Train Museums in New York: Every Railroad Museum by Town
- 27 museums
- 25 towns
- 13 with train rides
- 4 free
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In a 1905 freight depot in Medina hangs the working bell from New York Central 999, the engine clocked at 112.5 mph between Batavia and Corfu in May 1893. This page gathers 27 New York train museums, heritage railroads and rail history sites spread across more than 20 towns, part of our guide to train museums for families in every state. Type your town into the finder below to see which ones are closest to you.
New York covers a lot of ground. Downstate you can board about twenty vintage subway cars at the New York Transit Museum or ride a turntable in Oyster Bay. Upstate, the New York Museum of Transportation runs the only electric trolley ride in the state, the Arcade & Attica Railroad keeps a 107-year-old steam engine working, and the Adirondack Railroad rolls into forest country that roads do not reach.
Many of these places are seasonal and volunteer run, so hours change through the year. Each card below lists current hours and admission, and the full museum pages carry the details parents ask about most, from stroller access to which trips suit a toddler.
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Quick picks: where to start in New York
Best first visit with a toddler
Railroad Museum of Long Island
Riverhead
The Riverhead site includes a ride on a 1964-65 World's Fair park train, a push-button Lionel layout and a caboose to climb into, and kids under 5 get in free.
Most trains to walk through
Brooklyn
About twenty vintage subway and elevated cars, some from 1904, line a real 1936 station platform, and most of them can be boarded.
Best steam train ride
Arcade
Engine #18 pulls the only regular steam excursions in New York State, and at Curriers you can watch the crew run it around the train.
Only electric trolley ride in the state
New York Museum of Transportation
West Henrietta
Sunday admission includes a 2-mile ride on a 1920s interurban trolley, plus a barn of streetcars and a working HO layout.
Free Saturday stop
Railroad Museum of the Niagara Frontier
North Tonawanda
The Railroad Museum of the Niagara Frontier fills a restored Erie freight depot in North Tonawanda and charges nothing to come in.
Rainy day pick
Medina
A 204-foot HO model railroad and the bell from New York Central 999 are all indoors in a fully accessible 1905 depot, open Thursday to Sunday.
Best road trip ride
Utica
Short Explorer trips from Thendara suit young kids, while the longer runs from Utica head deep into the Adirondack Park, and bikes ride free.
Every train museum in New York, town by town
27 museums in 25 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.
Arcade
Heritage railroad with a museum
Arcade & Attica Railroad
A real working short line in Arcade that still hauls freight and runs New York's only regular steam excursions, behind engine #18. Weekend rides run Memorial Day to late September, with steam fall foliage trains in October.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsArkville
Heritage railroad with a museum
Delaware & Ulster Railroad
A Catskills heritage railroad based at Arkville station on Route 28, back in service since 2025 after a five-year closure. It listed Saturday train rides for summer 2026; check durr.org for current trains and fares.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsBinghamton
Rail preservation group
Susquehanna Valley Railway Historical Society
Binghamton's NRHS chapter, with free public programs on the second Thursday of most months at the Vestal Museum, a former DL&W station. Its members also place local rail exhibits at the Roberson Museum and TechWorks! in Binghamton.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsBrooklyn
Trolley and streetcar museum
New York Transit Museum
A real subway station turned museum in Downtown Brooklyn, with about twenty vintage subway and elevated cars to board and a city bus to sit behind the wheel of. Book Brooklyn tickets ahead; the Grand Central Gallery is free.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsBuffalo
Museum with a major rail exhibit
Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum
A downtown Buffalo museum of Buffalo-built cars and transportation history: Pierce-Arrow and Thomas Flyer automobiles, a Frank Lloyd Wright filling station, vintage bicycles and a 1900 Jell-O wagon. Open Thursday to Saturday with free parking.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsCentral Square
Depot museum
Central Square Station Museum
A former joint O&W and New York Central depot at 132 Railroad Ave. with period scenes inside and rail cars outside, including a restored circus car. Open Sundays, noon to 4 pm, from Memorial Day to Columbus Day.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsCorinth
Heritage railroad with a museum
Saratoga Corinth & Hudson Railway
A family run railroad in Corinth offering 1 to 1.5 hour rides through the Southern Adirondacks behind vintage Alco diesels. Fall brings the Pumpkin Picker and Autumn Explorer; winter brings the Candy Cane Express with Santa. Book online.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsHyde Park
Depot museum
Hyde Park Railroad Station Museum
A restored 1914 riverside station between the Roosevelt and Vanderbilt historic sites, run by the volunteer Hudson Valley Railroad Society. Visits are by appointment, with open Saturday afternoons in summer and evening events like Sunset at the Station.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsKingston: 2 train museums
Kingston has two rail stops about two miles apart: the Trolley Museum of New York on the Rondout waterfront, with weekend trolley rides, and the Catskill Mountain Railroad, which runs themed trips from Westbrook Lane Station on the old Ulster and Delaware line.
