Train Museums in Nebraska: Every Railroad Museum by Town
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North Platte is home to Bailey Yard, the largest rail classification yard in the world, and an eight-story tower built just so the public can watch freight cars roll over the hump. This page covers 10 Nebraska train museums and rail sites in 6 towns: Omaha, North Platte, Fremont, Grand Island, Holdrege and Schuyler. Type your town into the finder to see the closest one, or compare other states in our guide to train museums across the country.
Most of these stops line up along Interstate 80 and the Union Pacific main line, which makes Nebraska one of the easier states to see by car. North Platte alone has four rail listings within a few miles of each other.
Three listings are closed but still tell real stories: the Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad stopped running excursions in the early 2010s, the Nebraska Railroad Museum is moving to Nebraska City, and North Platte's Canteen depot came down in 1973.
Look inside the book
Big engines, little legs. 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 a Nebraska train museum.
Rally Takes the Train
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Every train museum in Nebraska, town by town
10 museums in 6 towns, A to Z by town. Tap any museum for its own page: the full story, what to see, what kids can do, hours, tickets, contact details and 20 answers to the questions families ask.
Fremont: 2 train museums
Fremont was the starting point of the Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad's 17-mile excursions to Hooper, but excursions ended in the early 2010s and its owner, the Nebraska Railroad Museum, is relocating to Nebraska City.
Heritage railroad with a museumClosed
Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad
Once Nebraska's longest tourist railroad, this volunteer line ran 17 miles from Fremont to Hooper in 1920s cars. Excursions stopped in the early 2010s; its owner, the Nebraska Railroad Museum, is relocating to Nebraska City.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsRail preservation groupClosed
Nebraska Railroad Museum
The volunteer group that ran the Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad. It has no public hours in Fremont while it relocates to Nebraska City's Burlington depot, where BNSF donated eight acres and track. Follow its Facebook page for news.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsGrand Island
Museum with a major rail exhibit
Stuhr Museum Railroad Town
An 1890s prairie railroad town on Stuhr Museum's 200-acre campus in Grand Island, built from original buildings moved to the site and staffed by costumed living historians. Open daily March through October, 9 am to 4 pm.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsHoldrege
Museum with a major rail exhibit
Nebraska Prairie Museum
Phelps County's history museum in Holdrege, with lighted G, HO and N scale model trains and an HO diorama of the county, plus a walk-in sod house and a German POW camp exhibit. Open year-round, seven days a week.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsNorth Platte: 4 train museums
Four rail listings sit within a few miles: the Golden Spike Tower over Bailey Yard, the free Cody Park Railroad Museum, the Lincoln County Historical Museum with its Canteen exhibit, and the marker for the depot that hosted the Canteen.
Outdoor rail park
Cody Park Railroad Museum
A free railroad display in North Platte's Cody Park, home to Union Pacific Challenger 3977, the only 3900 series Challenger on public display anywhere. Climb into the cab, walk the mail car and caboose, then try the park's carousel.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsHistoric rail site
Golden Spike Tower and Visitor Center
An eight-story observation tower beside Union Pacific's Bailey Yard, the largest rail classification yard in the world. Watch cars roll over the hump from the open and enclosed decks; elevators go to the top. Open daily.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsMuseum with a major rail exhibit
Lincoln County Historical Museum
North Platte's county museum mixes railroad, pioneer, farm and World War II history, with the North Platte Canteen story and an eight-acre village of historic buildings. Open May through September; October to April by appointment.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsDepot museumClosed
North Platte Union Pacific Depot and Canteen
North Platte's Union Pacific depot hosted the famous World War II Canteen. The depot was torn down in 1973; a historical marker remains, and the Canteen story lives on at the Lincoln County Historical Museum and the Golden Spike Tower.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsOmaha
Museum with a major rail exhibit
The Durham Museum
Omaha's history museum inside Art Deco Union Station. Families can climb aboard 1940s passenger cars, take a Saturday Union Station tour and finish with a treat at the 1931 soda fountain. Parking in the museum's deck is free.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsSchuyler
Outdoor rail park
Jim Kluck Memorial Railside Green Arboretum
A small arboretum in Schuyler, Nebraska, built in 1989 on an abandoned railroad right of way. Walk the paved path between labeled trees and flower beds to the old caboose halfway along. Kept up by local volunteers.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsCompare every Nebraska train museum side by side
Type, train rides, admission, hours and who each one suits, in one table. Tap a column to sort it, or a museum to open its page.
