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Iowa Railroad Museums: A Complete Guide

Published: April 20, 2025

By: Adam Burns

Nestled in the heartland of the United States, Iowa is a state steeped in rich history. Its cornfields, rolling hills, and charming small towns conjure images of quintessential Midwestern life. A lesser-known yet significant chapter in the state's heritage is its profound connection to the railroad industry.

While today, highways and interstates crisscross the landscape, railroads laid the foundation for commerce and community development in Iowa. Several railroad museums across the state pay homage to this legacy, offering a fascinating journey through time for locals and visitors alike.

Delmar Depot Railroad & Military Museum

This museum, located in the restored Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul (Milwaukee Road) wooden depot (built in 1905), features both a veteran's memorial as well as artifacts and displays related to the town's railroading history. 

The tracks through this small town are long gone but to find out when the museum is open please contact the city of Delmar.

National Hobo Museum

This interesting museum, located in South Britt, offers a glimpse at the unique life of the hobo, an individual long known for his or her propensity to simply hop onto a moving freight train and wind up who knows where. 

Their slogan is "Decide your own life, don’t let another person run or rule you." 

The organization features a collection of displays and artifacts related to such.  Since 1900 folks have been gathering in this town for a so-called National Hobo Convention. 

Its purpose, according to the museum, is "...to celebrate and exchange thoughts, tips, and stories about a penniless lifestyle. They gather to share tales of wandering around the country avoiding troubles and danger, and to preserve their self-taught train engineering and coded languages generated by decades of hoboes." 

The museum is normally open during the summer each year.

RailsWest Railroad Museum

This museum is based in the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific's restored brick depot in Council Bluffs, originally completed in 1899. 

During its time in service the facility played host to Rock Island's Rocky Mountain Rocket and Corn Belt Rocket as well as the Milwaukee Road's Midwest Hiawatha and Arrow. 

Among their collection is various historical displays and an indoor model HO-scale layout. 

Their featured pieces include a pair of preserved steam locomotives:

• Chicago, Burlington & Quincy 4-6-0 #915 (Class K-4, manufactured by the Havelock Shops in 1901) and 

• Union Pacific 4-8-4 #814. (Class FEF-1, this was one of the railroad famous "Northerns," of which it owned a total of 45 units.  This particular locomotive was outshopped by the American Locomotive's Schenectady Works in 1937.)

The museum is open during select days throughout the year but closed during January.  

Sioux City Railroad Museum

Located in the historic Milwaukee Railroad Shops, the Sioux City Railroad Museum underscores the railroad's transformative impact on the Sioux City region. Covering over 30 acres, the facility includes a collection of restored locomotives and rolling stock. The museum's highlight is the roundhouse and turntable, essential in the operation and maintenance of steam and diesel locomotives.

The museum offers a hands-on educational experience that fascinates rail enthusiasts and families alike. With interactive exhibits, guided tours, and special events, the Sioux City Railroad Museum provides a deep dive into Iowa's railroad history. It showcases not only the importance of railroads in shaping Sioux City but also their significant role across the Midwest.

Trainland U.S.A.

This organization, located in Colfax, operates a large, expansive O-scale layout.

The group is not new, having got its start in 1964 when an individual by the name of Red Atwood began a model train collection that slowly grew over the following decade. 

It became so large that in 1981 it today's Trainland USA was born.  The entire layout and all cars are of Lionel vintage which spans a total of "two average ranch-style homes." 

It is broken down into two segments; the central area features early America during the frontier days with steam locomotives while diesels run along the outside trackage. 

The toy train museum is open from Memorial Day through Labor Day, 10 AM through 6 PM.   They do require admission.  To learn more and plan a visit to this unique attraction please click here to visit their website.

Trains On The Farm

This museum is based in Clarksville and looks to keep alive the history of the railroads which served the area; Chicago Great Western (CGW) and Rock Island (currently, short line Iowa Northern Railway continues serving the community).

They feature the town's preserved CGW block depot (its completion date is unknown but the Great Western was well-known for constructing unassuming, utilitarian depots), historic displays and artifacts, and also feature a small operating model layout.

The Chicago Great Western was a somewhat obscure Midwestern granger, operating in the shadows of the much larger Chicago & North Western, Burlington, Rock Island, and Milwaukee Road.

It largely kept to itself with a focus towards customer service and modernity. The 1,500-mile carrier was a David among Goliath's surrounding by roads nearly or over 10,000 route miles in length.

While its was not large it did reach many notable markets such as Chicago, St. Paul/Minneapolis, Omaha, and Kansas City. What the railroad lacked in size it more than made up for in customer service.

Always the innovator the CGW was constantly looking to reach new customers, streamline operations, cut costs, and generally carry out any measure possible to grow business.

Alas, its small size coupled with stifling federal regulations, rising costs, and competition eventually led to its acquisition by the C&NW.

Union Pacific Railroad Museum

The Union Pacific's official museum is located in Council Bluffs and offers a fabulous collection of displays related to the railroad and its long history.

There is currently no admission fee and the facility is open on select days of the week, year-round. Union Pacific is an American corporate icon with a heritage tracing back to 1862 when it was signed into existence by President Abraham Lincoln.

It would later go on to form the eastern leg of the United States' first Transcontinental Railroad, which opened in the spring of 1869 when crews met the Central Pacific at Promontory Summit, Utah.

The UP remained a relatively modest western carrier until it began adding several notable railroads during the 1980's.

According to Union Pacific, as of 2015 the company boasts the following credentials; 32,100 route miles, 44,500 employees, and an annual revenue of $21.81 billion (ranking only slightly behind BNSF Railway in this regard).

Celebrating Iowa's Railroad Heritage

Each of these museums in Iowa preserves an integral piece of American history. They offer unique insights into how railroads not only facilitated the growth of the American economy but also played a pivotal role in the socio-cultural transformation of small towns and cities across the Midwest.

Visiting these museums is more than a historical exploration; it's an experience that engages visitors of all ages. Whether you are a seasoned rail enthusiast or a curious traveler, the stories of innovation, community, and connection inherent in Iowa's railway history promise an enlightening journey.

As cities modernize and technology evolves, these museums serve as vital custodians of a transportation legacy that changed the course of Iowan and American history. Through them, future generations can continue to learn about the power of the railroad and its profound impact on society's development.