Train Museums in Nevada: Every Railroad Museum by Town
- 7 museums
- 6 towns
- 4 with train rides
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When Kennecott Copper laid off its workers in 1983, the Nevada Northern Railway in Ely was left almost exactly as its crews walked away, and today it is a National Historic Landmark with more than 70 buildings and 30 miles of track. That yard leads off this page in our family guide to train museums in every state, which covers 7 Nevada museums and rail sites in 6 towns, from Carson City and Virginia City to Boulder City, Tonopah, Ely and the Las Vegas area. Type your town into the finder to see what is closest.
Four of the seven run trains. The Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City steams up Virginia and Truckee engines, its sister museum in Boulder City rides the old Boulder City Branch Line, the Virginia and Truckee Railroad leaves Virginia City's 1870 depot, and the Nevada Northern Railway Museum runs steam year round.
Distances are long here. Ely is a full day's drive from Reno or Las Vegas, so plan an overnight, and check the Las Vegas Railroad Society card before you go, since it posts no public hours.
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 Nevada train museum.
Rally Takes the Train
Eight pages from the book
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Grandmommy and Papa are at the last stop. Get the full hand-painted book, $13.99 on Amazon.
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Quick picks: where to start in Nevada
Best first visit with a toddler
Nevada State Railroad Museum, Boulder City
Boulder City
The 45-minute weekend ride is a good length for small kids, children 3 and under ride free, and the model railroad car is free to visit.
Biggest collection
Nevada Northern Railway Museum
Ely
A complete railroad with more than 70 buildings, 30 miles of track and steam engines No. 81 and No. 93 in regular service.
Best short train ride
Virginia City
A narrated 35-minute round trip from the 1870 depot to Gold Hill, with up to seven departures a day in season and kids 4 and under free.
Best value for families
Carson City
Kids 17 and under get in free to see Virginia and Truckee locomotives, a restoration shop and scale models at eye level.
Rainy day indoor stop
East Ely Railroad Depot Museum
Ely
The upstairs offices that ran the Nevada Northern, including a storeroom untouched since 1983, are open seven days a week.
Road trip leg stretcher
Tonopah
A break on the long drive between Reno and Las Vegas, with a free visitor center, leashed dogs welcome and an underground walk to a 1900 discovery stope.
Map of every train museum in Nevada
Every train museum in Nevada, town by town
7 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.
Boulder City
Heritage railroad with a museum
Nevada State Railroad Museum, Boulder City
Southern Nevada's state railroad museum, also known as the Nevada Southern Railway, with 45-minute weekend train rides on the old Boulder City Branch Line, an outdoor display pavilion and a model railroad car. Rides pause in July and August for the heat.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsCarson City
Railroad museum
Nevada State Railroad Museum
Carson City's state railroad museum, home to Virginia & Truckee steam locomotives, a working restoration shop and train rides on scheduled days. Open Thursday to Monday; kids 17 and under get in free, and rides are ticketed separately.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsEly: 2 train museums
Ely's two rail stops share one yard: the Nevada Northern Railway Museum runs the trains and shop tours, and the East Ely Railroad Depot Museum fills the upstairs of the 1907 depot with the railroad's original offices.
