USA TODAY Readers Name Union Pacific Railroad Museum No. 3 in US

  I was there last year  It was nice but not that nice. I might rank it at 33 not 3.  The Union Station closeby in Omaha is real good.

While I can't rank the UP museum since I've never been there I have to say that in my humble opinion the Illinois Railway Museum has one of the largest collections of equipment I've seen. 

Its actually a list of "Transportation" museums. Most on the list are other than Railroad museums. 

Pete

USA TODAY - The top 10 winners in the category Best Transportation Museum are as follows:

1. Lake Superior Railroad Museum - Duluth, Minn.
2. Simeone Automotive Foundation Museum - Philadelphia
3. Union Pacific Railroad Museum - Council Bluffs, Iowa
4. National Museum of the U.S. Air Force - Dayton, Ohio
5. Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania - Strasburg, Penn.
6. Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum - Indianapolis
7. Petersen Automotive Museum - Los Angeles
8. National Automobile Museum - Reno
9. Maritime Museum of San Diego - San Diego
10. Illinois Railway Museum - Union, Illinois

Gary  /  ** I have fixed all the links. to go directly to the museum.

As far as railroad museums are concerned, I favor the California State Railroad Museum, Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, and B&O Museum in terms of the largest of their type, and have a number of favorites in smaller or more specialized museums (such as trolley museums).

It's been a few years since I visited the U.P. museum, but when I did I was less than impressed.  Maybe in the last 20 years they really added somethings to improve the overall quality.  I have to agree that the California State RR Museum in Sacramento is, and has been, a really wonderful, interpretive museum where you could spend several days and not see everything.  And, of course, the Illinois Rwy Museum should be ranked well above a "10".

I wonder what the criteria that USA Today used in choosing their candidates?  Certainly size was not the factor.  Perhaps the largest assembly of specific transportation items is at the Air Force Museum in Dayton.  It's also the best bargain of all transportation museums because it's free!    You all have already bought and paid for it.

Paul Fischer

Having just visited the Lake Superior Railroad Museum last month I can say that it was fantastic! I haven't visited all of the others, but the experience at the LSRM was the best I've ever had. That includes the train ride. I love how they use technology to make the ride and exhibits interactive. I can't wait to go back.

We have been to the ISRM as well and while they may have more equipment, the experience wasn't anywhere near what the LSRM provides. I like both for different reasons. If you prefer a professional museum experience over a collection of trains then I highly recommend the LSRM.