Wyoming’s railroad story is the Union Pacific’s, and its museums reflect that. Cheyenne has both a depot museum and the Union Pacific steam collection, Laramie and Douglas preserve depot museums, and Green River’s county museum holds railway history and photographs.
Each listing below links to a full guide with the history, what to look for and how to reach the operator.
Railroad museums & sites in Wyoming — 5
Cheyenne Depot Museum
The Cheyenne Depot Museum interprets the city’s history and its connection with the transcontinental railroad. The preserved station is a major part of the attraction, placing the railway story within a building that once welcomed travelers to an important western rail center. Museum exhibits connect that architecture with the people and development around it.
Read the guide →Douglas Railroad Interpretive Museum
The Douglas Railroad Interpretive Center combines a historic depot with a collection of full-size railway equipment in Locomotive Park. The station originally served the Fremont, Elkhorn & Missouri Valley Railroad, providing an appropriate setting for exploring the town’s transport history. The combination of building and outdoor vehicles makes it a useful stop for visitors crossing Wyoming. The visitor center, museum spaces and access to particular cars may follow different timetables.
Read the guide →Laramie Historic Railroad Depot Museum
Laramie’s historic railroad depot houses exhibits, artifacts and hands-on interpretation of the town’s railway history. Its downtown setting makes the connection between the station and the surrounding community easy to understand. The museum offers a focused local account rather than a general collection of trains from across the country. Visitors interested in railway towns can use it to explore the work, travel and civic identity that developed around an important transport corridor.
Read the guide →Sweetwater County Historical Museum — Railway History
The Sweetwater County Historical Museum preserves artifacts, photographs and research material relating to southwestern Wyoming. Railway history belongs within that wider regional account, connecting transport with settlement, work and the communities along the route. The museum is especially useful for visitors interested in local context and historical images rather than a large locomotive yard.
Read the guide →Union Pacific Steam Collection at Cheyenne
Union Pacific’s Cheyenne steam operation maintains historic locomotives including Big Boy No. 4014. The railroad reacquired the engine from the RailGiants collection in 2013 and brought it to Cheyenne for restoration, illustrating how museum preservation can lead to renewed operation. The working steam shop is not a normal walk-in attraction. It is a special-access operating collection, seen at official public appearances and specifically announced tours.
Read the guide →Keep exploring
- All heritage sites — flagship sites and state guides
- Mountain West — the trains you can ride in the region
- Railroad museums in Colorado
- Railroad museums in Idaho
- Railroad museums in Montana
- Railroad museums in Nevada
- Railroad museums in Utah