Gold Coast Railroad Museum

The Gold Coast Railroad Museum (reporting mark GCOX) is a railroad museum located in Miami, Florida, adjacent to Zoo Miami. Description The Gold Coast Railroad Museum was founded in 1957. The museum was built on the former Naval Air Station Richmond. 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, including: 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 historic railroad cars like the Presidential Pullman "Ferdinand Magellan” and engines like the Florida East Coast "153.” The museum strives to teach railroad history using artifacts, movies, and railroading materials. The museum includes many interactive displays. The museum's train rides allow guests to board vintage trains and get a taste of the past. On most Saturdays, guests can ride in standard gauge railway cars and can also ride in the cab of the train's locomotive. The separate 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge Edwin Link Children's Railroad also offers rides. Located at a latitude of ~25.62 degrees north, the Gold Coast Railroad Museum possesses the southernmost active railroad trackage in the continental United States. Equipment The Gold Coast Railroad Museum has over 50 pieces of railroad rolling stock and equipment. Some of the equipment are in the process of being sold to continue to operate a financially stable museum. Some of the equipment on location include the following: Locomotives Other locomotives East Swamp & Gatorville Railroad 2 ft (610 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 passenger cars The Freight Cars, Passenger Cars & other cars on display include: Port Everglades Stake Car No. 1103 SCL Fruit Boxcar No. 593188 FEC Heavyweight Passenger No. 136 ACL Wood M-3 Caboose No. 0322 SAL Heavyweight Combine No. 259 US No. 1 "Ferdinand Magellan" Southern Railway Express Agency Baggage No. 359 US Army Hospital Car No. 89436 FEC Anniversary Smooth-Side Car No. 1996 ACL Observation-Tavern-Bar No. 254 SAL Tavern-Lounge No. 6300 WP "Silver Crescent" CZ-10/WP 881 CB&Q Sleeper "Silver Vale" No.490 SAL Diner/Kitchen No. 6112 CB&Q Sleeper "Silver Slumber" No.4901 WP Baggage "Silver Stag" No.802 FEC Lightweight Chair Car "Belle Glade" SAL Sleeper/Lounge "Silver Palm" No.54 (Privately Owned) CB&Q Baggage "Silver Treasure" No.908 (Privately Owned) SCL Waffle-Sided Boxcar No.126307 Belcher Oil Tank No. 105 Belcher Oil Tank No. 121 FRISCO Drop-End Gondola No. 60053 SCL Self-Driven Steam Crane No.765157 USAX Flat Car No. 35703 USAX Air-Dump Car D.66 Burro Crane No.15 MHAX Helium Car No.1202 NASA KSC Railroad Skirt Car No. 171 Illinois Central Gulf Caboose No.199477 Metra Gallery Car No.7680 Metra Gallery Car No.7667 Metra Gallery Car No.7670 Metra Gallery Car (Cab Control) No.8723 Metra Gallery Car (Cab Control) No.8726 Long Island Rail Road P-72 Commuter Car No.2916 Illinois Central Gulf Caboose No.199479 Chessie Steam Special PC-100 Chesapeake & Ohio Power Car 914101 (Privately Owned) ACL Cafe Car "Swarthmore College" SCL "Vassar College" No. 765348 SCL "Cameron Pass" # 765310 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. Hangar 2 Tower Hangar 2 Tower is a cellphone transmission tower on the site of Gold Coast Railroad Museum at 25.617039 N 80.400006 W. It consists of a former 39 metres tall door support of former Hangar 2 of former Richmond Naval Air Station, which burnt down on September 15th, 1945, with a 36 metres tall lattice tower on its top. This lattice tower, which was installed in 2011, carries antennas for police and fire brigade radio service [1], [2]. Publications Steam N' Steel Newsletter - published monthly Model Railroad Magazine - published online See also Florida Railroad Museum Royal Palm Railway Experience References External links Official web site