I was doing the Nevada portion of the Loneliest Road in America road trip and made a stop in Ely. I had heard about the Nevada Northern Railway Museum great tours and just had to experience it myself. My friend and I decided to go on the Sunset, Stars and Champagne Tour. The people were so nice, whether it was the workers or other tourists. We had a great time relaxing and seeing the landscape. The train ride was of course quite slow, and seats weren't too comfortable though. It was enjoyable to watch the sunset. I couldn't get good photos of the dark skies. There were no stars that night though. Highly recommend the tour! read more

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My sons and I decided to come to Ely just to visit NNRY. It was a great experience especially for my train fanatic sons. A shoutout to Kathleen in the ticket/gift shop. She was so knowledgeable, pleasant, and kind. This place is a must go in Ely. read more

Come here every year to do the Race The Rails. Didn't beat the train back but I hope I beat it next year read more

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We had an absolutely amazing day at the Nevada Northern Railway! It started with a ride on the steam train which was so unique and super relaxing! On the way out to our turn around spot Zack was our guide and pointed out all the interesting things to see and the history of the railroad. The whistle blows a lot, there's the smell of burning coal, it rattles and shakes, it goes pretty slow and it's the best time ever!! Being on the old steam train let's you travel back in time and just imagine what it may have been like! You can ride inside the cars or outside on a flatbed car, taking in the sunshine and cinders!! The complimentary tour of the engine shop and blacksmith shop after the ride was the icing on the cake! Zack was again our tour guide and wow, he knows it all and is very enthusiastic about it! We learned so much about the shops and the history of the trains, it really ignited our love for trains again! The museum is above the gift shop and offers a glimpse into the administrative side of running a train depot. It's a little eerie that it was all left as is when the depot closed it's doors in 1983, all the papers, envelopes, machines and furniture left right where they were when they left. I highly recommend the Nevada Northern Railway as an addition to everyone's bucket list! read more

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My experience went well with the Nevada northern railway Museum. I really enjoy the train rides. You know how much I love about the westerns and classics. I watch the westerns and classics on TV. But some of the train rides like the stars sunset and Champagne ride I think of the rock Island from music man where the salesman were rapping to the beat of the train And one of them was like look. What do you talk? What do you talk? What do you talk? What do you talk? What do you talk? What do you talk? That is one of the first hip-hop songs ever released. My mom and I go up to Ely every year. We do the museum ride, the star Sunset, and champagne ride. We also got it to up front. Being upfront with the conductor is very interesting. I am definitely coming up next year to see the 250 locomotive. I definitely like it up here in Ely. read more

The sites at the museum and grounds were outstanding . Staff was helpful and well spoken. The ride, however, was some what disappointing. Went about 10 miles into the desert, turned around and came back. Expected to see something, not sure what....Also, the added charge for snacks and drinks seemed petty....a complimentary bottle of water would have made the ride more pleasant read more

To be able to freely walk around the shop where these huge machines are being worked on is something I don't the general public could do anywhere else. The passion these folks have this history is inspiring. Don't miss it. read more

I did not expect to love it this much. I don't mean anything negative by that--quite the contrary--I'm just not a "train guy" and I thought that this was very much a place for train people. I have a mildly romanticized attitude towards trains, but I couldn't tell you much about them except where the caboose belongs. But something happened when we stopped by here and I was really taken by the whole experience. We had about a half hour in the afternoon one day that was unexpectedly free, so we thought we'd come scope it out. We were contemplating a visit the next day, but thought it would be good to just see if it was going to be worth it. So we parked and wandered over to the tracks. Immediately it felt like we were stepping back in time, with the old signage, and the rails, and even an old car parked in the lot. We sat and watched people milling about, and I went in and asked a few questions and saw the gift shop. Everything was clean and well-preserved, but just as we were going to leave, we heard the locomotive leave the shop and head down the tracks to the station where we were. Hearing the bell ringing was pretty great, but then first time that steam engine whistle blew I couldn't hold in my giggle of delight. The steam locomotive made its way to the tracks right in front of us, and I was mesmerized. That was enough for us to decide to come back the next day to do the tour and to ride the train. We bought our tickets online, and followed the instructions to arrive early the next morning. We toured the offices and other buildings first, then once again saw the locomotive pull up. We boarded, then pulled away, then had our tickets punched by the kind old man in the three-piece suit. We rode out of town, we got held up by good-old-boy robbers, and we rode back. The train ride is really great, but do know you're going to go very slow and it's about the experience, not the speed or distance you cover. We moved in and out from the passenger car to the flat car and I still giggled when they blew the whistle. I wish we had more time to walk the shop, but we had to break away from the tour and get back to our car and then out on the road. What an absolutely delightful and wonderful surprise right there in Ely. Part museum, part living and breathing trainyard, but fully unique. read more