| Hours | Best for | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stuhr Museum Railroad TownGrand Island | Rail gallery | No | Check the Hours and Admission page at stuhrmuseum.org for current prices | March to October: daily 9 am to 4 pm (Fridays to 8 pm, March to August). November to February: Tuesday to Sunday 10 am to 4 pm, closed Monday | Families with young kids and pioneer history fans |
| Nebraska Prairie MuseumHoldrege | Rail gallery | No | Not posted online; call (308) 995-5015. Donations welcome | April to September: weekdays 9 am to 5 pm, weekends 1 to 5 pm. October to March: weekdays 10 am to 5 pm, weekends 1 to 4 pm | Families, model railroaders and World War II history fans |
| Cody Park Railroad MuseumNorth Platte | Rail park | No | Free | Seasonal; check with Cody Park at (308) 535-6719 before you go | Families with young kids and steam fans |
| Golden Spike Tower and Visitor CenterNorth Platte | Historic site | No | General admission prices are not posted online; call (308) 532-9920. Field trips $6 per person, bus tours $10 per person | Daily 9 am to 5 pm Central; 9 am to 7 pm from Memorial Day through Labor Day | Rail fans, families and road-trippers on I-80 |
| Lincoln County Historical MuseumNorth Platte | Rail gallery | No | Adults (13 and up) $10, children 6 to 12 $5, 5 and under free, members free | May 1 to September 30: Monday to Saturday 9 am to 5 pm, Sunday 1 to 5 pm; October to April by appointment | History fans, families and World War II buffs |
| The Durham MuseumOmaha | Rail gallery | No | Check durhammuseum.org for current prices; groups of 10 or more pay $12 self-guided or $15 guided per person, plus tax | Fall 2026: Tuesday to Saturday 10 am to 4 pm, Sunday noon to 4 pm, closed Monday | Families, history fans and anyone who loves old train stations |
| Jim Kluck Memorial Railside Green ArboretumSchuyler | Rail park | No | No admission fee is listed | Not posted online; check with the city of Schuyler | A short walk with young kids and garden lovers |
| Fremont & Elkhorn Valley RailroadFremont | Heritage railroad | No | No tickets are sold | Not operating; excursions have been suspended since the early 2010s | Rail history fans and people tracing the Cowboy Line |
| Nebraska Railroad MuseumFremont | Preservation group | No | Not applicable while relocating | No public hours; the museum lists hours as to be determined | Rail fans following the move to Nebraska City |
| North Platte Union Pacific Depot and CanteenNorth Platte | Depot museum | No | Not applicable | Not applicable; the depot no longer stands | World War II and railroad history fans |
No museum on this page matches every filter you picked.
Quick picks: where to start in Nebraska
Best first visit with a toddler
Golden Spike Tower and Visitor Center
North Platte
Elevators carry strollers to the top, and from the observation decks kids can count locomotives moving across the world's largest classification yard.
Biggest museum day
Omaha
Families can climb aboard 1940s passenger cars inside Omaha's Art Deco Union Station and finish at a 1931 soda fountain.
Free steam locomotive
North Platte
Kids can climb into the cab of Union Pacific Challenger 3977 for free, then try the park's seasonal carousel and miniature train.
Rainy day pick
Holdrege
Lighted G, HO and N scale trains run indoors year-round, and the HO diorama includes a model of downtown Holdrege.
Living history
Grand Island
Costumed townsfolk work in an 1890s prairie railroad town built from original buildings, and Toddler Tuesdays welcome the youngest visitors.
Short stroll with a caboose
Jim Kluck Memorial Railside Green Arboretum
Schuyler
A paved path on an old railroad right of way in Schuyler leads past labeled trees to a caboose halfway along.
