What is the Mission of the Museum?  The Bluegrass Railroad Museum is dedicated to preserve and present an interactive experience of historic railroading in Kentucky.  We maintain a museum of historic railroad artifacts and operate an antique tour train. It is an active passenger train and is a non profit.

What are your hours?   Our outdoor displays are open dawn to dusk daily.  Our museum and ticket office is open ONLY Saturdays from 9:30 to 4:30 pm June through October and in December for Santa Trains. 

How do I get my tickets?  If you purchase your tickets on-line through this web site, you will receive a confirmation by email.  You can pick up your physical tickets at the ticket counter in the museum starting about an hour before train time.  Just give the ticket agent your name.   If you prefer you may purchase tickets at the ticket counter (space available) the day of the train ride with cash or credit card.

What is your cancellation policy?  We do not offer refunds, however if you contact the office at least 48 hours in advance we will reschedule your tickets to another date.

What is your Time Zone?  The Bluegrass Railroad in Kentucky is in the Eastern time zone and observes daylight savings time.

When do the trains run?    We run the trains at 11 am and 2pm each Saturday  May through October with many special events.  See our schedule page for details.  Special Santa Claus trains in December.

How long is the train ride?   Our train ride lasts approximately 90 minutes.

Where does it go?   We travel west through typical Kentucky countryside.  You will pass cattle and fields of corn, soybean, and tobacco.  We also pass through two Thoroughbred horse farms where you may see mares and foals in the fields.  The train then descends through deep limestone cuts to the palisades of the Kentucky River where you may disembark and photograph Young's High bridge built in 1889 and see the Wild Turkey Distillery. 

When must I arrive?  We recommend you arrive at least 30 minutes prior to departure.  This will give you time to collect your tickets and visit the museum.

What about restroom facilities?   There are no restrooms on board our train.  We always recommend that everyone use the facilities in the museum before boarding.

Are you handicap accessible?    Yes, we have a paved path from the paved parking lot to a ramp that leads to our museum and boarding platform.

How about wheelchairs?   Yes, our coach service is accessible by standard 24 inch wide wheelchairs.  Oversize chairs will not fit through the 26 inch wide doorways.  First Class cars have a winding hallway that prevents passage of wheelchairs.  Some have been successful navigating the hallways by removing the footrest.  Open air cars are accessed by a stairway and are not accessable by wheel chairs.

What is the difference between Coach and First Class?   Our coaches are antique commuter coaches with vinyl bench seats and windows that open in warm weather.  Our First Class service is in former long distance cars that feature individual plush reclining seats and Air Conditioning.

What is a Cab Ride?  Two people per scheduled train trip may ride in the Locomotive Cab with the Engineer.  The cab is NOT handicap accessable and at least one of the passengers must be a responsible adult.  The cab is loud and you may require ear protection. 

What about the weather?    Our cars are enclosed and comfortable - we run rain or shine.  Our First Class cars are heated and air conditioned.  Our open air cars have a canopy that protects from rain. 

Do you offer weekday charters?  Yes, check the information listed on this website under pricing.

Is there a picnic area?  Yes, the county park maintains a covered picnic pavalion.  To reserve the pavilion contact Amanda Waits the sales and rental coordinator at Falling Springs.  Contact via email at awaits@vwcparksrec.com or by phone at 859214-4812.

How about service animals?   Service animals are permitted ONLY in coach accomodations.  Not in First class or Open Air.

Do you have group rates?   Yes, if you have a group of 20 or more and you collect the money and purchase all the tickets at once, we will offer a one dollar per ticket discount.

How can I volunteer?  Just send an email to bluegrassrailroad@yahoo.com or call the office at 859-873-2476.  We invite everyone interested in working on the equipment or in the museum and gift shop to volunteer weekends.  Download the Volunteer handout below for more information.   If you would like to become a member just fill out the attached form.

