The Colorado Model Railroad Museum, located at 680 10th St. in Greeley, opened its doors 15 years ago on Memorial Day weekend 2009. Beginning this Memorial Day weekend, May 24-26, 2024, the museum will celebrate 15 years. Join the fun to honor the museum’s past and help build its future.
The dream for the museum began in 1996 when David Trussell, owner and publisher of the Greeley Tribune, wanted to build the ultimate model railroad layout. Ground was broken for the 10,000-square-foot building in the fall of 2003, and the most important and beloved artifact, a bright red 1919 Colorado & Southern full-size caboose, was moved into the building shell on Feb. 11, 2004. The building was dedicated, and work began to create the intricate museum, with many individuals contributing thousands of hours of volunteer time. They all had a passion for model railroading and the vision of building something spectacular.
Private contributions from railroad enthusiasts around the world, avid historians who loved the steel rail and residents who wanted to be part of the amazing layout helped make the museum become a reality in 2009. David, along with the volunteers who enjoyed creating this miniature world, opened the doors to the public on Memorial Day weekend 2009.
The layout features mountain scenery with hundreds of railroad scenes, more than 500 scale locomotives and eighty scale miles of train tracks. There are four to eight trains running through the layout at any given time. The trees on the layout are handmade, including more than 16,000 fir trees, 8,000 deciduous trees and 4,000 aspen trees. Local artist Jo Kusi painted the backdrop with photos mixed in of the Oregon, California and Eastern railroads, which the museum depicts.
The Colorado Model Railroad Museum is one of the finest, one-of-a-kind miniature accomplishments in the world. Each year, the museum welcomes more than 20,000 visitors from all over Colorado, all 50 states and, as of 2024, 40 different countries. Take the opportunity to walk through the real caboose and peek into a multitude of miniature scenes that please your eyes with detailed, beautiful imagery. Visitors leave the Colorado Model Railroad Museum with smiles, knowing they have visited something incredibly special. We look forward to celebrating with you throughout the rest of 2024. For more information, visit cmrm.org.