From the Twin Cities to the Twin Ports, Minnesota’s tourist railroads, museums, and displays preserve a vast history of iron and steel that crisscrossed the “Land of 10,000 Lakes.” With help from Trains Magazine’s Tourist Trains Guidebook, let’s explore the Gopher State’s must-visits.
Minnesota Tourist Railroads and Museums
Minneapolis-St. Paul
Minnesota Transportation Museum – 193 Pennsylvania Avenue, St. Paul
Homebase for the Minnesota Transportation Museum is the former Great Northern Jackson Street Roundhouse. Constructed in 1907 and preserved in the 1980s, the roundhouse is home to the museum’s collection of historic equipment and artifacts with interactive displays. Outdoor caboose rides are provided on Saturdays. The Minnesota Transportation Museum also operates Wisconsin’s Osceola and St. Croix Valley Railway, traversing the scenic St. Croix River Valley.
Friends of the 261 – 401 Harrison Street NE, Minneapolis
When it comes to steam excursions and private car charters, the Friends of the 261 is one of the industry’s gold standards. Milwaukee Road 4-8-4 No. 261 is an excursion star that’ll usually lead a high-end train of the Friends’ historic passenger cars. You’ll always find Skytop Lounge observation car Cedar Rapids, built by the Milwaukee Road in 1948 with its large glass area, bringing up the rear and always sold out at a premium class. The Friends of the 261 operates year-round mainline excursions and charters out of the Twin Cities and around the Midwest. Visit their website for the most up-to-date schedule.
Northeast Minnesota
Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad – 6930 Fremont Street, Duluth
From the Twin Cities, we make our way north to Duluth of the Twin Ports. The first stop is the Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad, just across from the downtown zoo. Operated by volunteers of the Lake Superior Transportation Club, diesel-powered excursions of vintage coaches and open-air cars travel over a section of the original LS&M, the first railroad to be built between Minneapolis and Duluth. The St. Louis River Estuary is a scenic highlight with regular wildlife to spot, including deer and native birds.
Lake Superior Railroad Museum – 506 West Michigan Street, Duluth
The former Union Depot in downtown Duluth is home to two entities that provide the service of a railroad museum and excursions all under one roof. First is the Lake Superior Railroad Museum with its collection and exhibits located mainly indoors, under the train shed. The museum focuses on railroads that served the regions surrounding Lake Superior and the Upper Midwest. Yellowstone-type No. 227, one of the largest steam locomotives ever built, is set up to “come to life“ with the drivers turning, lights coming on, and the sounds of the locomotive playing all with a push of a button.
North Shore Scenic Railroad – 506 West Michigan Street, Duluth
Departing out of Union Depot, the North Shore Scenic Railroad’s excursions traverse the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Railway as far as Two Harbors, Minn. The Duluth Zephyr is a popular operation in the summer with daily 1.5-hour out and backs along the shoreline of Lake Superior. The Two Harbors Turn is a six-hour trip with a layover in Two Harbors, 27 miles north. The railroad also offers a variety of special excursions such as fall color, murder mystery, dinner trains, and steam-powered rides pulled by DM&IR 2-8-0 No. 332.
Other Minnesota railroad sites to consider
During your visit to Minnesota, consider also visiting these railroad sites:
- Duluth & Iron Range Depot Museum – Two Harbor
- End-O-Line Railroad Park & Museum – Currie
- Kandiyohi County Historical Museum – Willmar
- Minnehaha Depot – Minneapolis
- Minnesota Discovery Center – Chisholm
- Minnesota Museum of Mining – Chisholm
- Minnesota Streetcar Museum – Excelsior
- Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion – Hawley
