Colorado Railroad Museum050

Hailed as one of the best privately supported rail museums in the United States, this can't-miss-site for rail fans features more than 70 historic narrow and standard gauge locomotives and cars, exhibited across 15 acres, at the foot of North Table Mountain, near Golden.

The indoor museum is styled to resemble a circe 1880's depot, and it houses thousands of rare old photographs, artifacts, and documents. The bay window on the west part of the building contains a reconstructed telegraprapher's office, complete with a telegraph sounder that taps out the dots and dashes of Morse code.

Outside, display tracks, complete with rare three-way stub switches and century-old switch stands, hold many historic narrow and standard gauge locomotives and cars. Don't miss the Denver Garden Railway Society's g-scale exhibit behind the museum building - trains run most Saturdays during the summer.

Tours are given on weekends and Wednesdays year around, at 11am and 1pm, and daily tours are offered May through September.

Each Saturday, the museum brings out the legendary RGS Goose 7 (weather permitting) to provide rides for visitors, offering a unique opportunity to experience the train that traveled the rails from Durango to Ridgway between 1936 and 1951. Extra fees apply: Adults $4, Children $2/ride.

Birthday Parties can be held in the Colorado & Southern big caboose, which holds about 20 people comfortably. Fee is $150, which covers admission for the entire group, exclusive use of the caboose, and a small donation to the museum. The caboose has electric lighting, and heat can be provided in the winter. You must supply party, cake, favors and any other needs. Call to reserve well in advance.