Heritage railroad with a museum
Catskill Mountain Railroad
Kingston's heritage railroad runs themed family trips on the old Ulster and Delaware line, from the Easter Bunny Express to fall foliage rides and The Polar Express. Trains leave from Westbrook Lane Station at Kingston Plaza.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsTrolley and streetcar museum
Trolley Museum of New York
Volunteers preserve and run historic trolleys on Kingston's Rondout waterfront, with streetcars from Brooklyn, Boston and Europe and a row of classic New York subway cars. Open weekends, 12 to 5 pm, in season; short trolley rides are the highlight.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsMartisco
Depot museum
Martisco Station Museum
A restored 1870 brick station at the end of Martisco Road, between Camillus and Marcellus. The first floor looks like a small-town depot and the second holds railroad exhibits. Hours are limited, so confirm before you drive out.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsMedina
Railroad museum
Medina Railroad Museum
A 1905 New York Central freight depot in Medina, home to a 204-foot HO model railroad, the bell from the record-setting 999 locomotive, and train excursions such as The Polar Express. Open Thursday to Sunday.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsMilford
Heritage railroad with a museum
Cooperstown & Charlotte Valley Railroad
Vintage diesel trains roll from the restored 1869 Milford depot through the upper Susquehanna River Valley, crossing the river twice on steel bridges. Volunteers run scenic and themed rides; the depot has railroad history exhibits.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsNorth Creek: 2 train museums
Depot museum
North Creek Depot Museum
A free museum in the nearly unaltered 1872 North Creek station, where Theodore Roosevelt learned he had become president. See the Dunham Studios diorama and snow train history. Closed for 2026; reopening Memorial Day weekend 2027.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsHeritage railroad with a museumClosed
Upper Hudson River Railroad
A heritage railroad that ran Adirondack excursion trains along the upper Hudson near North Creek from 1999 to 2010. It no longer operates; this page tells its story for rail fans and families curious about the line.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsNorth Tonawanda
Railroad museum
Railroad Museum of the Niagara Frontier
A free railroad museum in a restored Erie freight depot on Oliver Street, run by the Niagara Frontier Chapter NRHS. Open every Saturday, 11 am to 4 pm June to October and 11 am to 2 pm November to May.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsOrchard Park
Depot museum
Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Railway Depot (OP Train Depot)
A restored 1912 brick passenger station south of Buffalo, owned by the Western New York Railway Historical Society and known locally as the OP Train Depot. Visiting hours are not posted online, so check the depot's website first.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsOyster Bay
Railroad museum
Oyster Bay Railroad Museum
Two stops a short walk apart: Theodore Roosevelt's 1889 home station with a model layout and TR exhibit, and a rail yard with Locomotive #35, locomotive simulators and Long Island's only operating turntable, which visitors can ride on Saturdays.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsPhoenicia
Depot museum
Empire State Railway Museum
A volunteer-run museum in Phoenicia's 1899 railroad station with a waiting room of photographs, an agent's office with an HO diorama and telegraph gear, and a gift shop. Admission is by donation; open weekends, Memorial Day to Columbus Day.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsRiverhead
Railroad museum
Railroad Museum of Long Island
One museum, two sites on the North Fork. Riverhead has the 1964-65 World's Fair park train ride, a giant Lionel layout and a caboose to climb into; Greenport has the 1892 LIRR freight house and a wooden caboose.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsRush
Railroad museum
Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum
A volunteer railroad museum at the 1909 Industry Depot south of Rochester, with operating vintage diesels and the last Rochester Subway car. It opens to the public on monthly special event days, and each visit includes a 1.5-mile train ride.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsSalamanca
Depot museum
Salamanca Rail Museum
A restored 1912 Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh passenger depot with its original ticket office, telegraph keys and red oak woodwork. Listings disagree on hours, so call the museum before you drive to Salamanca.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsShortsville
Depot museum
Lehigh Valley Railroad Historical Society Station Museum
A volunteer society's museum in a c. 1900 New York Central freight depot, packed with Lehigh Valley Railroad artifacts and an operating N scale layout. It opens for announced Sunday afternoon open houses, so check the society's site or Facebook first.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsUtica
Heritage railroad with a museum
Adirondack Railroad
Scenic excursion trains through the Adirondack Park on the old New York Central line, departing from Utica, Thendara (Old Forge) and Tupper Lake. Short family rides start from $22, and bikes ride free with a note on your booking.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsWest Henrietta
Trolley and streetcar museum
New York Museum of Transportation
Volunteers south of Rochester run the only electric trolley ride in New York State, a 2-mile round trip from an old dairy barn full of trolleys. Open Sundays 11 am to 4 pm, mid-May through October.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsWestern New York
Rail preservation group
Chautauqua, Cattaraugus & Allegany County railway-history collections
Not a single museum but a set of research collections for Western New York's southern tier: the Chautauqua County History Resource Hub, the McClurg Museum library and online archives of Erie Railroad towns. Best for researchers and history fans.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsStatewide and regional groups
Rail preservation group
New York Central System Historical Society
A historical society for the New York Central System, the railroad of Grand Central Terminal and the Water Level Route. There is no museum to visit; instead it offers a digital archive, magazines, models and a yearly convention.
Hours, tickets, contact and 20 FAQsCompare every New York 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 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arcade & Attica RailroadArcade | Heritage railroad | Yes | Fall foliage 2026: adults $29, ages 2 to 12 $22, seniors 62+ and military $27, under 2 free on a lap | Weekend excursions Memorial Day weekend to the last full weekend of September; October steam foliage trains twice a day on weekends | Families and steam fans |
| Delaware & Ulster RailroadArkville | Heritage railroad | Yes | Fares posted on durr.org under Trains and Fares | Saturday train rides in summer 2026; check durr.org for station hours and schedules | Families and rail fans visiting the western Catskills |
| Susquehanna Valley Railway Historical SocietyBinghamton | Preservation group | No | Meetings free and open to the public | Meetings second Thursday (not January, February, June, July or August); doors 6 pm, program 7 pm | Rail history fans in the Binghamton area |
| New York Transit MuseumBrooklyn | Trolley museum | Yes | Ticketed in Brooklyn, advance booking recommended; Grand Central Gallery is free | Posted on the museum's Hours and Admission page; check before you go | Subway-loving kids, families and transit fans |
| Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow MuseumBuffalo | Rail gallery | No | Adults $20, seniors (65+) $20, children 12 and under $10 | Thursday, Friday and Saturday 11 am to 4 pm; winter and weather changes possible | Car lovers, architecture fans and families with older kids |