Depot museum
East Ely Railroad Depot Museum
A state museum upstairs in the restored East Ely Depot, on the Nevada Northern Railway grounds. Walk through the railroad's original offices, including a storeroom left as it was in 1983. Open daily; members get in free.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsHeritage railroad with a museum
Nevada Northern Railway Museum
A complete working railroad in Ely, a National Historic Landmark with over 70 buildings and 30 miles of track. Ride behind steam on 90-minute excursions, tour the yard, or book Be the Engineer. Open daily, with themed trains through the year.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsLas Vegas
Rail preservation group
Las Vegas Railroad Society and Related Preservation Collections
A local railroad society that preserves railroad and mining equipment and teaches rail history through operating trains, plus Union Pacific and Las Vegas and Tonopah records at UNLV. No public hours are posted, so make contact before you go.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsTonopah
Museum with a major rail exhibit
Tonopah Historic Mining Park
A 100-acre mining park on the original 1900 silver claims, with restored buildings, mining equipment, a free visitor center and an underground tunnel. It is mainly a mining site; ask staff about railroad-related displays. Open daily, dog friendly.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsVirginia City
Heritage railroad with a museum
Virginia & Truckee Railroad
Ride the famous V&T from Virginia City's 1870 depot to Gold Hill and back on a narrated 35-minute trip, with up to seven departures a day in season. Holiday and Halloween trains fill the fall, and a longer route runs from Carson City.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsCompare every Nevada 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 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada State Railroad Museum, Boulder CityBoulder City | Heritage railroad | Yes | Train rides $15 adults, $6 children, free ages 3 and under (ticket required); train tickets include museum admission | Display pavilion Thursday to Monday, 9 am to 3:30 pm; closed Tuesdays, Wednesdays and some state holidays | Families with young kids and Hoover Dam history fans |
| Nevada State Railroad MuseumCarson City | Railroad museum | Yes | $10 adults; free for ages 17 and under and members | Thursday to Monday, 9 am to 4:30 pm; closed Tuesdays, Wednesdays and major holidays | Families with kids of any age and V&T fans |
| East Ely Railroad Depot MuseumEly | Depot museum | No | Free for Nevada State Museum members; call for current general admission | Monday to Saturday 8 am to 4:30 pm, Sunday 8 am to 4 pm | History lovers and families pairing it with a train ride |
| Nevada Northern Railway MuseumEly | Heritage railroad | Yes | Adults $10, seniors $8, ages 4 to 12 $5, under 4 free; train rides ticketed separately | Monday to Wednesday 8 am to 5 pm, Thursday and Saturday 8 am to 7:30 pm, Sunday and federal holidays 8 am to 4 pm | Steam fans, road-trippers and families who want to ride |
| Las Vegas Railroad Society and Related Preservation CollectionsLas Vegas | Preservation group | No | Not posted online | Not posted online; contact the society or UNLV Special Collections before visiting | Rail historians, researchers and local rail fans |
| Tonopah Historic Mining ParkTonopah | Rail gallery | No | Visitor center and movie free; walking tour gate fee $5 adults, $3 seniors 60+, ages 8 to 17 and Nevadans, free ages 7 and under and military and veterans | Daily 9 am to 5 pm; closed federal and state holidays | Road-tripping families and mining history fans |
| Virginia & Truckee RailroadVirginia City | Heritage railroad | Yes | Diesel train adults $19, ages 5 to 12 $10, 4 and under free; all-day pass $50 | Seven departures daily in season, from 10:30 am to 4 pm | Families with young kids and Comstock history fans |
No museum on this page matches every filter you picked.
How far is it from Las Vegas and Reno?
These times are rough estimates without traffic; Nevada's distances are long, so plan fuel and rest stops.
| Museum | From Las Vegas | From Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Nevada State Railroad Museum, Boulder CityBoulder City | 30 min | |
| Tonopah Historic Mining ParkTonopah | 4 hr | 3 hr 55 min |
| Nevada Northern Railway MuseumEly | 4 hr 50 min | 6 hr |
| Virginia & Truckee RailroadVirginia City | 25 min | |
| Nevada State Railroad MuseumCarson City | 35 min | |
| East Ely Railroad Depot MuseumEly | 6 hr |
Silver, copper and a dam built by rail
Nevada's railroads followed its mines. Starting in 1869, the Virginia and Truckee hauled millions of dollars in gold and silver ore from the Comstock, with as many as 45 trains a day at its peak. After Jim Butler's 1900 silver strike at Tonopah, ore first went by wagon to Austin and on by rail, and in 1905 the Tonopah and Goldfield Railroad was formed to link Mina, Tonopah and Goldfield. In White Pine County, the Nevada Northern was built in the first decade of the 1900s to serve the copper boom.
