3921. Go to the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay

Back in January I found a Groupon deal for the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay. I’ve always wanted to go and the hubby enjoyed model railroads as a kid (and still does). After confirming with the hubby that this was something he’d like to do, I scored two admissions to the museum for less than $10 – regular price is $10/person. Since March is a slow month for the hubby, we decided to pick a day in March and go. I worked it around my work schedule so I didn’t have to burn a day of PTO… I have more important things to use it on in summer

The National Railroad Museum in Green Bay is a museum of trains. There is 1 exhibit hall with the current display being dishes, a train gallery inside with about 10 train cars and engines, and a storage barn outside with more train cars and engines in need of repair. During the warmer months, there is also a train ride around the museum (which is $2 more a person). Honestly I was disappointed. I really thought there would be more exhibits and rooms to see.

The exhibit on China dishware was interesting… not at all what I would expect at a train museum. The China collection was comprised of dishes served on trains, boats, and planes throughout the years. Again train museum… not expecting dishes from the Titanic, Air Force One, the Hindenburg… or dishes at all. I have to admit that some of them were impressive and made me wish we still got real meals on actual China when we flew… not just a pack of peanuts and a cup of soda.

China from the Hindenburg

Presidential China

China from the White Star Line, quite possibly the 

stuff they had on the Titanic

After pursuing the dishes, we headed over to the train hall. This was cool. This is what I was expecting. TRAINS… Real Trains… Big Trains… Each train had its own story to tell. We were able to climb aboard most of the trains and see what they were like inside.

The showcase piece was Eisenhower’s train he used as commander of the European Theater in WWII. We were able to climb aboard his train and see how he traveled across Europe. Like most of trains we boarded, the aisles were narrow and the ceilings low. We almost had to walk at an angle at times to fit through the aisle and walkways without bumping into the sides.

Besides Eisenhower’s train, my other favorite train was the Big Boy Engine of the Union Pacific. Built to pull freight trains through the mountains of Utah and Wyoming, this engine was impressive. The wheels were almost as tall as I was. It could haul 32 tons of coal. There were no control panels just a series of dials that hopefully you knew what each one of them did.

The Big Boy

I'm just a few inches taller than the wheel

The Coal Bin

And these do what?

All Aboard!

There were several cabooses which after climbing aboard them I am no longer impressed by them. They just have a couple of seats in them and the platform out back.

Two different Cabooses

Inside the caboose

Probably the most impressive train was the Pullman cars. Not only did you get to see the impressive Pullmans but you also got to hear the story of Porters that worked on the train using a series of video screens.

A snowplow, a streetcar, and a honor train rounded out the collection.

We headed outside and checked out the trains out there. Most of them were in dire need of repair. They were still cool to see but because of the shape they were in, there were only a handful that you could actually climb aboard. One even only had the coils of the seats left in the engine. 

There was  also an old mail train. You could see where they sorted the mail and the pigeonholes and baskets for the different stops.

And an old dining car

Not to mention probably one only remaining Aerotrains

The hubby said to plan for 2 hours at the museum and if we weren’t the only people at the museum it might have taken the 2 hours but we were done in an hour. If you have kids, I’m sure you’ll be there more than an hour. For us we came, saw the trains, and went on our merry little way.

Yes it is definitely a place you need to visit but unless you have kids who nuts about trains or just really like museums, it’s almost one of those “been there, done that” type of places. Maybe it’s just me but I don’t see going back just to see the same thing again.