Map of every train museum in Nebraska
Nebraska rail day trips
Trip 1
A full North Platte rail day
- Golden Spike Tower and Visitor CenterNorth Platte
- Cody Park Railroad MuseumNorth Platte
- Lincoln County Historical MuseumNorth Platte
Watch Bailey Yard from the Golden Spike Tower, then drive about 4 miles to Cody Park so kids can climb into Challenger 3977. Finish at the Lincoln County Historical Museum, about 2 miles away, for the Canteen exhibit and the village. Cody Park and the county museum are seasonal, so a summer visit works best.
Trip 2
Omaha and Council Bluffs
- The Durham MuseumOmaha
The Durham Museum and the free Union Pacific Railroad Museum across the river in Iowa are about 4 miles apart. Do the Durham on a Saturday for the 1 pm Union Station tour, then cross the Missouri River, keeping in mind the Council Bluffs museum is open Thursday to Saturday.
Trip 3
Grand Island to Holdrege on I-80
- Stuhr Museum Railroad TownGrand Island
- Nebraska Prairie MuseumHoldrege
Spend the morning in Stuhr's 1890s Railroad Town, then drive about 63 miles to Holdrege for the lighted model trains. Holdrege weekend hours start at 1 pm, which suits an afternoon arrival.
A state laid out along the Union Pacific
Nebraska's rail story runs east to west with the Union Pacific. Chief engineer Grenville Dodge laid out North Platte while the transcontinental line was being built, and the first train rolled through in 1866, when the town was still a rough camp. In Omaha, Union Station became the city's grand front door, and today it is counted among the finest Art Deco buildings in the country. To the north, the Elkhorn line left Fremont in 1869 and its trains were the first to reach into the Black Hills.
The railroad also shaped everyday life. Prairie towns grew up around the depot, and from Christmas Day 1941 to April 1, 1946, North Platte volunteers met every troop train with home-baked food, serving more than six million service members. Freight kept growing too: Bailey Yard now covers about 2,850 acres.
The Durham Museum tells the passenger station story, the Golden Spike Tower shows the modern freight railroad, and the Lincoln County Historical Museum keeps the Canteen story. For the steam era, climb into Challenger 3977 at Cody Park, and for prairie railroad towns visit Stuhr Museum Railroad Town and the Nebraska Prairie Museum.
Drive times from Omaha, Lincoln and Kearney
These are rough estimates without traffic or stops, so check your route before you leave.
| Museum | From Omaha | From Lincoln | From Kearney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Kluck Memorial Railside Green ArboretumSchuyler | 1 hr 20 min | ||
| Stuhr Museum Railroad TownGrand Island | 2 hr 55 min | 1 hr 55 min | 55 min |
| Golden Spike Tower and Visitor CenterNorth Platte | 5 hr 45 min | ||
| The Durham MuseumOmaha | 1 hr 10 min | ||
| Nebraska Prairie MuseumHoldrege | 3 hr 15 min | 30 min | |
| Cody Park Railroad MuseumNorth Platte | 2 hr 5 min |
Tips for Nebraska rail outings with kids
- At the Golden Spike Tower, do not follow map apps to the address; use the tower's directions from Exit 177 or 179 so you do not end up in the rail yard.
- At the Durham Museum, use the 10th Street level of the free parking deck if you have a stroller; it is the main entrance level.
- The Challenger cab at Cody Park has steep steps, so give little ones a hand.
- Cody Park and the Lincoln County Historical Museum are seasonal; the county museum opens October to April by appointment only.
- Stuhr's Railroad Town is outdoors and spread out, so plan for walking, sun and weather.
- The Durham Museum is closed Mondays and on Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
Rally at the window
My kids are learning to read, and lately they sound out the word window every time we open our book. That page shows Rally, our real corgi, with his nose against an arched train window, watching the ocean and a white bird from the Pacific Surfliner out of San Diego. A tower full of windows over a yard full of trains would have him wiggling. The story began with my mom, who dreamed it up before she died in 2021; there is more on our story page. For a calm moment after a big North Platte day, print a few train coloring pages.
