John DeSantis' Standard Gauge Train Museum (Pittsburgh, PA) 2024 Opening Dates

I toured John's collection back in 2016. Highly recommended. You will be amazed. Here is the post from my visit in 2016.

https://ogrforum.com/topic/joh...ard-gauge-collection

If you haven't been, GO!  It might seem pricey at $25, but it will blow you away - there's nothing else like it. 

I hope that John's son continues to make his collection available for viewing, but you never know...

I went to the linked web page and am a little confused.

Where is the actual location?  I'm trying to map activities out.  Can tickets be bought at the door of the Museum?  There is a Brighton road location mentioned but I can't tell if that is the Museum or one of the homes on the tour.

@NHVRYGray posted:

I went to the linked web page and am a little confused.

Where is the actual location?  I'm trying to map activities out.  Can tickets be bought at the door of the Museum?  There is a Brighton road location mentioned but I can't tell if that is the Museum or one of the homes on the tour.

The address is 719 Brighton Rd., Pittsburgh, PA 15233.  It is a home, but it is not technically on the tour (the tour ticket doesn't include admission to the museum).  Yes, tickets can be bought at the door.  Check out the tour FAQ page for info on where to park and other info.  Also, note that the train museum collection is on the 3rd floor of the home, and the layouts are on the 4th floor, so there will be stairs to climb.  The people manning the museum do a good job of regulating the flow of people.  They let a limited number of people upstairs at a time so that it doesn't get crowded.

Andy

@Andy Hummell posted:

...Yes, tickets can be bought at the door.

... Also, note that the train museum collection is on the 3rd floor of the home, and the layouts are on the 4th floor, so there will be stairs to climb.  ...

Since demand is so high, how likely is it that tickets at the door will actually be available?  Seems like buying in advance would be advised.

Good reminder re the stairs.  Could be a problem for some folks.  IIRC, there's no handicapped access.

I'd also point out that West Park is adjacent to the home.  A great place to watch trains through the park.

@Mallard4468 posted:

I hope that John's son continues to make his collection available for viewing, but you never know...

I spoke to him at the tour a couple of years ago right after John passed, and he said that he had no plans to change things since the collection, the home and the neighborhood association were all very important to John.  I would also hope that, one day, if he gets tired of maintaining the home, that the museum could be spun off to a permanent home that is open more often, perhaps in an even bigger space, considering that John's collection on display in the house is just a fraction of his overall collection (the rest is in storage somewhere).

The first time I went on the tour, many years ago, I had a fairly long chat with John about the Victorian furnishings and Christmas decorations in his home (my dad liked antiques, so I know a little bit about what I was looking at).  We were talking about his Christmas tree and the various antique ornaments, and I remarked that the only thing missing were real lighted candles.  He laughed and said that, believe it or not, some of his neighbors actually did light real candles on their trees, and that he just didn't feel like standing around his tree holding a fire extinguisher as it was not very Victorian...

Andy

@Mallard4468 posted:

Since demand is so high, how likely is it that tickets at the door will actually be available?  Seems like buying in advance would be advised.

Good reminder re the stairs.  Could be a problem for some folks.  IIRC, there's no handicapped access.

The times I've been there, it was not too crowded, but I did go on Saturdays fairly early.  In the evenings, after dark, it might be a different story, but I've never heard of any congestion due to crowds.  I think the longest I waited was about a half hour inside on the first floor, and maybe 10 minutes outside.  I believe their policy is that tickets are always available during the operating hours.

Andy