National Railroad Museum, Railroad museum in Ashwaubenon, US
The National Railroad Museum in Ashwaubenon presents more than 70 locomotives and cars from different eras of American rail history. The collection includes steam and diesel engines, among them the powerful Big Boy number 4017 built by Union Pacific and weighing 1.2 million pounds (540 metric tons).
The museum began in 1956 through an initiative by rail enthusiasts and local supporters who wanted to save historic vehicles from being scrapped. Congress granted the institution its official National Railroad Museum title two years later.
The Lenfesty Center honors a patron who supported the expansion of the collection and enabled its presentation in climate-controlled halls. Visitors see vehicles from different decades that illustrate the development of rail travel across North America.
The site covers several acres with outdoor areas and halls where visitors can walk among the vehicles. A small train carries guests through the grounds on warmer days and helps navigate the large layout.
A wooden tower rises 80 feet (24 meters) above the grounds and offers views toward the Fox River and Green Bay in the distance. The climb is rewarding on clear afternoons when the sun lights the water and brings out the contours of the landscape.
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