Whippany Railway Museum, New Jersey

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Whippany, New Jersey · Updated October 19, 2026 · 12 min read

Heritage railroad with a museumTrain ridesClosed for the 2026 season; returns in 2027 (normally Sundays, April to October)

Since 1965 the Whippany Railway Museum has preserved the railroads of New Jersey and Morris County, restoring historic equipment and operating vintage trains from a freight house its members saved from demolition.

  • Preserving NJ rail history since 1965
  • Rebuilt Morristown & Erie freight house
  • Grand Opening October 26, 1985
  • Interactive O scale layout
  • Easter Bunny and Pumpkin Patch trains

Whippany Railway Museum at a glance

Hours
Normally Sundays, April to October, noon to 4 pm; closed for the season until 2027
Admission
Museum: adults and teens $5, ages 6 to 12 $3, 5 and under free with an adult; train fares separate
Train rides
Event day trains at 1, 2, 3 and 4 pm in spring and fall; fares on the museum's events page
Seasonal events
Easter Bunny Express, Excursion Trains, Pumpkin Patch Train
Plan for
About 2 hours with a train ride
Best for
Families with young kids and New Jersey rail fans
Best ages
Ages 2 to 10

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

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Whippany Railway Museum? Bring Rally along.

In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Whippany.

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.

The freight house that came back from the weeds

The museum's roots go back to 1965, when Whippany was home to the Morris County Central, a steam tourist railroad. A group of its employees and volunteers started the Morris County Central Railroad Museum, showing a small collection of railroad memorabilia in half of the old Morristown & Erie freight house next to the stone passenger station. In 1967 the excursion railroad paid to move the freight house across four tracks to the spot where it stands today.

Thousands of riders visited the little museum until the Morris County Central moved its tourist trains to Newfoundland, New Jersey. The museum followed, reopening in 1974 as the Pequannock Valley Transportation Museum inside a converted refrigerator car. The Morris County Central ran its last train at the end of 1980, and by early 1983 the members were hunting for a new home in a real railroad building.

Their old Whippany freight house was the obvious choice, though it was vandalized, overgrown and slated for demolition. With permission from the Morristown & Erie Railway, members lifted the building onto new cribbing, rebuilt the loading platform and refinished the walls inside and out. By January 1984 everything had been moved back to Whippany and the group took the name Whippany Railway Museum. After two more years of painting, building displays and setting up a gift shop, the museum held its Grand Opening on October 26, 1985.

The museum credits the late Morristown & Erie president Benjamin J. Friedland for nearly 20 years of help that let it grow. Today it is a nonprofit educational organization and a member of the HeritageRail Alliance.

Freight house, stone station and a yard of restored cars

Inside the freight house, displays focus on a different New Jersey, and especially Morris County, railroad each year, told through models, historic photographs and rare paperwork. Cases hold railroad china, tools and lamps, bells, whistles and headlights. A large O scale layout captures local lines, most notably the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western, and lets visitors run a streetcar and set off animated scenes.

Outside, rolling stock with New Jersey ties sits on tracks around the site, restored by museum volunteers and arranged with an early 1900s feel. Look for the stone Whippany passenger station, the water tank that once served Morristown & Erie steam engines, coal loaders and anthracite advertising signs donated by L. S. Young and Sons of Denville, a Lackawanna semaphore and a Susquehanna order board. The museum also lists smaller structures such as a crossing shanty and the scale house that serves as its ticket office.

Don’t miss

  1. The freight house museum buildingMembers rescued it from demolition in the 1980s, and it now holds the yearly rotating railroad exhibit and the gift shop.
  2. The O scale layoutAn interactive model of local New Jersey railroading, especially the Lackawanna, where kids can run a streetcar and trigger animations.
  3. The Morristown & Erie water tankSteam locomotives once took water here, and the museum paid for a new roof to keep it standing.
  4. The stone Whippany passenger stationA small stone depot across from the freight house that sets the scene for the whole site.
  5. Lackawanna semaphore and Susquehanna order boardTwo donated signals, restored and set in place by museum members, that show how trains were once given orders.