Rail also built southern Nevada. Las Vegas grew up around the railroad, and building Boulder City and Hoover Dam took three railroads, including the Boulder City Branch Line. Union Pacific's original records for southern Nevada, from 1828 to 1986, now sit in UNLV Special Collections.
Each stop tells a piece of that story. Ride Comstock rails with the Virginia and Truckee Railroad, see V&T engines at the Nevada State Railroad Museum, walk the silver claims at the Tonopah Historic Mining Park, tour copper country at the Nevada Northern Railway Museum and the East Ely Railroad Depot Museum, and learn the Hoover Dam story at the Boulder City museum.
Pair these Nevada rail stops
Trip 1
Comstock rails from both ends
- Nevada State Railroad MuseumCarson City
- Virginia & Truckee RailroadVirginia City
Start in Carson City at the Nevada State Railroad Museum to see V&T No. 25, the Glenbrook and the Wabuska depot. Virginia City is about 13 miles away, where a narrated 35-minute V&T train runs from the 1870 depot to Gold Hill. Remember the Carson City museum is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Trip 2
A full railroad day in Ely
Book a 90-minute steam excursion and a yard tour at the Nevada Northern Railway Museum, then climb the stairs in the same depot to the East Ely Railroad Depot Museum. The offices, ledgers and the 1983 storeroom show how the railroad was run. Bring a jacket for evening trains.
Trip 3
Boulder City trains and Las Vegas rail history
- Nevada State Railroad Museum, Boulder CityBoulder City
- Las Vegas Railroad Society and Related Preservation CollectionsLas Vegas
Ride the Boulder City Branch Line on a weekend from September to June, then explore the display pavilion and model railroad car. Researchers and older rail fans can contact the Las Vegas Railroad Society or UNLV Special Collections, about 21 miles away, to see Union Pacific and Las Vegas and Tonopah records.
Holiday trains and seasonal days at Nevada museums
Nevada's train calendar fills up in fall and winter. As of October 2026, the Virginia and Truckee runs Pumpkin Patch trains and the after-dark Graveyard Train, lists Day Out With Thomas starting in October, and from late November sends the Candy Cane Express and Electric Holiday Train O' Lights to Santa's Village. Carson City's Harvest Train pairs steam rides with a pumpkin patch and the handcar, and its season ends with the Santa Train. Boulder City runs the Halloween Express on select October weekends and Santa Trains from the weekend after Thanksgiving, while Ely offers the Pumpkin Patch Caper, the Haunted Ghost Train and Santa's Reindeer Flyer. See our guide to Halloween train rides in Nevada, and book early using our list of Nevada Christmas train rides.
Know before you go
- Boulder City's regular trains do not run in July and August because of the heat, or between Christmas and Martin Luther King weekend. Get a ticket even for kids 3 and under.
- In Carson City, ride tickets are separate from the $10 adult admission, and rides run only on scheduled days, so check the timetable before promising a train.
- Ely sits more than a mile high. Bring hats and sunscreen for the open-air car and jackets for evening trains; excursions have an onboard restroom.
- The V&T's Carson City route boards at the Eastgate Depot, not in Virginia City. Most Virginia City trains let you hop off at Gold Hill and catch a later one back.
- The East Ely Railroad Depot Museum is upstairs, so families with strollers should call ahead about access.
- Tonopah Historic Mining Park is mostly outdoors on uneven ground with old mine workings. Wear sturdy shoes and keep small children close.
Rally and the big train stairs
Train steps are tall when you are a corgi. In our book, Rally stands at the bottom of the big stairs, and Dad gives him a boost so he can climb aboard. I think about that page whenever I picture little kids reaching for the first step of an old coach behind a steam engine. Rally is our real dog, and my mom dreamed up his story before she died in 2021. Print our Rally coloring pages for the long Nevada drives, and read how the book began on our story page.
