National Railroad Museum

National Railroad Museum
Name	National Railroad Museum
Established	1956
Location	Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin, Green Bay, Wisconsin
Type	Transportation museum
Collections	Steam locomotives, diesel locomotives, electric locomotives, passenger cars, freight cars, artifacts

National Railroad Museum The National Railroad Museum is a museum of rail transportation located in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin near Green Bay, Wisconsin. Founded in 1956, the institution preserves and interprets the technological, cultural, and industrial heritage of railroading across the United States, with collections spanning steam, diesel, and electric eras. The museum engages with national organizations, preservation groups, and academic institutions to maintain operational equipment and public programming.

History

The museum was established through collaboration among local leaders, Chicago and North Western Railway, and preservation advocates inspired by earlier efforts such as Henry Ford Museum initiatives and the Historic American Engineering Record. Early supporters included figures associated with American Locomotive Company and representatives from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The site selection in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin leveraged proximity to Green Bay and Western Railroad corridors and partnerships with regional entities like Brown County, Wisconsin. During the 1960s and 1970s the museum expanded holdings through donations from the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, Pennsylvania Railroad, New York Central Railroad, and Southern Pacific Railroad. Significant milestones included accession of landmark artifacts from Union Pacific Railroad, acquisition negotiations with Illinois Central Railroad, and collaborative exhibits with Smithsonian Institution advisors. In subsequent decades collaborations with National Park Service programs and the Federal Railroad Administration informed preservation standards. Contemporary developments involved grants from foundations such as Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and partnerships with the Association of American Railroads and the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society.

Collections and Exhibits

The museum's holdings showcase representative equipment and artifacts from major North American carriers: steam locomotives from Union Pacific Railroad and Northern Pacific Railway; diesel locomotives from General Motors Electro-Motive Division and General Electric (company); electric units linked to New York Central Railroad electrification and Pennsylvania Railroad systems. Exhibition themes cover the Transcontinental Railroad era, the Great Northern Railway routes, and the impact of railroads like Baltimore and Ohio Railroad on urban development. Rotating galleries feature artifacts related to notable companies and events including the Rock Island Line, Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, Erie Railroad, Lehigh Valley Railroad, and Canadian Pacific Railway. Interpretive displays incorporate materials from the Railroad Workers of America collections, timetables from Southern Railway (U.S.), dining car artifacts from Pullman Company, and signaling equipment used by Union Pacific Railroad and Norfolk and Western Railway. Special exhibits have previously honored figures and projects such as James J. Hill, Cornelius Vanderbilt, George Westinghouse, and the development of the Chicago Junction. The museum also curates documents, photographs, and maps from archives including the Library of Congress and the Wisconsin Historical Society.

Preservation and Restoration

Preservation work follows best practices advocated by the Historic American Engineering Record and standards influenced by the National Park Service. Restoration collaborations have involved contractors experienced with Union Pacific 4-8-4 class overhauls and volunteer groups affiliated with the American Association of Private Railroad Car Owners and the National Railway Historical Society. Major restoration projects have included cosmetic and operational work on locomotives tied to Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and Chicago and North Western Railway heritage, with parts sourced through networks involving the Rail Preservation Society of Ireland (for exchange), Canadian National Railway, and spare-parts consortia. Technical documentation has been shared with academic partners at Northwestern University and University of Wisconsin–Madison for engineering analyses. Conservation of wooden passenger cars has utilized techniques discussed at Smithsonian Institution conservation workshops and collaborations with the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts.

Education and Public Programs

Educational programming targets K–12 audiences, educators from Brown County, Wisconsin school districts, and lifelong learners via partnerships with institutions such as University of Wisconsin–Green Bay and Green Bay Area Public School District. Programs include hands-on workshops modeled on curricula from the National Science Foundation and history modules aligned with resources from the Library of Congress. Public events have featured guest lectures by scholars from Columbia University and Harvard University on topics including the Transcontinental Railroad and industrialization, as well as family days sponsored by regional corporations like Green Bay Packaging and community groups like Brown County Historical Society. Volunteer-run interpretive excursions engage enthusiasts from the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society and participants in National Model Railroad Association exhibitions. Outreach extends to veterans groups and labor history scholars connected to archives from the American Railway Union and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen.

Facilities and Operations

The museum campus includes indoor exhibition halls, outdoor display yards, maintenance shops, and a roundhouse-style facility adapted for restoration. Operational logistics coordinate with regional railroads including Canadian National Railway and Wisconsin and Southern Railroad for mainline moves and storage. Safety and compliance adhere to guidance from the Federal Railroad Administration and insurance partners experienced with heritage transport like HeritageRail Alliance. Administrative relationships involve municipal entities such as City of Green Bay and county partners including Brown County, Wisconsin, plus fundraising links to foundations like the Kresge Foundation and corporate sponsors including Norfolk Southern and CSX Transportation. The museum also hosts traveling exhibits in collaboration with the National Museum of American History and loan agreements with international institutions like the National Railway Museum (United Kingdom).

Notable Locomotives and Rolling Stock

Prominent roster pieces span steam, diesel, and specialty equipment, including representatives associated with Union Pacific Railroad, Great Northern Railway, Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, Pennsylvania Railroad, New York Central Railroad, Chicago and North Western Railway, Western Pacific Railroad, Southern Pacific Railroad, Erie Railroad, Rock Island Line, Lehigh Valley Railroad, Milwaukee Road, Norfolk and Western Railway, Boston and Maine Railroad, Illinois Central Railroad, Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad, Conrail, Canadian Pacific Railway, Canadian National Railway, Seaboard Air Line Railroad, Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, Union Pacific 4-8-4-type examples, heritage passenger cars from Pullman Company, and cabooses from Central Railroad of New Jersey. The collection also includes maintenance-of-way equipment used by Burlington Northern Railroad and specialty cars linked to Railbox Company. Prestigious pieces have been subjects of scholarly articles in journals associated with the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society and exhibited lendings to institutions such as the California State Railroad Museum and Museo Nacional Ferrocarril.

Category:Rail transport museums in Wisconsin Category:Museums established in 1956