719-6989.

How can I support the Willaford Railroad Museum?

Because admission is free, donations and sponsorships keep the museum running. You can donate on site or online, ask about sponsorship opportunities, and leave a Google review, which the museum says helps it reach more families, schools and rail fans. Email info@willafordrailroadmuseum.com to get involved.

What train museums are near Plant City, Florida?

The Henry B. Plant Museum in Tampa is about 21 miles away, the Florida Railroad Museum in Parrish about 29 miles, and the Central Florida Railroad Museum in Winter Garden about 50 miles. The 1927 Historic Venice Train Depot is about 66 miles south.

Keep exploring

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Kelsey Cecil
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