| Central Square Station MuseumCentral Square | Depot museum | No | Not posted online; call (315) 676-7582 | Sundays, 12 pm to 4 pm, Memorial Day to Columbus Day | Rail fans and families with train-loving kids |
| Saratoga Corinth & Hudson RailwayCorinth | Heritage railroad | Yes | Autumn Explorer from $15, Pumpkin Picker from $30, Candy Cane Express adults $40, kids 12 and under $30 | Rides run on scheduled dates year round; check the online calendar | Families with young kids and Alco diesel fans |
| Hyde Park Railroad Station MuseumHyde Park | Depot museum | No | Not posted online | By appointment; summer Saturdays 1 pm to 5 pm (June 20 to September 19 in 2026) | Hudson Valley history fans and Roosevelt and Vanderbilt site visitors |
| Catskill Mountain RailroadKingston | Heritage railroad | Yes | Varies by event; Easter Bunny Express in 2026 was $25 adults, $19 ages 2 to 12, toddlers on a lap free | Departure times vary by event; many rides leave at 10 am, 12 pm, 2 pm and 4 pm | Families with young children |
| Trolley Museum of New YorkKingston | Trolley museum | Yes | Not posted on the museum's site; call (845) 331-3399 | Saturdays and Sundays, 12 pm to 5 pm, from opening day May 9, 2026 | Families with young kids, transit fans and subway buffs |
| Martisco Station MuseumMartisco | Depot museum | No | Not posted online; ask the chapter | Limited hours; check with the Central New York NRHS chapter before you go | Rail history fans and station architecture lovers |
| Medina Railroad MuseumMedina | Railroad museum | Yes | Museum tickets sold online or by phone; check the website for current prices | Thursday to Saturday 10 am to 4:30 pm, Sunday 12 pm to 4:30 pm, closed Monday to Wednesday | Model train fans and families with young kids |
| Cooperstown & Charlotte Valley RailroadMilford | Heritage railroad | Yes | Tickets sold online; a travel listing puts fares at about $22 to $37 | Train dates vary by season; see Upcoming Train Rides on the website | Families and diesel fans visiting the Cooperstown area |
| North Creek Depot MuseumNorth Creek | Depot museum | No | Free | Closed for the 2026 season; reopens Memorial Day weekend, May 29 to 31, 2027, 12 pm to 4 pm. Summer is typically daily except Wednesdays, 12 to 4 pm | History lovers, Theodore Roosevelt fans and families exploring the Adirondacks |
| Railroad Museum of the Niagara FrontierNorth Tonawanda | Railroad museum | No | Free; donations welcome | Saturdays 11 am to 4 pm (June to October), 11 am to 2 pm (November to May); other times by appointment | Families with young train fans and local rail history buffs |
| Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh Railway Depot (OP Train Depot)Orchard Park | Depot museum | No | Not posted online; check optraindepot.org | Not posted online; check optraindepot.org | Rail history fans and local families |
| Oyster Bay Railroad MuseumOyster Bay | Railroad museum | Yes | Ages 18 to 61 $9, 62 and up $8, ages 6 to 17 $7, 5 and under and members free | Saturdays and Sundays, 12 pm to 4 pm, April to mid-November | Families, Theodore Roosevelt fans and Long Island rail fans |
| Empire State Railway MuseumPhoenicia | Depot museum | No | By donation; no fee required | Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, 10 am to 4 pm, Memorial Day to Columbus Day | Rail history fans and families with school-age kids |
| Railroad Museum of Long IslandRiverhead | Railroad museum | Yes | Riverhead: adults $15, ages 5 to 12 $8. Greenport: adults $9, ages 5 to 12 $5. Under 5 free at both | Weekends in season: Riverhead 10 am to 4 pm, Greenport 10:30 am to 4:30 pm (Riverhead open Saturdays through December 19, 2026) | Families with young kids and Long Island rail fans |
| Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad MuseumRush | Railroad museum | Yes | Check RochesterTrainRides.com for current prices | Open to the public on monthly special event days; see RochesterTrainRides.com | Diesel fans and families with young train riders |
| Salamanca Rail MuseumSalamanca | Depot museum | No | Not posted online; ask when you call | Listings conflict; one shows Saturday and Sunday 12 pm to 4 pm in winter. Call to confirm. | Rail history fans and depot lovers |
