Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
Walk among nearly a hundred historic locomotives and cars, then see what railroad technology changed for work and travel.
Artwork inspired by Charles Demuth
Rolling Stock Hall makes rail history physical: steam, diesel, and electric machines stand along a vast indoor route. Compare a locomotive's wheels, cab, and power source with a passenger or freight car beside it. The collection spans the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and includes Pennsylvania Railroad equipment. The upper observation bridge changes the view from individual machine to transportation system.
Railroading is also a human story of workers, stations, mail, and communities connected by timetables. Some equipment opens only on certain days; ask at the front desk before promising a cab visit. Virtual interior tours make selected inaccessible cars viewable. The museum is across Route 741 from Strasburg Rail Road, but the two have separate tickets.
- Collection
- Nearly 100 rail vehicles
- Main space
- Rolling Stock Hall
- Nearby
- Strasburg Rail Road is separate
Quick guide
- Scan the hall first
- Use the observation bridge to understand the collection's scale and layout.
- Ask what's open
- Cab and car access changes with staffing and preservation needs.
Know before you go
- Compare power
- Identify how steam, diesel, and electric engines differ.
- Read a passenger car
- Consider what travel felt like for workers and riders.
- Look from above
- The bridge reveals the museum as a network rather than a row of machines.
- Try a virtual interior
- Use the accessible kiosks for closed or difficult-to-enter railcars.
Good to know
The adjacent Strasburg Rail Road is a separate business and admission. Not every historic car is open to enter; call ahead if a particular cab or guided program matters to your visit.
Notice these
- Rolling Stock Hall
- Pennsylvania Railroad equipment
- Observation bridge