Midway, KY | Official City Website

As most of Central Kentucky knows, Historic Midway was the first town in Kentucky founded by a railroad, but the town’s history began long before that when the area was inhabited by Indian Mound Builders. Two large Indian mounds have been identified on farms nearby Midway, as well as several smaller such structures in the outlying areas where they still exist today.Settlers visited the area as early as 1771 when Kentucky was still part of Virginia. Many of them were surveyors and liked the land so well that they stayed. By 1788, residents successfully fought to break off from Fayette County to form Woodford County.

Nearly 45 years passed before the town of Midway came into existence. Then, when the Lexington and Ohio Railroad was incorporated in 1830, the town became a hub of activity with the accompanying construction. Lodging was needed for the railroad workmen as well as food, supplies, and other dry goods. By 1832, the railroad carried its first passengers from Lexington with horse drawn cars. The line was completed to Frankfort in 1834 and by January 1835 the first steam locomotive passed through Midway (also know as Middleway) from Lexington, bound for Frankfort. Both cities celebrated the successful journey of the “Iron Horse” with a grand ball. Many accounts of those early years of the railroad related tales of the engineers not only stopping for water and wood, but also to open and shut farm gates, since the train traveled through private pastures.

It was around this time that the town of Midway was surveyed and laid out by the railroad company. In honor of their work, many of the streets in Midway were named after the railroad company directors. These streets continue to exist today.

Midway continued to prosper along with the railroad. Electricity was introduced in 1911. In 1915, a fire destroyed a large part of the south side of Railroad Street. During the railroad’s heyday, the 1930’s and 40’s, up to 30 trains a day rumbled through the middle of town. The passenger trains dwindled until the old depot (located where the caboose now stands) was closed in 1963. The last passenger train traveled through in May 1971.

Midway’s downtown followed the railroad’s fortunes and by the late 1960’s and early 1970’s the few remaining businesses primarily served the local agricultural community.

Revitalization and rebirth began in the mid 1970’s when several antique shops and galleries were established and the Midway I Village Guild was formed. In 1978, 176 buildings in Midway were placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Now, Historic Midway once again thrives and enjoys its present reputation as one of Kentucky’s favorite spots for antiques, crafts, gifts, restaurants, and clothing. Several freight trains still make use of the active tracks running through Railroad Street, preserving Midway’s unique history and atmosphere.

Today, Midway continues to be a uniquely friendly and quaint town with a noticeable spirit. Embellished with local shops, cozy tea rooms, restaurants, and beautiful local architecture, the streets of Midway offer visitors an exceptional, relaxing experience. Because of its special charm and small town appeal visitors always leave Midway in high spirits.

Nostalgia Station Toy and Train Museum in Versailles, Kentucky, features antique toys and trains from the 1890's to the 1990's. There are two operating dealer type train layouts (1926 version and 1956 version) in the museum along with several hundred Lionel, American Flyer, Ives, Marx, Bing, Carlisle & Finch, Dorfan, and Hafner trains and accessories in various gauges and styles.

We are a Lionel "Value Added" authorized dealer selling train sets, accessories, track, and related items.

Nostalgia Station has been featured on Television stations like Kentucky Educational Television, and most of the Lexington network affiliates (Channel 18 WLEX, Channel 27 WKYT, and Channel 36 WTVQ) as well as some Louisville stations.

To experience the museum you can move at your own pace and spend as little as 30 minutes or up to an hour or more. We have a handicap accessible entrance and restroom facilities and we can accommodate a tour bus load of passengers at a time. If more than 10 people, please call for reservations so we may better anticipate and accommodate the needs of your party.

We accept cash and check upon arrival and offer military, senior citizen, and AAA discounts.

Handicap accessible entrance and restroom is available.

The museum has been operating since July, 1987 at its current location in a vintage 1911 Louisville and Nashville Railroad Passenger Station. There are over 100 linear feet of lighted display cases housing vintage toys and trains, and two operating train layouts. To learn more visit us on Facebook.

Inspiration:

The inspiration to start Rail Explorers originally came from a scene in a Korean soap opera. Back in September of 2012, Mary Joy Lu (who started Rail Explorers with her husband Alex Catchpoole) was watching one of her favourite K-Dramas and became intrigued when she saw a strange contraption being pedalled along the railroad tracks.

