Cabin John miniature train located in Cabin John Regional Park in Montgomery County, Maryland. Image by John Sonderman used with permission.

Greater Washington has almost two centuries of railroad heritage, and plenty of places to watch trains rumble by. Yet if you’re interested in learning more about that heritage, you’ll find that most railroad museums were established on surplus railroad properties, far from major cities and rarely near modern transit.

Luckily, there are ways to easily, and not-so-easily, visit several fascinating museums around the region that should interest railfans of all ages. Information below is current as of June 2024.

B&O Railroad Museum, a century of progress. Image by Payton Chung used with permission.

B&O Railroad Museum

  • What to see: This sprawling museum in the heart of Baltimore promises visitors a “journey to the birthplace of American railroading,” with “the oldest and most comprehensive American railroad collection in the world,” exhibits about the history of railroad equipment and the Underground Railroad, and train rides on the oldest mile of commercial railroad track in the US. It’s all housed in the magnificent vaulted roundhouse and shops of America’s first railroad.
  • When it’s open: Daily, 10 am - 4 pm; check calendar for train ride availability.
  • How to get there: Charm City Circulator Orange route, or MTA bus routes CityLink Navy or 76 west from downtown Baltimore.
  • Website
  • Address: 901 W Pratt St., Baltimore, MD

Baltimore Streetcar Museum. Image by Payton Chung used with permission.

Baltimore Streetcar Museum

  • What to see: Two dozen transit vehicles from horsecars to streetcars to trolleybuses, almost all of which plied the streets of Baltimore, provide a comprehensive review of how transit and cities co-evolved over the century from 1870-1970. Frequent streetcar rides allow riders to experience streetcars from different eras. A new exhibit explains how streetcars and other transportation modes shaped metropolitan Baltimore and its neighborhoods. Keep an eye on the calendar for “Operator For The Day” events, where visitors can sign up to operate the trolleys.
  • When it’s open: Sundays 12-5 pm from March through December; also Saturdays 12-5 pm from June through August, plus special events.
  • How to get there: Six blocks northwest of Baltimore Penn Station; MTA light rail and bus routes, or Charm City Circulator Purple buses, stop nearby at North Avenue, then walk down the stairs next to Artist & Craftsman Supply (at North and Howard) to descend to Falls Road along the Jones Falls Trail. Note that Falls Road passes below nearby streets.
  • Website
  • Address: 1901 Falls Rd., Baltimore, MD

National Capital Trolley Museum. Image by Payton Chung used with permission.

National Capital Trolley Museum

  • What to see: Historic streetcars from six countries, including some that have been restored and others that plied the streets of DC, and hourly streetcar rides that take visitors on a one-mile loop through the woods. Extensive indoor exhibits detail the many Greater Washington neighborhoods that grew up along historic streetcar routes and DC streetcars’ unusual underground electric wiring. A theater shows comedic silent films featuring streetcars.
  • When it’s open: Saturdays, 12-5 pm, plus special events.
  • How to get there: Local buses no longer run on weekends, but museum volunteer Peter Scott notes that “there’s always a line of local taxis perched at the Kiss & Ride at Glenmont Metro.” It’s also possible to bike from Glenmont; it’s 3.4 miles on-road via bike lanes on Layhill Road and the shoulder on Bonifant Road. Adventurous hikers or mountain bikers (or equestrians!) can start at Wheaton Regional Park and take the unpaved Northwest Branch Trail, which passes in front of the museum’s entrance.
  • Website
  • Address: 1313 Bonifant Rd., Colesville, MD

"America on the Move" at the National Museum of American History. Image by Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

National Museum of American History

  • What to see: “America on the Move” on the ground floor (Constitution Avenue-level) includes a 1959 Chicago elevated car that you can board, a 19th century DC streetcar, and three steam locomotives, plus plenty of historic context around how transportation innovations and policies have shaped the America we live in. (Fun fact: the ‘L’ car is substantially similar to the PCC streetcars you can ride at BSM or NCTM.)
  • When it’s open: Daily, 10 am - 5:30 pm.
  • How to get there: Metro to Federal Triangle or Smithsonian.
  • Website
  • Address: 1300 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC

Richmond Railroad Museum model layout. Image by the author.

