The Gold Coast Railroad Museum (reporting mark GCOX) is located in Miami, Florida, adjacent to Zoo Miami.
Description
The Gold Coast Railroad Museum was founded in 1956. The museum was built on the former Naval Air Station Richmond (NASR). With over three miles of tracks, the old base was an ideal place to build a railroad museum.
The Gold Coast Railroad Museum is one of three Official State Railroad Museums in Florida. It became a Florida state railroad museum in 1984 when it received statutory recognition by the Florida Legislature as meeting the four statutory criteria that: its purpose is to preserve railroad history, it is devoted primarily to the history of railroading, it is open to the public, and it operates as a non-profit organization.
The Gold Coast Railroad Museum promotes historical trains and railroads. It houses over 30 historic trains including classic railroad cars like the Western Pacific "Silver Crescent†and engines like the Florida East Coast "113.†The Museum strives to teach railroad history with the use of artifacts, movies, and railroading materials. The Museum includes a number of displays that are interactive.
The Museum's train rides allow guests to board vintage trains and get a taste of the past. On certain days, guests can ride in standard gauge railway cars and can also ride in the cab of the train's locomotive. The separate 2Â ft (610Â mm) narrow gauge Link Train also offers rides.
Exhibits
One of the most important exhibits is the Presidential Car "Ferdinand Magellan". The museum also has a collection of model railroad equipment.
Locomotives
The Museum has both steam and diesel locomotives on display. Several of the diesel locomotives are operational and active. Some of the locomotives on location are:
Steam Locomotives
Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) Steam Locomotive #153
Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) Steam Locomotive #113
Diesel-electric Locomotives
National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) EMD SW1500 S-2 #2
Gold Coast Railroad Museum (GCOX) RS-1 #106
Chicago Burlington & Quincy Railroad (CB&Q) E-9A #9913
Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) E-8A #1594
Atlantic Coast Line (ACL) GP-7 #1804
Seaboard FP-10 #4033
Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac (RF&P) "Slug"
Other Locomotives
East Swamp & Gatorville Railroad 2Â ft (610Â mm) narrow gauge 4-4-0 Locomotive #3 (built by Crown Metal Products; donated by Edwin Albert Link; originally coal-powered, but now runs on compressed air)
Freight and Other Cars
The freight cars and other railroad cars on display include:
US Dept of Interior-Bureau of Mines Helium Field Operations - Helium Transportation Car MHAX #1202
Frisco Line Railroad Gondola Car #60053
Port Everglades Railroad Flatcar #1103
Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (SCL) Steam Crane #765157
Burro Crane #15
Southern Railway (SR) Boxcar #260909
Southern Railway (SR) Boxcar #27416
Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (SCL) Boxcar #126307
Belcher Oil Company (BEPX) Tank Car #105
Belcher Oil Company (BEPX) Tank Car #121
United States Army (USAX) Side Dump Ballast Car
United States Army (USAX) Flatcar #35703
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) Caboose #0322
Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (SCL, ex SAL) Boxcar #593188
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Shuttle Rocket Booster "Skirt" car #NALX 171 (Renumbered GCOX 171)
Rolling Stock
The Gold Coast Railroad Museum has over 40 pieces of railroad rolling stock and equipment.
Model Railroading
The Gold Coast Railroad Museum exhibits include a number of model railroads in many scales, including N, HO, O27, and G scale. The collections and equipment on display have been donated or loaned to the Museum for the public's enjoyment.
Publications
Steam N' Steel Newsletter - published monthly.
Model Railroad Magazine - published online.
See also
- Florida Railroad Museum
- Orange Blossom Cannonball
References
External links
- Official web site