| Lehigh Valley Railroad Historical Society Station MuseumShortsville | Depot museum | No | Not posted online | Open during announced open houses, typically Sundays 1 pm to 3 pm; next date to be announced | Lehigh Valley fans, model railroaders and families who like layouts |
| New York Central System Historical SocietyStatewide and regional groups | Preservation group | No | Not applicable; membership and products sold through the society | No public museum; archive and publications are online | Rail historians and New York Central modelers |
| Adirondack RailroadUtica | Heritage railroad | Yes | Fares vary by trip; short Explorer rides from $22, Adirondack Mountaineer from $55 | Train departures vary by route and season; see the departure schedule | Scenery lovers, families and cyclists heading into the Adirondacks |
| New York Museum of TransportationWest Henrietta | Trolley museum | Yes | Adults $12, seniors 65+ $10, ages 3 to 12 $6, 2 and under free; special prices for events | Sundays 11 am to 4 pm, mid-May through October, plus select December days | Young trolley fans and Rochester-area families |
| Chautauqua, Cattaraugus & Allegany County railway-history collectionsWestern New York | Preservation group | No | Varies by collection; online resources are open to browse | Varies by collection; check each holder before visiting | Researchers, genealogists and local history fans |
| Upper Hudson River RailroadNorth Creek | Heritage railroad | No | Not applicable | Closed; the railroad stopped operating in 2010 | Rail history readers and Adirondack rail fans |
No museum on this page matches every filter you picked.
Map of every train museum in New York
How the railroads built New York, from the Adirondacks to the subway
When the Erie Canal and the New York Central opened up the state in the 1800s, rails became the way into places roads could not easily reach. Dr. Thomas Durant pushed a line north from Saratoga toward North Creek between 1864 and 1871, and Adirondack trains later carried loggers, Great Camp families and skiers bound for Gore Mountain. In the Catskills, the Ulster and Delaware hauled bluestone for city sidewalks, rushed milk to New York City and brought summer visitors by the thousands, while short lines like the Arcade & Attica served farm country for generations.
Cities ran on rails too. New York City opened its subway in 1904, and Rochester had streetcars until 1941 and its own subway until 1956. On Long Island, Greenport was the eastern end of the Long Island Rail Road mainline from Brooklyn starting in 1844, and Oyster Bay station served President Theodore Roosevelt on his trips home to Sagamore Hill. It was also at a railroad station, North Creek, that Roosevelt learned on September 14, 1901 that he would be president.
Today the New York Transit Museum and the Trolley Museum of New York tell the city transit story, the New York Museum of Transportation and the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum carry Rochester's, and the Railroad Museum of Long Island and Oyster Bay Railroad Museum keep the LIRR's. For the mountains, look to the Catskill Mountain Railroad, the Empire State Railway Museum, the North Creek Depot Museum and the Adirondack Railroad.
Day trips that pair New York museums
Trip 1
Trolleys and diesels south of Rochester
These two museums sit about a mile apart and share a connected line, joined with a golden spike in 1993. The trolley museum is open Sundays in season, and the railroad museum opens on monthly event days, so the joint Trains and Trolleys at Twilight evenings are the easiest way to ride both. Expect a trolley ride, a caboose train and ice cream.
Trip 2
A Kingston rail weekend
- Trolley Museum of New YorkKingston
- Catskill Mountain RailroadKingston
- Empire State Railway MuseumPhoenicia
Start with a trolley ride on the Rondout waterfront, then take a 90-minute themed trip on the Catskill Mountain Railroad about two miles away. On a weekend between Memorial Day and Columbus Day, drive about 18 miles to Phoenicia for the Empire State Railway Museum in its 1899 station.
