Golden Spike Tower — Local services in North Platte

We stopped in because we were on our way home from a vacation in Colorado and it's a good point to get the kids out of the car for a bit, get gas, and food before continuing on. The lady working the gift shop register made us wonder if it had been a mistake to pay what seemed a pretty high price to look at trains because she seemed annoyed to have visitors. The gift shop and video about UP aren't anything real special and the outdoor viewing platform was obviously cold on a breezy day. Once we got to the 8th floor which is enclosed viewing it was all worth it. The view of the railyard was wonderful but you need some binoculars to really see what's going on because the yard is so large and the tower is kind of centered on it. There was a very knowledgeable retired employee of Union Pacific on the 8th floor and he explained everything we wanted to know and told us a ton of interesting things we'd have never thought to ask about. There were some kiosks for the kids to click around on and keep themselves occupied with when their attention spans for train talk dwindled but ours hadn't. Allow at minimum an hour for this and really if the fellow that was there the day we stopped in is there you could devote half the day and you'd still not have given yourself...

Really cool place! Plenty of parking, clean restrooms and facilities. Multiple video displays to learn about the rail yard, history, etc. And then of course, the tower and the view. The top of the tower is climate controlled and features displays and a volunteer answering questions along with sweeping views of the yard and the surrounding area. The next level down is the open air deck, which offers a great view of the yard along with all the sounds that go with it. Both levels have telescopes, but I recommend bringing your own binoculars to enhance the viewing experience.

Dogs on leashes are welcome in all spaces, inside and outside, and they even offer treats. They also have designated pet play areas with clean up bags, and it seems every pet parent has been responsible for cleaning up, because those areas were free of unpleasant surprises.

Great gift shop too, though they did not have my size in the shirt I wanted. The staff member on site directed me to their online store. Snacks and drinks also available, along with...

Incredibly insightful experience. The detail and attention that were taken to create (and maintain) this place are impressive. Numerous artifacts that are on loan from individuals’ private collections. Be sure to watch the short informative video on the First Floor before ascending the elevator to the Seventh & Eighth Floors. Stairs are also available for those afraid of elevators and/or wishing to work on their fitness. The Seventh Floor is a 180 degree open air Observation Deck. The Eighth Floor is a glass enclosed, 360 degree Observation Deck.

Richard, a retired conductor, was available to talk to on the Eighth floor observation gallery. Richard was impressive to talk to as he has a vast collection of personal experiences working for Union Pacific and around Bailey Yard for decades. He was informative, polite and very engaging with the visitors. You can tell that this man enjoyed his job and still enjoys recollecting for our benefit.

A nice gift shop with a plethora of souvenirs/toys/gifts are available on the...