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Great place to see several steam and diesel locomotives. Plus you get to go on them for a trip back in time. Been on 4 different specialty rides. Worth it each time. read more

I only found out this place existed because I happened to be in Ely on my way to Great Basin National Park, and had a few hours to kill. I searched and this was the top result -- and for good reason! I don't know of any other railroad museum that has a LIVE railroad that lets museum visitors wander around. The staff in the machine shop were friendly and very knowledgeable. It is history that it is alive and interactive. I didn't have time to ride the train but would do it if I get a chance next time. This is a must-see if you are in town. read more

The main reason for our quick trip to Ely and probably the only reason to pass through if I'm being honest....other than visiting Great Basin National Park about an hour East...we rode the steam train in the late afternoon, about a 90 minute ride...very nice and not overly crowded on this occasion...the conductors were informative as was the person giving an explanation of the scenery over an in train intercom...the only complaint with that was that when the engine horn blew, pretty often, you couldn't hear her over the top of it...the smoke could be a bit murky at times as well, especially if seated on the outdoor carrier...small refreshment stand in the rear car that we did not visit...all in all this was a good time, glad that we did it as we have talked about it for quite some time....small museum attached as well as a gift shop...very informative place from a time long ago, RECOMMEND read more

Went on the train stargazing tour which also included a ticket to the museum and all the rail yards. We walked all the ground of the rail yard. The museum has tons of railroad info and artifacts. It was pretty cool. That night we took the train out and enjoyed the space trivia contest as we chugged along the rails to the telescopes set up by local astronomers for us to use. There was an open car and two enclosed cars to choose from, we sat in the open car to take in the view. Very well set up and organized for everyone's maximum enjoyment. The entire staff from our train crew, park Rangers and astronomers were amazing. read more

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A friend and I each booked a "Be the Engineer" trip and had the opportunity to operate both diesel and steam locomotives in late October. Everyone we met along the way was friendly, helpful and professional. The experience was well worth the price, which supports the museum and the cost of maintaining 100+ year-old equipment. It's a fascinating look at a bygone era and an industry that helped to build North America. Special thanks to Earl, Jim, Lennox, Nick and Brandon who patiently and cheerfully allowed us to operate their carefully and lovingly restored locomotives in a safe and enjoyable manner. It's a bit of a journey to get there, but well worth the effort. read more

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One of the reasons for going to Ely was to ride the historic #40 steam locomotive on an hour and a half ride to what they call Keystone Gulch and then back to Ely. At Keystone Gulch, the train takes two side tracks to get itself turned around to head back to town. The scenery along the way is beautiful and interesting. On this trip, you ride along Route 50--known as the Loneliest Road in America--for a while and you go through a short tunnel and one underpass. If you ride in the open car as I did be prepared to get some cinders in your hair and maybe your eyes. Depending on the wind, some of the cinders blew toward the open car. Still, I enjoyed standing up during the ride and enjoying the open car. Before leaving, you have the opportunity to take a tour of the working shop area--which is huge--where they maintain the engines. It's also where they restore some vintage stock that's been donated to them. This is one stop in Ely that should not be missed. It's so much fun. If you want to add to your cost, you can be an engineer for a day or ride in the caboose. It's all available for an extra fee. The train trips go different directions and they have some special trains at Christmas and Halloween so you might want to check their website to aid in planning your trip! read more

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Affordable 90 minute train ride with a free museum to tour. Be sure to buy a magnet or something at the gift shop.