Trip 3
A Saturday on the Niagara Frontier
- Railroad Museum of the Niagara FrontierNorth Tonawanda
- Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow MuseumBuffalo
The free Railroad Museum of the Niagara Frontier opens on Saturdays, and the Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum, about 10 miles away, opens Thursday through Saturday. Pair the restored Erie freight depot with Buffalo-built cars and a Frank Lloyd Wright filling station for a full day.
Drive times from New York City, Buffalo and Albany
These times are rough, approximate estimates without traffic, so add a cushion for weekends and city driving.
| Museum | From New York City | From Buffalo | From Albany |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York Transit MuseumBrooklyn | 15 min | ||
| Oyster Bay Railroad MuseumOyster Bay | 35 min | ||
| Trolley Museum of New YorkKingston | 1 hr 50 min | ||
| Catskill Mountain RailroadKingston | 1 hr 50 min | ||
| Railroad Museum of Long IslandRiverhead | 2 hr | ||
| Railroad Museum of the Niagara FrontierNorth Tonawanda | 15 min | ||
| Medina Railroad MuseumMedina | 45 min | ||
| Arcade & Attica RailroadArcade | 45 min | ||
| New York Museum of TransportationWest Henrietta | 1 hr 20 min | ||
| Saratoga Corinth & Hudson RailwayCorinth | 1 hr | ||
| Empire State Railway MuseumPhoenicia | 1 hr 5 min | ||
| Cooperstown & Charlotte Valley RailroadMilford | 1 hr 20 min |
Holiday trains and seasonal days at New York museums
Fall and winter are busy on New York rails. In October the Adirondack Railroad runs a Pumpkin Train from Thendara to a pumpkin patch, the Saratoga Corinth & Hudson Railway runs the Pumpkin Picker, the Catskill Mountain Railroad runs the Pumpkin Express, and the New York Museum of Transportation offers a Halloween trolley ride to decorate a baby pumpkin; our guide to Halloween train rides in New York gathers them. For the holidays, The Polar Express runs at the Medina Railroad Museum, the Catskill Mountain Railroad and the Adirondack Railroad, Corinth has the Candy Cane Express with Santa, the Arcade & Attica runs its Wonderland Express, and the Railroad Museum of Long Island hosts an Open House with Santa. Medina also runs Day Out with Thomas. See our list of New York Christmas train rides for dates and booking tips.
What New York parents should know before they go
- The New York Transit Museum entrance is down two flights of stairs, with a wheelchair lift at Court and Schermerhorn Streets, and its galleries are not climate controlled right now. Book Brooklyn tickets ahead.
- At the Oyster Bay Railroad Museum, plan a Saturday if your kids want the turntable ride, and know that the yard can close in stormy weather.
- Start at Riverhead, not Greenport, when visiting the Railroad Museum of Long Island with small children; the park train and Lionel layout are there.
- The Arcade & Attica Railroad assigns seats, so buy every ticket in one transaction if you want your group together, and pack snacks for the 2 hour 20 minute foliage trip.
- New York Museum of Transportation trolleys leave on the half hour, and the last one goes at 3:30, so arrive by early afternoon.
- The Medina Railroad Museum is fully ADA accessible, but its vintage excursion cars are not.
- The North Creek Depot Museum is closed for 2026 and reopens Memorial Day weekend 2027, so save it for next summer.
Train museums in states next door
From New York City, Pennsylvania train museums start with Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton, about 2 hr 15 min away, a working railyard with a roundhouse, a turntable and Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4012. From Buffalo, the Lake Shore Railway Historical Society Museum in North East, Pennsylvania, is about 1 hr 30 min down the lakeshore.
Closer to the city, the Danbury Railway Museum in a restored 1903 station is about 1 hr 10 min from Manhattan; see more Connecticut train museums. From Albany, the Green Mountain Railroad's Green Mountain Flyer between Bellows Falls and Chester Depot is about 1 hr 40 min east among our Vermont train museums.
