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North Alabama Railroad Museum: A Journey Through Rail History

Explore railroad history at the North Alabama Railroad Museum. See vintage trains & ride the Mercury & Chase Railroad in Huntsville, Alabama.

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Step back in time at the North Alabama Railroad Museum in Huntsville, Alabama. Explore vintage trains, the Chase Depot (the smallest union depot in the US), and enjoy a ride on the Mercury & Chase Railroad. The all-volunteer museum preserves the region's rich railroad heritage.

A brief summary to North Alabama Railroad Museum

  • Wednesday 9 am-2 am
  • Saturday 9 am-2 am

Local tips

  • Check the museum's website for the train ride schedule and special events before your visit, as train rides operate on select days [3, 5].
  • Arrive at least 30 minutes before your scheduled train ride to allow time for parking and picking up tickets at the Chase Depot [3].
  • Wear comfortable shoes for walking around the museum grounds and exploring the exhibits [3].
  • Consider visiting on a Wednesday or Saturday morning when volunteers are available to answer questions and provide additional information [3, 5].
  • Admission to the museum grounds is free, but there is a charge for riding the trains [5, 10].
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Getting There

  • Driving

    From Huntsville, take US-431 N/AL-1 N. Continue on US-431 N for approximately 9 miles. Take the exit toward I-565 E/Huntsville. Merge onto I-565 E and continue for about 10 miles. Take exit 19B for AL-53 N toward Huntsville. Continue on AL-53 N for about 6 miles. Turn left onto Chase Rd NE, and the North Alabama Railroad Museum will be on your right at 694 Chase Rd NE, Huntsville, AL 35811 [3, 7]. Parking is free and available on-site, including handicap parking near the depot [3, 6, 7].

  • Public Transport

    While direct public transportation to the museum is limited, the Huntsville Shuttle service has several routes that operate in the vicinity [10]. Check the Huntsville Shuttle website for the closest route and stop to Chase Road. From there, you may need to walk or take a short taxi or ride-share to the museum [10]. A single ride on the Huntsville Shuttle costs $1.25 [10].

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Discover more about North Alabama Railroad Museum

The North Alabama Railroad Museum, located in Chase, Alabama, just east of Huntsville, is dedicated to preserving and showcasing the rich railroad history of North Alabama and South Central Tennessee [3, 10, 22]. Founded in 1966, this volunteer-run museum offers visitors a chance to step back in time and experience the golden age of rail travel [5, 10]. The museum's centerpiece is the Chase Depot, believed to be the smallest union station in the United States [3, 5, 10, 11, 18, 22]. Built in 1937, it served both the Southern Railway and the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway [3, 5, 10, 18]. Inside, you'll find exhibits featuring historical artifacts and displays that tell the story of railroading in the region [3, 10]. The depot once served as a U.S. Post Office and a storage area for the Chase Nursery, one of the largest nurseries in the Southeast [3]. The North Alabama Railroad Museum boasts a diverse collection of rolling stock, including locomotives, cabooses, passenger cars, and freight cars [3, 10]. Highlights include several ALCO diesel locomotives and a Railway Post Office car [3, 10]. Many of these pieces have been restored and are used in the museum's popular train excursions [10]. The Mercury & Chase Railroad, operated by the museum, offers 10-mile round-trip train rides on select Saturdays from April through December [5, 10]. These scenic excursions take passengers through the countryside, providing a taste of what it was like to travel by rail in the past [10]. Special themed rides, such as the Peter Cottontail Express, Punkin' Pickin' Extravaganza, North Star Limited, and Santa Train, add to the fun and excitement [4, 8, 10, 11].

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