Running steam locomotives on weekends and diesel engines on weekdays, we were fortunate to ride the steam as the old technology is obviously more exciting than the modern diesel. The steam was fueled by wood and not oil which created not just smoke but ash and cinders. Going through two tunnels which traps the debris means you'll likely pick bits of char from your hair like I did. Three options for a typical ride - the most expensive locomotive cab, the still expensive cupola caboose, and the affordable general seating in two Pullmans or outdoor flatbed. The train goes to Robinson Canyon which is essentially nowhere. Most of the journey went along roads so the sights from the train are very similar to what is seen by car. Lots of hometown pride with locals coming out to watch the train and a few even following the train. This added energy boosted to the fun of the trip. Pre-stamped post cards were handed out during ride that can be filled out and mailed while still on the train. The ride is narrated with information about the train and local history. Or at least I think that's what was covered. I couldn't hear most of it because the fellow passengers were too noisy and rudely talked louder when the tour guide spoke. This problem has occurred before at other train museums. Since there are two Pullman cars, maybe one car could be designated a "quiet car" like I saw in the movie "Bullet Train" at Ely's Central Theater. The 90-minute ride took a bit longer. We were there for 2.5 hours which included the depot museum and going to the machine shop and engine house but not taking the post-ride shop tour. The upstairs museum had a storage room in the same condition as when it was abandoned in the 1980s. The engine house held about ten locomotives that were mostly diesels used for hauling ore from the copper mine. read more

Ely, Nevada. Location: C Ely is a puny town appx four hours from Vegas. Its in a desolate mining town near the Great Basin and Charcoal Parks. Roads/Parking: A Plenty and paved. Cost: A Free if you want a quick snooping. Its $10 per to experience the whole thing. Overall: A Large museum with many exhibits detailing the things that happened and the location's importance from days past. Ely and its northern towns would be the midpoint between Salt Lake/Cedar Cities in Utah and Carson City/Reno in Nevada. Great place to scope out if your ever in the area! Safe traveling. Shameless IG plug @cigarcpa read more

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I have had 2 very different experiences with the "Ghost Train"- one was fantastic, the other fairly terrible, so an average rating seems fair. I took my parents and (then little) boys on the "outlaw" themed train ride over 20 years ago and everyone loved it. Not only a fun western "cowboy" experience but we learned the history of the train and some facts about the area. Now, a few decades later, my husband and I did the "stars and champagne" event. Expecting a romantic evening, we were surprised that so many young children were on board, and disappointed that a screaming toddler sat close to us. One suggestion could be to have a dedicated "adults only" or a "family friendly" car. The narrator only told us that we were following the former path a mine train once took, and then said little else except to notify us when the bar opened. Champagne is always nice, but it was served in a red solo cup. lol The return leg took sooo long (they did say the engine was uncoupling/coupling but I still have no idea what that's about as they didn't explain further) that I fell asleep! For the price -$56 per adult- I expected more. read more

Nevada Northern Railway Museum - Cheers! "Stars & champagne" excursion. - Museums Near Me - Ely, Nevada

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My boys and I drove to Ely from Great Basin NP just to visit the NNRM and we were so glad that we did. We were surprised at how much access we had to the entire rail-yard, the maintenance facilities and to the trains & cars. Super cool to see the tools used, the massive work spaces and the historic and antique equipment. Very passionate guides sharing stories and history of the railway in remote Nevada. Great visit! read more

Nevada Northern Railway Museum - great access to the yard and trains - Museums Near Me - Ely, Nevada

Worth the visit if you're coming through. It may be a little expensive, but it's worth every penny. We booked our tickets online the night before, and had zero hassle when we went on site to get our tickets. You'd want to go inside the gift shop to get your tickets before anything. The staff there was helpful and even gave a map. The engine house and mechanic shop are free roaming, but just be careful, as it is a active working shop, just be aware and polite of the shop workers. You have the choice to go with or without a tour guide. The train ride itself(okay we did the basic one but I wish I could do the star train) was pretty fun! You just travel to BFE and visit old sites that used to be thriving. There is a tour guide on the train itself, giving information of history and such which was a plus. We were gone for a little more than a hour and a half from the time we boarded the train till the time we got back. read more

Well this was a good concept, however lacking in execution. It's a very cool old train we went for a little date night as we were traveling through Ely. Pros, folks were very nice, train was pretty clean, they also had adult beverages, the view is pretty. Cons, are the train went extremely slow, like uncomfortably slow, the ride took 3 hours, you are left to occupy yourself or just get drunk to stave off the boredom. It didn't get dark till close to 10pm as it's summer, they do stop the train and give a short talk about the stars, then you take the same rout back to the station. By the time we rolled back to town we were dozing off, kids were crying, and everyone was pretty much over being on this little adventure. read more