Bunnies in spring, pumpkins in fall

Children 5 and under get in free with an adult, and the special event trains are built with kids in mind. On the Easter Bunny Express, the Easter Bunny walks through the vintage passenger car greeting riders. On the Pumpkin Patch Train, children who show their punched ticket at the museum's pumpkin patch pick a kid-sized pumpkin and, while supplies last, get a decorating kit.

Indoors, the O scale layout with a streetcar kids can control is usually the favorite stop. Excursion trains also let families ride in a caboose, the conductor's office at the back of old freight trains.

Plan your visit: tips for Whippany Railway Museum

  • Check the event calendar for ride dates; trains run on special event days, not every Sunday.
  • Ticket questions go to tickets@whippanyrailwaymuseum.net.
  • The phone goes to voicemail when the museum is closed for the season.
  • The nonprofit museum is not involved with the for-profit Whippany Polar Express.
  • Every visitor exploring the building, cars and grounds is asked to buy an admission badge.

The museum's own season ends with the Pumpkin Patch Train in early October and starts again in spring with the Easter Bunny Express. It does not run a Christmas train, and it says plainly that it has no connection to the for-profit Polar Express in Whippany. For fall rides elsewhere, see Halloween and pumpkin train rides in New Jersey.

Members who rebuilt it by hand

Volunteers restore the equipment, and museum members did the heavy work of rebuilding the freight house and setting the signals in place. The nonprofit relies on admission fees for preservation and upkeep, and its website lists ways to help: donations, gift cards, donating a car, joining the mailing list and becoming a volunteer.

Other rail stops around Morris County

The United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey in Boonton is only about 5 miles away. The Paterson Museum locomotive exhibits are about 14 miles east, and the Maywood Station Museum is about 19 miles. See every train museum in New Jersey for more.

Every train museum in New Jersey

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of a conductor in a blue suit shaking Rally's paw on the train
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

The excursion trains here let families sit in a caboose, which the museum calls the conductor's office. I love that. In our book, Mr. Conductor in his blue uniform holds out a hand to Rally, and that kind, steady helper is the person my mom pictured when she first told me the story. Every little rider deserves someone like that on board. You can read more about her on our story page.

Free for train families

Print the Rally coloring pages before you go

Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.

Get the free coloring pages
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 Whippany Railway Museum?

We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.

Sources

Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.

Whippany Railway Museum: 20 questions visitors ask

Where is the Whippany Railway Museum?

The Whippany Railway Museum is at 1 Railroad Plaza, Whippany, New Jersey 07981, in Hanover Township, Morris County. It sits along the Morristown & Erie Railway right-of-way. Mail goes to P.O. Box 16, Whippany, NJ 07981, and the phone number is (973) 887-8177.

Is the Whippany Railway Museum open now?

No. As of October 2026 the museum is closed for the winter after its final Pumpkin Patch Train rides on October 4, 10 and 11, and it plans to reopen in 2027. No museum-sponsored trains run during the off season, and the phone goes to voicemail while it is closed.

What are the Whippany Railway Museum hours?

As of October 2026, the museum is normally open to the public on Sundays only, from noon to 4 pm, April through October. On special event days it is also open noon to 4 pm, with trains generally at 1, 2, 3 and 4 pm. Check the event calendar on whippanyrailwaymuseum.net for exact dates.

How much are Whippany Railway Museum tickets?

As of October 2026, museum admission is $5 for adults and teenagers, $3 for children 6 to 12, and free for children 5 and under with an adult. Train ride fares are separate and are listed for each event on the museum's events and tickets pages. Ticketing questions go to tickets@whippanyrailwaymuseum.net.

Does the Whippany Railway Museum run the Polar Express?

No. The museum states that the nonprofit Whippany Railway Museum is not involved with the for-profit Whippany Polar Express. The museum's own trains stop for the winter after its fall Pumpkin Patch Train. For questions about that holiday event, contact its organizer directly rather than the museum.

What is the Whippany Railway Museum Pumpkin Patch Train?

The Pumpkin Patch Train is the museum's autumn ride. After the trip, children who show their punched tickets at the museum's pumpkin patch can choose a kid-sized pumpkin and, while supplies last, get a pumpkin decorating kit. In 2026 it ran on October 4, 10 and 11, and it is set to return in 2027.

