The transcontinental railroads of the nineteenth century opened up the American West and connected the country from coast to coast. While there are museums displaying locomotives, rail cars, cabooses, and other railroad memorabilia, such displays require lots of room and don’t really show how railroads work. The alternative is to display model railroads. A few of these displays are shown below.
Wenatchee Valley Museum, Wenatchee, Washington
During the nineteenth century there was a rush to build transcontinental railroads that would connect the United States from coast to coast. The Great Northern Railway was created by entrepreneur James J. Hill and became the northernmost transcontinental railroad in the United States. Running from St. Paul, Minnesota, to Seattle, Washington, the Great Northern was completed in 1893. One of the challenges of the Great Northern was the route through the Cascade Mountains. The Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center in Wenatchee, Washington, has a large display on the Great Northern Railway which includes a detailed model railroad diorama of the Stevens Pass portion of the rail line.
Washington State History Museum, Tacoma, Washington
One of the exhibits is a model railroad constructed and maintained by volunteers from the Puget Sound Model Railroad Engineers. The display shows Tacoma in the 1950s.
Polson Museum, Hoquiam, Washington
San Bernardino History and Railroad Museum, San Bernardino, California
Museums 201
Museums 201 presents thematic photo tours of museum exhibits from several museums. More from this series:
Museums 201: Washing machines (photo diary)
Museums 201: Wood-fired kitchen ranges (photo diary)
Museums 201: The blacksmith shop (photo diary)
Museums 201: Ancient Beds (photo diary)
Museums 201: Gas stations and garages (photo diary)
Museums 201: Pickup Trucks of the 1920s (Photo Diary)
Museums 201: Piper Cubs (Photo Diary)
Museums 201: Station Wagons (Photo Diary)