More train museums just over the Nevada line
From Reno, the Western Pacific Railroad Museum in Portola is about 55 minutes away, where visitors can climb into locomotives in an old diesel shop, and the California State Railroad Museum in Old Sacramento, with 21 restored locomotives and cars, is about 2 hr 35 min; both are on our California train museums page. From Las Vegas, the Kingman Railroad Museum in a 1907 depot on Route 66 is about 2 hr 5 min, and the Grand Canyon Railway in Williams is about 4 hr; find both with our Arizona train museums.
A train book for the drive
Thinking about a family rail trip across the West? Start with our guide to Amtrak routes with kids to compare long-distance trains.
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 Nevada: Santa trains and holiday rides
- Halloween train rides in Nevada: pumpkin trains for next October
- Every Amtrak route with kids: find a train by city or station
- Train books for toddlers for the drive home
Nevada train museum questions families ask
What is the biggest train museum in Nevada?
The Nevada Northern Railway Museum in Ely is the largest rail site in Nevada. It is a complete railroad with more than 70 buildings and structures, 30 miles of track and an original 1907 machine shop that still works. It became a National Historic Landmark in 2006, and steam engines No. 81 and No. 93 pull excursions in regular service.
Are there free train museums in Nevada?
Several Nevada rail stops are free for some visitors. The Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City admits kids 17 and under free, and the model railroad car in Boulder City is free. The Tonopah Historic Mining Park visitor center and movie cost nothing, and the East Ely Railroad Depot Museum is free for Nevada State Museum members.
Where can kids ride a train in Nevada?
Nevada has four places to ride. The Virginia and Truckee runs 35-minute trips from Virginia City, the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City runs steam and motor car rides on scheduled days, and Boulder City offers 45-minute weekend rides from September to June. The Nevada Northern Railway in Ely runs 90-minute excursions year round.
Which Nevada train ride is best for toddlers?
The Boulder City Branch Line ride at the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Boulder City suits toddlers well. The trip lasts 45 minutes, kids 3 and under ride free with a ticket, and open-air seating lets them watch the desert. The Virginia and Truckee's 35-minute ride is another short option, and children 4 and under ride free there.
Are there train museums near Las Vegas?
Yes, the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Boulder City is about 30 minutes from Las Vegas. It runs 10-mile round-trip train rides on weekends from September to June and has a display pavilion and model railroad car. In town, the Las Vegas Railroad Society preserves equipment, and UNLV Special Collections holds Union Pacific records, though neither posts public hours.
Are there train rides near Reno?
Yes, two train stops are within about 35 minutes of Reno. The Virginia and Truckee Railroad in Virginia City runs narrated trips to Gold Hill daily from late May through October, and the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City runs steam and motor car rides on scheduled days. Both add special trains in fall and December.
Is there a train museum in Ely, Nevada?
Yes, Ely has two. The Nevada Northern Railway Museum runs steam and diesel excursions, yard tours and the Be the Engineer program on a National Historic Landmark rail yard. Upstairs in the 1907 depot, the East Ely Railroad Depot Museum shows the offices that ran the railroad. Both are open daily, but Ely is remote, so plan an overnight.
What can you see at the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City?
The Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City displays Virginia and Truckee locomotives such as No. 12, the Genoa, and No. 21, the J.W. Bowker. Its Annex holds working equipment, including V&T No. 25 and the 1875 Glenbrook, and the Jack and Marge Gibson Collection shows 15 scale models. Ride tickets are sold in the historic Wabuska depot.
How much is the Virginia City train ride?
As of October 2026, the Virginia and Truckee diesel train costs $19 for adults and $10 for ages 5 to 12, and kids 4 and under ride free. An all-day pass is $50. The narrated round trip from the 1870 depot to Gold Hill takes about 35 minutes, with up to seven departures a day in season.
Can you drive a steam locomotive at the Nevada Northern Railway?
Yes, the Nevada Northern Railway Museum in Ely offers a Be the Engineer program that lets visitors operate a locomotive. It is one of the few places in the world where the public can run a steam engine. The experience takes advance planning, so book well before your trip, and members also get a cab ride on a passenger excursion.
