A Rail-y Cool Museum 

If you know or love a train enthusiast, choo won’t wanna miss this. Downtown Aberdeen is home to the Union Station Railroad Museum, a building you’ve probably seen but didn’t realize was open to the public. “This is one of the best kept secrets in North Carolina,” says Bob Martin, one of the museum volunteers / curators. Inside you’ll find local artifacts, some of which have been traced back to the 1800s. If you’re lucky, he’ll even take you inside the caboose.

Bob’s favorite part of the job is meeting people. He shares his enthusiasm with all ages but recommends kids be 8 and older to really understand and enjoy the tour. He’ll share fun facts, like how a train going 55 miles an hour takes a whole mile to stop, and every railroad initially had to supply passenger service (whether it was used or not) until the 1970s. “I never give the same tour twice,” he laughs.

“It’s not just trains, it’s history,” Bob adds. “Those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” The museum is open by appointment only on weekdays, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., by calling Bob Martin at (910) 757-0161 or Chuck Zuhone at (910) 215-0012.

Feeling locomotivated to see more? The building is also home to the Sandhills Central Railroad Club, founded in 1979, which maintains a miniature version of downtown Aberdeen in a space separate from the museum. You can get a look at that on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., or by making an appointment with Elmer Pearsol at (615) 336-9714. 

Admission to both the museum and the model train village is free. Follow our tracks.