New Jersey tourist railroads you must visit include a restored station to multiple excursion opportunities, and everything in between in the Garden State. Here’s our list of must-see tourist railroads, museums, and displays — for almost every region in New Jersey.
Cape May Seashore Lines
Ride the original equipment operated in South Jersey by the Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines, the Reading Company, and the Pennsylvania Railroad on 30-mile round-trip excursions between Richland and Tuckahoe. Special events and excursions are also included with the Easter Bunny Special, Ice Cream Express, and Santa Express. Rail biking, in partnership with Revolution Rail Company, is also provided on the railroad’s 4 miles of track along alongside the Garrett Family Preserve.
Location: 1 Mill Road, Tuckahoe
Phone: 856-263-2675
Website: seashorelines.org
E-mail: conductor@capemayseashorelines.org
Maywood Station Museum
This station has been restored, inside and out, to preserve its Victorian style. The station museum features local history and railroad artifacts. Also on display are a restored caboose that contains additional exhibits and a New York, Susquehanna & Western Alco S2 diesel locomotive. It is open on a limited schedule from April through December.
Location: 269 Maywood Avenue, Maywood
Website: maywoodstation.com
E-mail: info@maywoodstation.com
United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey
The mission of the United Railroad Historical Society of NJ is to preserve railroad equipment of cultural significance to New Jersey and its neighboring regions. It is governed by representatives of several New Jersey-based railroad historical societies, with the common goal of preserving the state’s largest collection of historic locomotives and railroad cars. Events and excursions by the organization are offered year-round. Most notably the Hudson River Rail Excursions, operating 20th Century Limited observation car Hickory Creek and tavern-lounge car No. 43 behind Amtrak’s Empire Service between New York City and Albany, N.Y.
Location: 104 Morris Avenue, Boonton
Phone: 862-345-6642
Website: urhs.org
E-mail: info@urhs.org
Whippany Railway Museum
The Whippany Railway Museum maintains a wide selection of locomotives and cars with ties to New Jersey railroading as well as exhibits and artifacts housed in a 1904 wooden freight house. The museum’s steam locomotive, No. 4035, built for the U.S. Army in 1942, is undergoing a long-term restoration to operational condition. The engine once powered excursion trains on the former Morris County Central Railroad, which was located in Whippany between 1965 and 1973. The Whippanong Railroad, a large O-scale model train display located inside the freight house, is a favorite of young and old alike.
Location: 1 Railroad Plaza, Whippany
Phone: 973-887-8177
Website: whippanyrailwaymuseum.net
E-mail: info@whippanyrailwaymuseum.net