Nevada Northern Railway Museum - Pretty view - Museums Near Me - Ely, Nevada

I've been to some train museums in the US and Mexico but don't consider myself a train geek. I enjoy trains, appreciate their grandeur and the role they played in world history. What make this museum different is that I wouldn't really call it a museum: it's a playpen that visitors get to enjoy. You can ride the train, visit the repair shop, and take advantage of other opportunities such as riding with the engineer, actually becoming the engineer, working on the railroad for a week, and -- one that interests me for a future visit -- sleeping in a caboose. The folks who run this place are obviously very creative as they are doing everything they can to open up every aspect of this place to the visitor. The volunteers who ran and managed the train that I rode were very knowledgeable and it was clear that they have a love and passion for this place. Ely is not exactly a major metropolitan area but this museum should make the town a destination for you if you're driving about in Nevada. read more

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The Nevada Northern Railway Museum is in one simple world, AWESOME! As one of the few remaining relics of railroading in this country the Nevada Northern Railway Museum is a unique site offering a glimpse into our country's history. Sure they have the usual museum kind of stuff, relics in glass cases and framed printed works. But the real gold are the trains. The Nevada Northern Railway Museum is home to several working steam and diesel engines and many different types of train cars and other railroading equipment. But the Nevada Northern Railway Museum isn't just a place where you can see trains and engines, its a place where you can see them run and for the right price you can even pay to drive a train! Seriously, you can actually pay to run a steam or diesel engine. Throughout the year the the Nevada Northern Railway Museum does various events for the community. For Halloween for instance they run the Haunted Train which takes passengers a few miles down the tracks where local stores of murder, cannibalism, and other scary tales are acted out by live actors next to the tracks. The train runs every weekend in October. My wife and I took the Haunted Train last weekend and it was really fun. With lots to see and learn about the Nevada Northern Railway Museum is definitely worth your time. read more

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Slept in the caboose and it was a fun step back in time. Apparently we were the first folks to use the caboose this season and it was a bit dusty, but I'm not overly picky. We made the most of it and my little girl LOVED sleeping in the train. I wish they hadn't been rushed when checking me in because now reading through other reviews, I see how much I missed with the train yard. I had no idea the areas I was allowed to explore! Guess another night in the caboose may be in the future. Definitely a caring staff and wonderful train yard. I would recommend a stop here to keep the history alive. read more

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We came to Ely to ride this train. We have been on 7 steam trains so far and this was was great. The depot is huge! The folks who work here are very friendly and knowledgeable. You can pick up a few souvenirs of your trip in the gift store. They have several buildings with all the equipment used to operate or maintain a train. The best thing was that the machine shop was open to tour. We were able to see all the heavy duty equipment to restore, build, or repair a stream train. We rode the pony express train and at the turn around point, they had a mock up of an express station as well as horses and people. They told us the history of the pony express and we learned many things, like 10 day to go from St. Joseph, MO to Sacramento! Highly recommend visiting and riding the train. read more

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This review is more so a review of The Star Train that runs on certain nights of the year. If you live in a city, you likely have never seen the night sky without light pollution. It was magestic. It was an inspiring and humbling experience realizing the vastness of the universe. The program was done by museum personnel operating the train and Great Basin park rangers providing entertainment and education during the ride and destination. You can tell everyone involved are passionate about their work. Due to COVID-19, there were no telescopes, but we brought our own. I was also able to use Astrophotography Mode on my Pixel 4XL to take nice pictures. It was fun and educational for the whole family. The town of Ely were very friendly and hospitality was great. read more

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What a fun trip! Of course, this part of Nevada has been receiving a lot of snow lately, so the views were magnificent. My husband did the Ride with the Engineer and loved his experience seeing how the engineer, fireman, and other personnel in the engine operate. I rode in the passenger car where the conductor and other employees were able to give historical information about the railway and the surrounding area. We enjoyed touring through the machine shop and the museum on the grounds. Definitely worth the stop in the middle of Nevada. read more

Super cool train museum In the mountains of Central Nevada....245 miles North of Las Vegas, 245 Miles Southwest of Salt Lake City, 300 miles East of Reno. It's well preserved and passenger train rides operate on the original main line, many behind one of our original working steam engines. And/or you can simply walk around through the original railroad maintenance shops and train yard checking it all out self guided tour is only $6 bucks). If you're in the area be sure to visit. You won't be sorry. read more