A note from Kelsey
In our book, Rally rides the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner out of San Diego with Mom and Dad, a long way from New York. Still, I picture him peeking into an old subway car on a platform underground. My favorite page has a dark tunnel, then a big bright light, and everybody cheers. My kids are learning to read, and that is the page they ask for most. My mom dreamed up Rally's trip before she died in 2021, and you can read how it came together on our story page. If you have a long drive upstate ahead, print a few train coloring pages for the back seat.
A train book for the drive
If your family would rather ride a real passenger train between stops, our guide to Amtrak routes with kids covers what to know before you book.
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 New York: Santa trains and holiday rides
- Halloween train rides in New York: 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
New York train museum questions parents ask
What is the biggest train museum in New York State?
The New York Transit Museum in Brooklyn has the largest lineup of cars visitors can board, with about twenty vintage subway and elevated cars along a platform a full city block long. For working diesels, the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum in Rush says it holds the largest collection of historic trains and operating vintage diesels in the state. Both make a big day for train fans.
Are there free train museums in New York?
Yes, a few New York rail museums cost nothing to enter. The Railroad Museum of the Niagara Frontier in North Tonawanda is free on Saturdays, and the Empire State Railway Museum in Phoenicia asks only for a donation. The North Creek Depot Museum is free too, though it is closed for 2026 and reopens Memorial Day weekend 2027. The Grand Central Gallery of the New York Transit Museum is also free.
Where can kids ride a steam train in New York?
The Arcade & Attica Railroad in Arcade is the place to go. It says it is the only steam railroad in New York State running regular passenger excursions, pulled by engine #18, now 107 years old. As of October 2026, steam fall foliage trains run twice a day on October weekends, and kids can watch the crew move the engine around the train at Curriers.
Which New York train museums have train rides?
Quite a few do. The New York Museum of Transportation in West Henrietta includes a trolley ride with Sunday admission, the Railroad Museum of Long Island in Riverhead includes a ride on a World's Fair park train, and the Trolley Museum of New York in Kingston runs weekend trolley trips. Heritage lines such as the Catskill Mountain Railroad, the Adirondack Railroad and the Saratoga Corinth & Hudson Railway are built around the ride itself.
What is the best train museum in New York for toddlers?
The Railroad Museum of Long Island's Riverhead site is a strong first pick for toddlers. Admission includes a park train ride when the weather allows, the Lionel layout has buttons little hands can push, and kids can step into a 1960s caboose. Children under 5 get in free. In Brooklyn, the New York Transit Museum also runs Transit Tots mornings for ages 18 months to 3.
Is there a train museum in Kingston, New York?
Kingston has two rail attractions. The Trolley Museum of New York sits on the Rondout waterfront and runs short trolley rides on weekends in season, with classic subway cars and European streetcars on display. About two miles away, the Catskill Mountain Railroad runs themed trips from Westbrook Lane Station on the old Ulster and Delaware line, including the Pumpkin Express and The Polar Express.
Train museums near Buffalo NY?
Several are within about an hour of Buffalo. The free Railroad Museum of the Niagara Frontier is in North Tonawanda, the Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum is downtown, and the restored OP Train Depot is in Orchard Park. A little farther out, the Medina Railroad Museum has a 204-foot HO layout and the Arcade & Attica Railroad runs steam excursions through farm country.
Train museums near Rochester NY?
The two biggest sit side by side south of Rochester. The New York Museum of Transportation in West Henrietta runs the only electric trolley ride in New York State, and the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum in Rush, about a mile away on connected track, opens on monthly event days with a caboose train ride. The Lehigh Valley Railroad Historical Society museum in Shortsville holds occasional open houses.
Is there a railroad museum on Long Island?
Long Island has two. The Oyster Bay Railroad Museum keeps Theodore Roosevelt's 1889 home station and a rail yard with Locomotive #35, the last steam locomotive to run on Long Island. The Railroad Museum of Long Island has sites in Riverhead and Greenport on the North Fork, with a World's Fair park train ride, a large Lionel layout and an 1892 freight house.
Train museums near Albany NY?