Holiday trains and seasonal days at Nebraska museums
Nebraska's museums mark the seasons in their own buildings more than on rails. The Durham Museum hosts Halloween at Union Station and Christmas at Union Station in Omaha, and the Nebraska Prairie Museum in Holdrege holds a Fall Festival with the Nebraska Largest Pumpkin Competition plus a Christmas Concert. In North Platte, the Golden Spike Tower runs twilight bus tours, and North Platte Rail Days fill August. For holiday rides, see our Nebraska Christmas train rides page and our list of Halloween train rides in Nebraska.
Neighboring states with train museums
The Iowa train museums start right across the Missouri River: the free Union Pacific Railroad Museum in Council Bluffs is about 5 minutes from downtown Omaha, set in the city where the railroad's first transcontinental track began its run west.
From Lincoln, the Kansas train museums include the Atchison Rail Museum, with Santa Fe steam engine 811 and weekend miniature train rides, about 2 hr 45 min away.
From North Platte, head west to the Wyoming train museums, where the Cheyenne Depot Museum fills a National Historic Landmark depot, about 4 hr 45 min away.
A train book for the drive
If your family would rather ride a train across the plains than visit one, start with our California Zephyr with kids guide.
Free for train families
Print the Rally coloring pages before you go
Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. They fit in a folder with a few crayons for the drive to the museum or the wait for the next train ride.
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 every state: search all 50 by town
- Christmas train rides in Nebraska: Santa trains and holiday rides
- Halloween train rides in Nebraska: pumpkin trains for next October
- The California Zephyr with kids: ride a real Amtrak train
- Every Amtrak route with kids: find a train by city or station
- Train books for toddlers for the drive home
Nebraska train museum questions
What is the best train museum in Nebraska?
The Durham Museum in Omaha is the biggest rail museum day in Nebraska. It fills Union Station, a National Historic Landmark and Art Deco showpiece, and families can climb aboard restored 1940s passenger cars. Saturday guided tours of the station start at 1 pm, and parking in the museum's deck is free.
Are there free train museums in Nebraska?
Yes, the Cody Park Railroad Museum in North Platte is free, and kids can climb into the cab of Challenger 3977. The Jim Kluck Memorial Railside Green Arboretum in Schuyler lists no admission fee and has a caboose on its path. The Nebraska Prairie Museum in Holdrege does not post admission online and welcomes donations, so call ahead.
Can you ride a train at a Nebraska train museum?
Short rides are possible at Cody Park in North Platte, where a miniature train and a 1913 carousel run seasonally. Full-size excursions on the Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad between Fremont and Hooper were suspended in the early 2010s and are not running as of October 2026. Call Cody Park before you go to confirm the season.
Which Nebraska train museum is best for toddlers?
The Golden Spike Tower in North Platte is a strong first pick for toddlers, since elevators reach the observation decks and trains move in every direction below. Stuhr Museum in Grand Island runs Toddler Tuesdays, and the Durham Museum in Omaha lets little ones step aboard 1940s passenger cars. All three have indoor space for bad weather.
Is there a train museum in Omaha?
Yes, the Durham Museum is Omaha's history museum inside the city's Art Deco Union Station, with 1940s passenger cars to board, 1940s storefronts and a 1931 soda fountain. As of October 2026, fall hours are Tuesday to Saturday 10 am to 4 pm and Sunday noon to 4 pm. The free Union Pacific Railroad Museum is about 4 miles away in Council Bluffs.
What train museums are in North Platte, Nebraska?
North Platte has the Golden Spike Tower over Bailey Yard, the free Cody Park Railroad Museum with Challenger 3977, and the Lincoln County Historical Museum with its North Platte Canteen exhibit. A historical marker also remembers the Union Pacific depot that hosted the Canteen. All of them sit within a few miles of each other.
Is there a train museum in Grand Island, Nebraska?
Yes, Stuhr Museum Railroad Town in Grand Island recreates an 1890s prairie railroad town from original buildings moved to the site. Costumed living historians demonstrate trades, and the campus covers about 200 acres. From March to October it is open daily 9 am to 4 pm, with later Friday hours March through August.
Train museums near Lincoln, Nebraska?
The Durham Museum in Omaha is the closest major rail museum to Lincoln, about 1 hr 10 min away without traffic. The Railside Green Arboretum in Schuyler, with its caboose, is about the same distance, and Stuhr Museum Railroad Town in Grand Island is roughly 1 hr 55 min west. The Union Pacific Railroad Museum in Council Bluffs is just past Omaha.