What is the official state locomotive of Nevada?
Nevada Northern Railway No. 40 in Ely is the official State Locomotive of Nevada. It went into reserve after the last Steptoe Valley Flyer passenger run in 1941, returned for the railroad's 50th anniversary in 1956 and pulled the museum's first steam excursion on Memorial Day weekend 1987. It is out of service for a federally required overhaul.
Does V&T No. 25 still run in Carson City?
Yes, the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City steams up Virginia and Truckee No. 25 for train rides on scheduled days. Built in 1905, it was the first new locomotive the V&T bought since 1876. At events such as the Harvest Train, it shares duties with the Glenbrook, an 1875 Baldwin narrow gauge engine.
Do trains run in summer at the Boulder City railroad museum?
No, regular train rides at the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Boulder City pause in July and August because of extreme heat. Excursions run Saturdays and Sundays from September to June, except between Christmas and Martin Luther King weekend. The display pavilion stays open Thursday to Monday, 9 am to 3:30 pm.
Are there Halloween train rides in Nevada?
Yes, Nevada has several fall trains. Boulder City runs the Halloween Express on select October weekends, Carson City holds its Harvest Train with a pumpkin patch, and the Virginia and Truckee runs Pumpkin Patch trains and a spooky after-dark Graveyard Train. In Ely, the Pumpkin Patch Caper suits little kids and the Haunted Ghost Train is for braver riders.
Where can you ride a Santa train in Nevada?
Nevada has Santa trains at four stops. Carson City ends its season with the Santa Train, Boulder City runs Santa Trains from the weekend after Thanksgiving to the weekend before Christmas, and the Virginia and Truckee's Candy Cane Express visits Santa's Village. In Ely, Santa's Reindeer Flyer serves hot cocoa. Tickets go fast, so book early.
Is there a Day Out With Thomas in Nevada?
Yes, the Virginia and Truckee Railroad in Virginia City lists Day Out With Thomas among its events, beginning in October as of 2026. The railroad's fall and winter calendar also includes Pumpkin Patch trains, the Graveyard Train and holiday trains to Santa's Village. Check its timetable, since departure times shift for special events.
How did railroads help build Hoover Dam?
Building Boulder City and Hoover Dam took three railroads, and the Boulder City Branch Line was one of them. Today the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Boulder City runs its excursion trains over that original line, and its Hoover Dam construction exhibit explains the work. Many people still know the operation as the Nevada Southern Railway.
What was the Virginia and Truckee Railroad?
The Virginia and Truckee was the Comstock's railroad, dating to 1869 and linking Carson City, Virginia City and Reno. Over 74 years it hauled millions of dollars in gold and silver ore, and at its peak up to 45 trains a day used Virginia City. Presidents and dignitaries rode its cars, and trains run again from the original 1870 depot.
Does the Tonopah Historic Mining Park have railroad exhibits?
The Tonopah Historic Mining Park is mainly a mining site, so ask staff about any railroad displays. Rail was part of the story, though: Tonopah's first ore went by wagon to Austin and then by rail to Salt Lake City, and the Tonopah and Goldfield Railroad formed in 1905. The park's Burro Tunnel leads underground to an original discovery stope.
Why was the East Ely depot storeroom left untouched?
When Kennecott Copper suddenly laid off its employees in 1983 and the Nevada Northern Railway shut down, the depot storeroom was simply left as it stood. It remains that way at the East Ely Railroad Depot Museum today. Visitors also see the finance office, the traffic manager's bay window and the last superintendent's office.
Keep exploring
More family train guides from Rally
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- OctoberHalloween Train RidesPumpkin trains and not-too-spooky rides for little ones, by state.
- NovemberThanksgiving Train RidesHoliday weekend train trips the whole family can share.
- AmtrakAmtrak With KidsWhich Amtrak routes work best with babies, toddlers and big kids.
- Plan a tripTrain Trips With KidsEvery Amtrak route, stop by stop, planned for families.