Paducah Railroad Museum — Attraction in Paducah

Wifey and I are suckers for certain kinds of museums, and Railroad museums are towards the top of that list. When in Paducah for a recent weekend we decided the Paducah Railroad Museum was a must-visit.

This Railroad Museum is kind of sprawling, given the space it's located in. There are several room and A LOT of railroad memorabilia and signage. Some of the signage is hooked up as a demo and some aren't. Some of the first things you see as you enter are vintage railroad furniture dating back decades. Looking at a seat from a dining car from the Good Old Days of Railroading give me a sense of nostalgia for a time that I wish I'd been around for.

In one corner there is a engineer's simulator, showing the controls of the engine and what the engineer's view would be. We didn't get to step in, but I understand that it's an option.

In one enclosure is an amazingly well done model train.

On display are post cards, posters, news clippings, and magazines dating back, in some cases, 100 years or more, celebrating the way railroading used to be. Since I've always been fascinated by trains and tracks, this was very much a museum I could visit often (if it weren't about 3 hours from home)

There is, of course, a gift shop with the usual bobbles and trinkets. Some are educational, some are for fashion (I'd never own a neon green t-shirt until I visit this place!), some are straight up souvenirs. It's all very reasonably priced.

There's a feeling of "unfinished" at the Paducah Railroad Museum. Is it as polished as some larger railroad museums? No, it's not. It's a work in progress. In one room there is what I assume to be another model railroad being built and a few displays that aren't quite ready for Prime Time. And that is OK. You can tell that this museum is constantly growing and improving, and that it's being done by people who have a genuine love and passion for railroading. I hope to visit here again some time when I...

A sad excuse for a museum. Not much to see since all they have to offer is an eclectic mix of railroad artifacts and photographs without much coherence or explanation. They do have a working locomotive simulator and a working Centralized Traffic Control machine, but there are no real railroaders available to explain or demonstrate these exhibits, so they mostly sit there dark and untouched. The Illinois Central Mikado locomotive on the waterfront a block away does NOT belong to this museum, nor do they maintain it, despite their adoption of it as their "mascot." There is an O-scale train layout under construction, but it is just a small oval of track designed to amuse children and naive visitors. The only good feature of the place is their Gift Shop which sells the cheapest Paducah...

What child at heart and child at present doesn't love trains? I know I do!

And without doubt Paducah's railway museum is the best replication display of railroad history to this community.

Though the museum is by appointment only to view. Railroad folks of Old come round to show and tell that all-important history from the days of the first freight trains to the days of the World War 2 Troop Trains to today's railway and passenger locomotives.

Step back in time and listen for the hauntingly beautiful call of the conductor when he says, "All aboard!"

The Railroad Museum is just across the street from The Carson Center in...