Douglas Railroad Interpretive Center
The Douglas Railroad Interpretive Center is a railroad museum in the city of Douglas , in Converse County , Wyoming in the United States . The exhibition is located in the former train station, the Passenger and Freight Depot of the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad and on the outside area in front of it.
history
The construction of the railway to the west had a major impact on the population in this region. In 1886 the city of Douglas was founded. At first it consisted of only a few wooden huts on an unpaved road. The surrounding land was used by cattle farmers who wanted to use the railroad to transport their cattle to consumers. In the year Douglas was founded, the Passenger and Freight Depot was also built. The railway line through the town was opened on August 26, 1886 and the line ended here in Douglas for two years until the further section to Casper was inaugurated. The station building is a wooden structure, very typical for small train stations in the western USA, with a waiting room, a ticket office, two toilets and a storage room for goods.
In 1950, the station was closed to the public when passenger traffic on this route ceased. It was used as a railroad depot and warehouse by the Union Pacific Railroad until around 1970. The building then stood empty for around 20 years until the city of Douglas took it over in 1990. In 1992, the renovation of the building began and the vehicles that are now on the former station forecourt as exhibits were transported to Douglas. Some of them were then restored, others are still in their original, unrestored condition. The museum finally opened in 1995, the former station building is inscribed on the US National Register of Historic Places . In addition to the Douglas Railroad Interpretive Center is still the Chamber of Commerce (Chamber of Commerce) by Douglas here, owner of the building is the city of Douglas. The railway line through Douglas is still operated by the BNSF Railway , today it is mainly used to transport coal .
museum
The area of the museum covers an area of about 9000 m². During the restoration of the building, great importance was attached to preserving the original character. The ceiling paneling and some walls are still in their original condition. In the depot there is now a small exhibition on the history of the railroad in Douglas. Outside, a locomotive with a coal tender, six trailers and a motorized trolley can be viewed . Of the type of steam locomotive exhibited here, which was built near Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad , only five examples have survived, one of which is in the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden , one is in private hands, one is in the depot in Sheridan and one is in the city park of Saint Joseph . The museum area is laid out and also accessible for wheelchair users. None of these vehicles is operational, the existing rails are separated from the main line.
List of exhibits:
| designation | number | Commissioning | Decommissioning | comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steam locomotive with a CB&Q tender | # 5633 | 1940 | 1962 | Entering the locomotive is prohibited |
| CB&Q dining car , Silver Salver | # 196 | 1947 | 1972 | Half consists of the kitchen, the other half is the dining room |
| Cattle trucks | # 48330D | 1914 | 1964 | Remodeling in 1936 |
| Empire Builder sleeper car | # 1182 | 1950 | 1972 | 20 compartments |
| Baggage cart | # 1897 | 1911 | 1961 | Built as a mail car |
| Passenger coaches | # 1886 | 1884 | 1961 | 72 seats |
| Escort car | # 14140 | 1884 | 1958 | Office and coach for the train attendants |
| Motorized trolley | # 217980 | 1960 | ? | Single-seater, use u. a. to check the track |
Visiting the museum and the vehicles is free, and there is a small shop attached to the museum. Parking spaces and a picnic area are in front of the building. Some rail cars are open during the museum's opening hours and can also be viewed from the inside.
The Wyoming Transportation Museum , another railroad museum in Wyoming, is located in the former Union Pacific railroad depot in Cheyenne .
Individual evidence
- ^ RE Riegel, 1976, The Story of the Western Railroads: From 1852 Through the Reign of the Giants, University of Nebraska Press, p. 345
- ^ Douglas Railroad Interpretive Center, Visitor Guide, 2004, Jeff Derks, p. 16
- ↑ Wyoming Railroads and Rail Fanning
Coordinates: 42 ° 45 ′ 33 " N , 105 ° 23 ′ 14" W.
