Central to the future plans of the APRHF is to build a museum devoted to the history of passenger rail in America.
Eventually we would like to have a museum building that is located near the historic La Plata Santa Fe Depot and Amtrak Station close to the BNSF main line. A great deal of land has been acquired that could be used by the APRHF along both sides of the BNSF main line that is right next to the Amtrak Station. There are existing sidings by the Amtrak Station that could be extended onto property available to the APRHF. But even before extending them, the existing sidings could be available for use by the APRHF. For photos of the existing sidings, click here.
As far as a building for the museum itself, there are four possibilities under consideration: (1) The APRHF is exploring the possibility of an existing recently vacated building near the railroad siding being donated. (2) The existing TrainParty.com building could be converted into the museum building with TrainParty being re-located. Connecting tracks between the Santa Fe and Wabash lines used to run right by the TrainParty building. (3) A new museum building can be built. The APRHF has access to plenty of land for a museum and a rail yard right in line with the existing railroad siding by the Amtrak Station. (4) The existing 8,000 square foot APRHF Silver Rails Event Center in Downtown La Plata can be converted to be used as the initial museum location. This would only be a temporary location for the museum just so that we can expand the APRHF exhibits and open sooner to the public. Ultimately a museum would be opened closer to the main line, the sidings, and have room for a rail yard of historical passenger rail equipment.
Progress towards extablishing an APRHF museum devoted to passenger rail heritage will depend on monetary donations, donations of passenger rail artifacts, and volunteers.
