Rails West Museum (Council Bluffs)

[brad_in_omaha]

Bluffs railroad museum turns 25

http://www.omaha.com/article/20120529/NEWS01/705299937#bluffs-railroad-museum-turns-25

COUNCIL BLUFFS — A train museum that showcases this city’s rich railroading history is making its own history.

The 25th anniversary of RailsWest Railroad Museum, 16th Avenue and South Main Street, will be celebrated in June.

The original rail depot was completed in 1870 for the Rock Island line.

A train left from there July 21, 1873, and was stopped and robbed by Jesse James and his gang near Adair, Iowa. The gang had been in Council Bluffs the day before to learn the train schedule, Borgaila said.

In 1881, the depot was destroyed when a train rolled in with a load of dynamite that accidentally exploded.

The current depot was completed in 1899. At the time it featured a waiting room for women and children and another for men, who couldn’t venture into the other because of their vulgar language.

The last Rock Island passenger train pulled out on May 31, 1970. The last day of operations was March 31, 1980.

In 1985, the Historical Society of Pottawattamie County obtained the rights to the building from the city and spent the next two years renovating it, Borgaila said. One of the first big events was Johnny Cash in concert.

 

[LoganTrackdog]

Well the rolling stock and power is in rough shape paint wise. Do not expect to get any good photos.

I'm sure it's a money/help issue. Too bad to see that wonderful UP Northern sitting there like that.

 

[CGW101c]

I don't know if it is a money or a time problem. The grandson and I will go and sit in the locomotives and work the levers and just have a good time. I do see some minor things being done. The locomotives got pretty beat up when they were in the park on the west side of town before it was fenced.

 

[fulltritty]

I stopped in there on the way back from my trip to Nebraska in 2009. It wasn't a bad little museum.