Richmond Railroad Museum

  • What to see: A small museum located in the Manchester neighborhood, across the James River from downtown Richmond, with a large model railroad, several railcars on the grounds, and historical and mechanical exhibits.
  • When it’s open: Saturday 11 am - 4 pm, Sunday 1 - 4 pm.
  • How to get there: A scenic three-quarter-mile walk south across the river on S. 14th Street from Main Street Station, which is served by some Amtrak trains from Washington as well as by Megabus and Virginia Breeze buses. Or use GRTC’s 1A/1B/1C routes on 14th Street.
  • Website
  • Address: 102 Hull St., Richmond, VA

Suburban depots

Three small museums in the Maryland and Virginia suburbs offer a glimpse into historic railroad stations and operations buildings, plus exhibits about local life. Some are inconvenient to get to, though.

Signal exhibit, Bowie Railroad Museum. Image by the author.

Bowie Railroad Museum

  • What to see: A restored railroad depot, C&O “Chessie” caboose, and switching tower overlooking the busy Northeast Corridor tracks. The depot has historic exhibits about rail travel and the town of Bowie, and the tower has a railroad research library.
  • When it’s open: Friday through Sunday, 12 pm - 4 pm.
  • How to get there: WMATA’s B27 bus runs on weekdays to Old Town Bowie. On weekends, it’s possible to bike from the Bowie State University station on MARC’s Penn Line; it’s 2.2 miles, but avoid busy Highway 197.
  • Website
  • Address: 8614 Chestnut Ave., Bowie, MD

Railroad Crossing at the Fairfax Station Railroad Museum. Image by Stephen Repetski used with permission.

Fairfax Station Railroad Museum

  • What to see: This historic railroad station was built in 1857 and saw combat during the Civil War. The museum has exhibits about Virginia railroad history and model train layouts, plus a variety of small railroad equipment outside
  • When it’s open: Sundays, 1-4 pm
  • How to get there: The nearest location with weekend transit is George Mason University’s Fairfax campus (i.e., Metrobus 29K down Little River / Duke Street into Alexandria, or Fairfax CUE to Fairfax City and Metro). From there, it’s still another 2.4 miles; possible by bike via a sidepath on busy Ox Rd, or Fairfax County’s bike map recommends an alternative route on side streets east of Ox.
  • Website
  • Address: 11200 Fairfax Station Rd., Fairfax Station, VA

Buffalo Creek & Gauley 2-8-0 Consolidation 14 at Gaithersburg Community Museum.  Image by  Dave MacKenzie used with permission.

Gaithersburg Community Museum

  • What to see: history of the town and its longtime stop on the B&O Railroad; collections include a steam locomotive, caboose, and a rail diesel car, or RDC.
  • When it’s open: Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
  • How to get there: MARC’s Brunswick Line stops at the adjacent Gaithersburg station, but only during weekday rush hours. Several RideOn routes are available on weekends between Shady Grove and old town Gaithersburg; the most frequent is route 55, which plies Frederick Ave (MD 355).
  • Website
  • Address: 9 S Summit Ave., Gaithersburg, MD

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Tagged: events, history, museum, museums, trains, transit, vintage

Payton Chung, LEED AP ND, CNUa, sees the promises and perils of planning every day as a resident of the Southwest Urban Renewal Area. He first addressed a city council about smart growth in 1996, accidentally authored Chicago’s inclusionary housing law, and blogs at west north. 

Stephen Repetski is a Virginia native and has lived in the Fairfax area for over 20 years. He has a BS in Applied Networking and Systems Administration from Rochester Institute of Technology and works in Information Technology. Learning about, discussing, and analyzing transit (especially planes and trains) is a hobby he enjoys.