Is the Fremont and Elkhorn Valley Railroad still running?
No, the Fremont & Elkhorn Valley Railroad is not running excursions as of October 2026. Volunteers once ran 1920s cars over 17 miles of 1869 track from Fremont to Hooper, but service was suspended in the early 2010s. Hooper's 1890s Main Street, the old destination, is still a short drive north of Fremont.
Where is the Nebraska Railroad Museum moving?
The Nebraska Railroad Museum is relocating from Fremont to the Burlington Railroad Depot in Nebraska City. BNSF Railway donated eight acres and 2,000 feet of track there. As of October 2026, the museum lists its hours as to be determined, so there is nothing to visit yet. Its Facebook page posts the latest progress.
What is Bailey Yard in North Platte?
Bailey Yard is Union Pacific's yard in North Platte and the largest rail classification yard in the world. It covers about 2,850 acres and stretches some eight miles. Cars are pushed over two humps and roll by gravity into more than a hundred bowl tracks. The Golden Spike Tower lets visitors watch from its 7th and 8th floor decks.
When is the Golden Spike Tower open?
The Golden Spike Tower in North Platte is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm Central, with hours extended to 7 pm from Memorial Day through Labor Day. General admission prices are not posted online, so call (308) 532-9920. Field trips are $6 per person and bus tours $10 per person.
What is Union Pacific Challenger 3977?
Challenger 3977 is a Union Pacific steam locomotive on display at the Cody Park Railroad Museum in North Platte. It is described as the only Challenger 3900 series locomotive on public display anywhere in the world. Visitors can climb into its cab for free, and diesel 6922, a mail car and a caboose sit nearby.
Can you go inside the train cars at the Durham Museum?
Yes, the Durham Museum in Omaha has restored passenger train cars from the 1940s that visitors can climb aboard. They are part of the permanent exhibits along with 1940s storefronts and the station's Art Deco hall. Kids usually remember the train cars most, and the 1931 soda fountain makes a good last stop.
What was the North Platte Canteen?
The North Platte Canteen was a volunteer effort at the Union Pacific depot that met every troop train stopping in town from Christmas Day 1941 to April 1, 1946. Volunteers served free food to more than six million service members, up to 5,000 on the busiest days. The Lincoln County Historical Museum now tells the story.
Does the Nebraska Prairie Museum in Holdrege have model trains?
Yes, the Nebraska Prairie Museum runs lighted model trains in G, HO and N scales. Its HO diorama recreates Phelps County sights, including the Ironhorse Depot and downtown Holdrege. The museum is open year-round, seven days a week, with weekend hours starting at 1 pm. Admission is not posted online, so call (308) 995-5015.
When is Christmas at Union Station at the Durham Museum?
Christmas at Union Station is a holiday event at the Durham Museum in Omaha, and dates are posted on the museum's calendar each season. The museum is closed on Christmas Day, Thanksgiving and Mondays. Check durhammuseum.org before you plan a December visit, since holiday programs and prices can change from year to year.
Are there Halloween events at Nebraska train museums?
Yes, the Durham Museum in Omaha holds Halloween at Union Station in the fall. In Holdrege, the Nebraska Prairie Museum hosts a Fall Festival with the Nebraska Largest Pumpkin Competition. Neither is a train ride, but both bring families into rail-themed museums during the season. Check each museum's calendar for current dates.
Is the Lincoln County Historical Museum open in winter?
Only by appointment. The Lincoln County Historical Museum in North Platte is open daily from May 1 to September 30, and from October to April visitors need to book ahead. As of October 2026, adults pay $10, children 6 to 12 pay $5 and kids 5 and under are free. Call (308) 534-5640 to arrange a visit.
Is there a caboose to see in Schuyler, Nebraska?
Yes, the Jim Kluck Memorial Railside Green Arboretum in Schuyler has a caboose about halfway along its paved path. The arboretum was built in 1989 on an abandoned railroad right of way and covers nearly three acres of labeled trees and flower beds. Volunteers maintain it, and no admission fee is listed.
Keep exploring
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