Kentucky’s railroad heritage runs from operating museums to developing preservation campuses. The Kentucky Railway Museum at New Haven and the Bluegrass Railroad Museum at Versailles run trains, Bowling Green’s RailPark combines a depot with passenger cars, and Covington, Elkhorn City and Irvine round out the list.
Each listing below links to a full guide with the history, what to look for and how to reach the operator.
Railroad museums & collections — 2
Historic RailPark and Train Museum
Bowling Green’s Historic RailPark and Train Museum uses the L&N depot and preserved railcars to explain railway travel and work. The station gives the exhibits a strong architectural setting, while the cars make the passenger experience more tangible than photographs alone. Restoration is an ongoing part of the organization’s mission. Visitors interested in onboard interiors should check guided-tour availability, since viewing a car from outside is a different experience from entering its restored spaces.
Read the guide →Railway Museum of Greater Cincinnati
Located in Covington, the Railway Museum of Greater Cincinnati preserves equipment associated with railroads that served the Cincinnati area. Passenger cars are an important part of its identity, offering a way to explore the region’s rail travel as well as its railway machinery. The city recognized the museum’s preservation work in 2026. Its volunteer character and collection-based setting make advance access checks important, particularly for visitors interested in entering specific cars.
Read the guide →Operating & preservation collections — 3
Bluegrass Railroad Museum
The Bluegrass Railroad Museum preserves diesel locomotives, passenger cars, freight equipment and cabooses near Versailles. Its scenic excursions are supported by the wider museum collection, allowing visitors to connect the ride with the preservation of historic vehicles. The site is useful for showing several different jobs performed by railway equipment rather than concentrating only on a locomotive. Train journeys and exhibit access follow the museum’s own ticket arrangements.
Read the guide →Kentucky Railway Museum
The Kentucky Railway Museum combines historic railway equipment with exhibits and scheduled train rides from New Haven. Its preservation mission gives the excursion a context beyond scenery: passengers are experiencing part of a collection maintained to explain railroad history. Indoor interpretation and outdoor equipment can add detail to the visit. The museum is useful for both families seeking an introduction and enthusiasts interested in Kentucky’s railway heritage.
Read the guide →Kentucky Steam Heritage Corporation — The Yard
Kentucky Steam Heritage Corporation’s work at Irvine combines railway restoration with the reuse of a former industrial site. The Yard project aims to connect preservation, education and community activity, giving the collection a role beyond storing locomotives. It is most accurately described as an active preservation and development campus rather than a conventional daily museum. Visitors should look for announced events or arranged access, especially if they want to see restoration work in progress.
Read the guide →Museums with railroad collections — 1
Ride a train in Kentucky
Museums are for walking around; these operators run trains you can ride.
- Big South Fork Scenic Railway — Stearns: scenic railway
- Bluegrass Railroad Museum — Versailles: museum excursion railway
- Kentucky Railway Museum — New Haven: museum excursion railway
- My Old Kentucky Dinner Train — Bardstown: dinner train
Keep exploring
- All heritage sites — flagship sites and state guides
- Southeast — the trains you can ride in the region
- Railroad museums in Alabama
- Railroad museums in Arkansas
- Railroad museums in Florida
- Railroad museums in Georgia
- Railroad museums in Louisiana
- Railroad museums in Mississippi
- Railroad museums in North Carolina
- Railroad museums in South Carolina
- Railroad museums in Tennessee
- Railroad museums in Virginia
- Railroad museums in West Virginia