Travel to South Korea:

Mary Joy was so excited by this extraordinary looking railbike that within 10 days she was on a plane to South Korea to meet with the designer and manufacturer of the vehicles. Mary Joy, Alex and other Rail Explorers employees travelled back to Korea in 2015 to learn more about the unique business. Rail Explorers was then able to bring a fleet of explorers to the USA. This was the first time these rail bikes had been seen anywhere in the world outside of South Korea.

First Days:

Rail Explorers operations began on July 3, 2015 in New York’s Adirondacks and the response was extraordinary. ‘It was a shock,’ remembers Alex, ‘we really had no idea that it would take off the way it did. It was really exciting to say - wow, maybe we are on to something!’ 

‘After 3 years of dreaming and planning, of hard work and putting in every dollar we had, to finally get to opening day and see the joy Rail Explorers brought to our riders was incredibly rewarding.’ 

Since that day more than 900,000 people have enjoyed Rail Explores tours in the Adirondacks, Delaware, Rhode Island, Las Vegas, New York's Catskill Mountains, Cooperstown NY, Iowa, Kentucky and California!

Stay tuned for more news as the team searches for more exciting rail locations around the USA and the world!

Rail Bike History:

Pedal powered rail vehicles date back to at least the 1850’s, when maintenance workers used hand-cars and ‘rail bikes’ to travel along the tracks. They were used to transport crew and materials for track inspection and repairs. Today, there are a variety of designs in use around the world: the ‘Draisine’ of Europe; modified road bikes with an outrigger wheel, and in the USA other railbike tour companies offer hobby style, lightweight ‘rail riders’ with aluminum frames and plastic wheels.

Our commercial grade explorers are the ‘Rolls Royce’ of railbikes, and are the global leader in safety, design, performance and ease of operation.

In a world first, Rail Explorers have developed the 'REX Propulsion System' - a custom built electric assist motor that makes the journey truly effortless, even when climbing the steepest of inclines.

Rail tours running in Bluegrass, KY - Rail Explorers USA

Did you know Ricardo's was an old train station? Come eat at this great location on the tracks with true Kentucky cuisine and celebrate the rail history! 

Culinary Experience

Savor the flavors that put Kentucky on the culinary map with a three-stop gastronomic adventure:

• Appetizers: Begin with a delightful charcuterie board featuring an array of Kentucky spreads, meats, burgoo and cornbread muffins. This savory selection highlights local ingredients and time-honored recipes, offering a true taste of Ketucky’s culinary heritage.

• Entree: Indulge in the iconic Kentucky Hot Brown, a rich and hearty open-faced sandwich layered with turkey, bacon, and tomato, then smothered in a creamy Mornay sauce. Pair this beloved dish with a refreshing Mint Julep, the quintessential Kentucky cocktail known for its perfect blend of bourbon, mint, and sugar.

Deserts: Conclude your culinary journey with decadent bourbon bread pudding and chocolate bourbon pecan pie. These classic Kentucky desserts celebrate the state’s sweet traditions, perfectly paired with bourbon-infused delights.

When Chris and Ouita Michel opened Wallace Station in the summer of 2003..

they envisioned a place of respite, “where the food still comes from the garden and is made by loving hands, where you can talk and eat and laugh with one another, in a spot where folks have done that for generations.”

Every great Wallace Station sandwich begins with bread from the Midway Bakery, delivered fresh several times a week. Thick slices of white, wheat and rye – made with flour from nearby Weisenberger Mills – are piled high with delicious fillings.

They knew their customers deserved affordable and accessible local food, but that not all their customers could afford the prix fixe dinners at Holly Hill Inn, at least not on a regular basis. To prove their point, they partnered with Patrick and Leeta Kennedy’s Stone Cross Farm, about a one-hour drive away, in Taylorsville, Ky to create a burger that Guy Fieri put in his top 5.