What is the Whippany Railway Museum Easter Bunny Express?

The Easter Bunny Express is an annual spring ride in a vintage passenger car while the Easter Bunny moves through the train greeting children. Trips leave at 1, 2, 3 and 4 pm on ride days from the museum site. The museum says it will return in 2027; dates and fares go up on its events page.

What are the Whippany Railway Museum excursion trains?

Excursion trains are the museum's regular train rides on scheduled days. You can ride in a caboose, the conductor's office at the back of old freight trains, or upgrade to a Subscription Car that shows how wealthy commuters once rode to the city. Excursions are scheduled to return in 2027.

What can you see at the Whippany Railway Museum?

The freight house holds a yearly exhibit on a different New Jersey railroad, plus railroad china, tools, bells, whistles, headlights and a large interactive O scale layout. Outdoors are restored rolling stock, the stone Whippany passenger station, a Morristown & Erie water tank, coal loaders, a Lackawanna semaphore and a Susquehanna order board.

Is the Whippany Railway Museum good for kids?

Yes. Kids 5 and under get in free with an adult, the O scale layout lets them run a streetcar and set off animations, and the Easter Bunny Express and Pumpkin Patch Train are designed around children. A visit with a train ride takes about two hours, a good fit for young families.

What is 4039 at the Whippany Railway Museum?

People often search for a piece of equipment numbered 4039 alongside the museum's name. The museum's website does not describe it on its public exhibit pages, so the best way to ask about it is to email info@whippanyrailwaymuseum.net or message the museum on Facebook, where volunteers share collection updates.

When was the Whippany Railway Museum founded?

The museum traces its start to 1965, when employees and volunteers of the Morris County Central steam tourist railroad founded a small museum in Whippany. After years in Newfoundland, New Jersey, the group rebuilt the Whippany freight house, took the name Whippany Railway Museum in 1984, and held its Grand Opening on October 26, 1985.

How did the Whippany Railway Museum save its freight house?

By 1983 the old Morristown & Erie freight house was vandalized, overgrown and scheduled for demolition. Museum members got permission from the railroad, lifted the building onto new cribbing, rebuilt the loading platform and refinished it inside and out. They moved the collection back by January 1984 and finished the displays and gift shop by 1985.

Where can I see Whippany Railway Museum photos and reviews?

The museum shares photos on its Facebook and Instagram pages, and its website includes photo histories of the Morris County Central and its crew. Visitor reviews are on Tripadvisor, and the museum's site links to a page where visitors can write a review of their own.

Does the Whippany Railway Museum have a gift shop?

Yes. Members set up a gift shop inside the freight house during the rebuilding in 1984 and 1985. The museum also sells gift cards through the Donate section of its website, which can make a good present for a young rail fan before the spring season starts.

Is there parking at the Whippany Railway Museum?

The museum does not post parking details on its main pages. It does list a Directions page and visitor policies on its website, so read those before you go, or call (973) 887-8177 during the season. Arrive a little before your train time on busy event days.

Can I volunteer at the Whippany Railway Museum?

Yes. The museum's website has a Become a Volunteer page, and volunteers are the people who restore its rolling stock and keep the buildings and grounds in shape. Email info@whippanyrailwaymuseum.net to ask about current needs, whether that is restoration, train crew or event help.

How can I donate to the Whippany Railway Museum?

The museum accepts donations through its website, including direct gifts, gift card purchases and car donations. As a nonprofit educational organization, it relies on admission fees and support from visitors to pay for preservation, building and grounds upkeep, and care of its artifacts.

What railroad is the Whippany Railway Museum on?

The museum is located along the right-of-way of the Morristown & Erie Railway, a local freight railroad. Its buildings include the old Morristown & Erie freight house and the stone Whippany passenger station. The museum credits the late M&E president Benjamin J. Friedland with nearly 20 years of help.

What train museums are near the Whippany Railway Museum?

The United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey in Boonton is about 5 miles away. The Paterson Museum locomotive exhibits are about 14 miles away, the Maywood Station Museum about 19 miles, and the Liberty Historic Railway in the Jersey City area about 11 miles.

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