I'd love to write a coffee-table book on the world's railroad museums. Right now I'm partial to the British Railway Musuem in York and the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento. Which great museums would you like to see in the book?
2007-02-01 12:32:31 · 10 answers · asked by Boomer Wisdom 7 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Rail
The California State Railroad Museum is a fantastic museum. It gains even more significance when one considers it is right across the street from Charles Crocker's hardware store, he being one of the "Big Four" that implemented the construction of the Central Pacific Railroad.
Many of the pieces on display are restored "operational". I hear, from time to time, people ask, "If you hit the big lottery, what would you do with the money?" Easy. I fund the rebuilding of the 4294 and be the first guy behind the throttle once it steams up.
This is the last of the 4-8-8-2 cab forward behemoths that were unique to the Southern Pacific, out-shopped by Baldwin in 1942, the last of the breed. Little known is that this class of engine, AC-12, won an SAE engineering award for its design.
They have a multitude of both indoor and out of doors displays, with the "radio wands" for walk around, self guided tours, with the "wands" telling of the history of each piece.
If ever in Sacramento, go. It is well worth the time, and Old Sacramento has lots of four star restaurants, night clubs and entertainment of all sorts.
When the museum had its grand opening, in 1981, I was fortunate enough to have been a fireman "pilot" on the UP 8444, a 4-8-4 Northern, and the 3985, a UP 4-6-6-4 Challenger class articulated, for that portion of their journey from Cheyenne, Wyoming, to Sacramento, on the leg from Sparks, Nevada, to Roseville, California. I have two pictures from this trip posted on my Yahoo 360. Check it out.
2007-02-01 18:52:26 · answer #1 · answered by Samurai Hoghead 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You know, I find that living next to the train tracks and next to the train station are two totally different things! I have lived as close to a block away from train tracks - it didn't bother me either, because I was always interested in trains as well. When I lived a little further away (a mile or so), I think that distance became my favorite. You couldn't hear the squealing of the brakes, or the clacking of the wheels on the tracks, but you could hear the train whistle blowing softly, especially at night. It became one of my favorite aspects of that particular house. Now I have a house about a half a mile away from the train station (not to be confused with a subway station, this town has no subway system). Anyway, I find that it's almost rather bothersome because you can hear a great loud crash when the trains are "docking". How's that for a wake up call at 4am?
2016-03-29 00:44:29 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree with you concerning the National Railway Museum at York (note correct title) This now has an 'outstation' in the town of Shildon, Co Durham which is also excellent. The London Transport Museum in Covent Garden. London is also good in respect of underground railways.
2007-02-01 22:05:41 · answer #3 · answered by rdenig_male 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are right on with the one In Sacramento,The Steam Eng. with
crew in front for tunnel operation(Awesome) I think it had 8 drivers(pulling wheels) while I was there for A-7 transfer,my day off I went to Railroad Museum,I could have spent 2 days just looking.
Write the book ,My vote Sacremento,
2007-02-01 16:47:31 · answer #4 · answered by section hand 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's not dedicated just to railroads, but the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan has a great display of some of the world's largest locomotives. Truly mind-numbing how big they were in their heyday.
2007-02-01 13:19:48 · answer #5 · answered by Daniel R 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I like the Monticello and Sangamon Valley railway in Monticellow ILL. Dad used to volunteer out there in the early 1970's. And it is were i got to make my first run. Road # 1189. F-7 in a Wabash Scheme. I would love to go to steam town some day and the grand canyon railway and Durango and silverton and and and....
2007-02-03 03:19:00 · answer #6 · answered by turkey 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I like the New York City Transit Museum. It has some bus stuff, but a lot of it is about the subway
2007-02-01 13:47:30 · answer #7 · answered by lazerybyl 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Steamtown National Historic Site (Reading, PA)
http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/steamtown/shst.htm
2007-02-01 12:36:09 · answer #8 · answered by anywherebuttexas 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mount Clare in Baltimore..... where it all started.
East Broad Top (operating rr for tourism)
strasburg (oldest operating common carrier in USA)
2007-02-01 12:38:25 · answer #9 · answered by JBC 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Boomer Wisdom Big Big news for you!
★http://www.osoq.com/funstuff/extra/extra01.asp?strName=Boomer_Wisdom
2007-02-01 12:49:20 · answer #10 · answered by dfe h 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