Railroad
Junction
Daily Activities at Railroad Junction
While there are no scheduled activities today, be sure to see our complete activities listing for upcoming offerings.
Our operating steam-powered rail line and an 1800s small-town train depot take you inside the great history of railroading and let you investigate the only working late 19th century roundhouse in the Midwest. Discover the mighty role railroads played in the progress of America's cross-continental expansion.
Highlights
Train Ride
See history from a seat on our historic railroad. The train passes through Greenfield Village, granting the passenger a tour of the beautiful landscape and buildings of the historic town.
Ride a train pulled by one of our historic steam or diesel locomotives. Complete with historic signs, the railroad will transport you to the past. Travel the three-mile route with opportunities to get on and off at key stops throughout the Village. Ticket required.
Additional capacity has been added to each train to allow more guests to ride the rails safely.
Weiser Railroad Ride closes for the season November 3.
Detroit Toledo & Milwaukee Roundhouse
Artifact
Roundhouse
Date Made
1884
Summary
Steam locomotives required constant maintenance from an army of skilled and unskilled workers, and the roundhouse is where that work took place. This roundhouse was built in 1884 in Marshall, Michigan, for the Detroit, Toledo & Milwaukee Railroad. Today it services the locomotives and equipment of Greenfield Village's Weiser Railroad.
Place of Creation
Keywords
Object ID
92.24.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
Detroit Toledo & Milwaukee Roundhouse
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
Torch Lake Steam Locomotive, 1873
Artifact
Steam locomotive
Date Made
1873
Summary
Torch Lake, built by Mason Machine Works in 1873, hauled ore for the Calumet and Hecla Mining Company on Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula. The engine is an articulated design. The driving wheels pivot under the boiler, allowing the locomotive to handle sharp curves. Torch Lake joined The Henry Ford's collection in 1969.
Creators
Place of Creation
Object ID
69.85.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
Torch Lake Steam Locomotive, 1873
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
Baldwin Locomotive Works Steam Locomotive, 1897
Artifact
Steam locomotive
Date Made
1897
Summary
This locomotive pulled passenger trains on the Detroit & Lima Northern Railway, a predecessor of the Detroit, Toledo & Ironton Railroad. After Henry Ford purchased the DT&I in 1920, this engine was the first modified under his extensive plan for improvements to the line. Ford adopted the locomotive as his favorite and donated it to The Henry Ford in 1930.
Creators
Place of Creation
Object ID
30.235.2
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
Baldwin Locomotive Works Steam Locomotive, 1897
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
Smiths Creek Depot
Artifact
Railroad station
Date Made
1858
Summary
The Smiths Creek Depot stood on the Grand Trunk Western Railway about nine miles southwest of Port Huron, Michigan. The railroad station was a center of 19th-century small-town life. More than a place to catch a train, the depot was where customers sent and received packages and telegrams, caught up on the latest news, and shared gossip.
Place of Creation
Object ID
29.3059.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
Smiths Creek Depot
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
Railroad Turntable, 1901
Artifact
Turntable (Railroad)
Date Made
1901
Summary
Turntables allowed locomotives or railcars to be turned around in tight spaces. Some turntables also provided access to roundhouse stalls. The Pere Marquette Railway used this turntable, built in 1901, in Petoskey, Michigan. It has no motor. The turntable is so well balanced that workers can turn a locomotive by hand.
Creators
Place of Creation
Keywords
Object ID
84.85.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
Railroad Turntable, 1901
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
Railroad Junction
Check out some of the sights you'll enjoy first-hand when you journey through the Railroad Junction district in Greenfield Village.
Baldwin Locomotive (1897)
This 4-4-0 American-type steam locomotive pulled passenger trains on the Detroit & Lima Northern Railway.