Within roughly an hour of Albany you can reach the Saratoga Corinth & Hudson Railway in Corinth, the Empire State Railway Museum in Phoenicia and both rail stops in Kingston. The Cooperstown & Charlotte Valley Railroad in Milford is a little farther west. Drive times are rough estimates without traffic, and many of these sites run on seasonal schedules, so check dates before you go.
What can you see at the New York Transit Museum in Brooklyn?
The museum fills the Court Street subway station, which opened in 1936 and closed to riders in 1946. On the lower level, about twenty vintage subway and elevated cars line the platform, some dating to 1904, and most can be boarded. The mezzanine galleries cover turnstiles, signs and buses, including a city bus kids can sit behind the wheel of. Book Brooklyn tickets ahead.
When is the New York Museum of Transportation open?
As of October 2026, the museum is open Sundays from 11 am to 4 pm, mid-May through October, plus select December days for holiday trolley rides. Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors 65 and up, $6 for ages 3 to 12, and free for 2 and under. Trolleys leave on the half hour, and the last departure is 3:30.
Does the Oyster Bay Railroad Museum have a turntable ride?
Yes, visitors can ride the turntable in the Rail Display Yard on Saturdays in season when the weather allows. The museum describes it as the only operating locomotive turntable on Long Island. As of October 2026, the museum is open weekends from noon to 4 pm, April to mid-November, and one ticket covers both the 1889 station and the yard.
What is the 999 bell at the Medina Railroad Museum?
It is the working bell from New York Central 999, the locomotive clocked at 112.5 mph between Batavia and Corfu in May 1893. The bell sits beside a case about the engine inside Medina's 1905 New York Central freight depot. The same building holds a 204-foot HO model railroad, one of the largest in Western New York, plus a firefighting collection.
Where is Locomotive 35 on Long Island?
Locomotive #35, the last steam locomotive to operate on Long Island, stands in the Rail Display Yard of the Oyster Bay Railroad Museum at Bay and Bayview Avenues. Volunteers began rescuing it in 1990 after vandals had damaged it at Mitchell Field, and that effort grew into the museum. The yard is a short walk through Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park from the station.
Where can we ride The Polar Express in New York?
Several New York railroads list The Polar Express. The Medina Railroad Museum runs it in the holiday season, the Catskill Mountain Railroad runs it from Kingston in November and December with kids invited to wear pajamas, and the Adirondack Railroad lists it as well. Holiday trains are popular, so book as soon as dates are posted.
Are there pumpkin train rides in New York this fall?
Yes, as of October 2026 several New York lines run pumpkin trips. The Adirondack Railroad's Pumpkin Train goes from Thendara to a pumpkin patch, the Saratoga Corinth & Hudson Railway runs the Pumpkin Picker, and the Catskill Mountain Railroad runs the Pumpkin Express on select October weekends. The New York Museum of Transportation also offers a Halloween trolley ride to a pumpkin patch.
Why was North Creek station important to Theodore Roosevelt?
On September 14, 1901, Vice President Theodore Roosevelt learned at the North Creek station that President McKinley had died and that he would become president, and he left from there to take office. The 1872 depot now houses the free North Creek Depot Museum, which tells this story. It is closed for 2026 and reopens Memorial Day weekend 2027.
How did railroads shape the Catskills in New York?
The Ulster and Delaware line out of Kingston carried bluestone for city sidewalks and milk from Catskill farms to New York City, and it brought vacationers by the thousands to mountain hotels. It also hauled supplies to build the Ashokan Reservoir between 1908 and 1912. The Catskill Mountain Railroad, the Delaware & Ulster Railroad and the Empire State Railway Museum each keep part of that story.
Is the Trolley Museum of New York open on weekends?
Yes, the Trolley Museum of New York in Kingston opens Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 5 pm in season, which began May 9 in 2026. Short trolley rides along the Rondout waterfront are the highlight. Admission prices are not posted on the museum's site, so call ahead, especially late in the season, to confirm it is still running.
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