Nevada Northern Railway Museum - Museums Near Me - Ely, Nevada

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We took the steam engine ride this past weekend. It was a scenic, 1 1/2 hour trip through the hills, narrated by a friendly and informative ride. The engine and cars were about a century old, lovingly restored and maintained. All of the volunteers were dressed in period clothes and performed their parts convincingly. The museum itself is small, but like everything else, the exhibits have been carefully restored and are fascinating. We had to go 120 miles out of our way for the visit, but it was well worth our time and we are already planning to go back. read more

Train museum In the mountains of Central Nevada....245 miles North of Las Vegas, 245 Miles Southwest of Salt Lake City, 300 miles East of Reno. It's well preserved and passenger train rides operate on the original main line, many behind one of our original working steam engines. read more

Nevada Northern Railway Museum - Museums Near Me - Ely, Nevada

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Stoped to check this place out because my boys love trains. Needless to say the guy working inside wasn't so friendly. We are also hoping to take a few photos of the old trains but we're told we couldn't get next to them. read more

Nevada Northern Railway Museum - Museums Near Me - Ely, Nevada

A ride on this old steamer (coal fired!) has been on the radar for a long time. Unfortunately, while we've been to Ely a few times, we've just never had the time to take the ride. So we just happened to be driving by a couple of days ago and heard the whistle blowing. We zipped down to the depot to get some pictures of the grand old lady coming back to town. I am an old man and a very seasoned photographer. I know how to get a good shot (and I got MANY that day that are now posted on my web site).. and I know how to maneuver around an active rail line without getting run over. But of course the NNRR staff don't know that. I'm sure they thought I was just some idiot tourist with a fancy camera. So I'm walking around in all sorts of places that I'm probably not supposed to be, taking pictures. Tried to stay under the radar but I know at least several of the train crew saw me out there... I was snap, snap, snapping like crazy figuring I'd get kicked out of there any minute. But the staff was VERY accommodating and never said a word to me. Their hospitality was MUCH appreciated! We hope to get down there one of these days and actually ride the old girl. 5 stars for making a non-paying rail fan VERY happy with the images I got. That's a mighty handsome steamer you folks have down there! read more

We visited the museum several years ago and loved it!!! Amazing place! The most engines I've ever seen all together. Great place to visit!

My family and I had an amazing time. This is a wonderful place with excellent history. It's a must see!!!

Loved it! Nevada northern railroad is a original example of a American railway facility. Walking around you feel as if you are part of another era. I especially liked the main building, "east Ely depot" you can see what it took to run the train station and transport the ore. There is especially interesting video of workers putting the ore on rail cars. A great place to visit especially for children the museum really makes history come alive. I would really recommend to any history buff! read more

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We love trains! That being said, I would not recommend this ride. It could have been so much better if some kind of commentary was provided during the ride. Virtually 2.5 hours of sitting in silence. I wanted a little history of the train, the area and anything else considered interesting. Boring to say the least. read more

This place is very fun and the trains are awesome!!!! Great staff, very friendly and helpful! Definitely worth stopping at if you're in the area! read more

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The train ride was awesome!!! You could ride inside an authentic train car or you could choose to be outside in an open train car. I would definitely ride the train again. read more

Nevada Northern Railway Museum - Ely train depot - Museums Near Me - Ely, Nevada

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Yes, we were here to ride the train, but the tiny Musume was really neat to see as well and so much history. That train ride though, seriously best ever and a must-go do and see when in Ely! The amount of stars in the night sky is amazing when you have zero light pollution from the big cities. There are several different train rides you can choose from and I would plan it out before you leave the house, unless you live closer than Vegas. It is cooler here in Ely (temperature) so bring something to wear (sweater, long-sleeves, scarf) it gets chilly at night. This is a family fun thing to do, or romantic if it is just you and a partner. I love that this is a real piece of moving history, they even have a cat mascot that is just adorable! read more

Passed by the museum many times over the years. Finally took the daily excursion ride. It was 90 minutes. Very informative and scenic. Great information on the mines. Plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Even a bathroom on one of the cars. So glad to have this kind of Americana preserved. Totally worth the $35 adult fare to keep these things running. read more