Want to see locomotives, railcars, automobiles, models of historic sailing ships, and more in one spot? You just need to go to the Virginia Museum of Transportation. The museum has 2,500 artifacts in all, 50 of which are rolling stock. The curators have done an excellent job of preserving the Commonwealth’s transportation history, and it’s a lot of fun to visit. Stop by today to get an inside look at the history of transportation in Virginia.
Rail Transportation
The rail transportation exhibits at the museum are outstanding. The best is probably the Railyard. That’s where the 50 pieces of rolling stock stand, ready for you to explore. You’ll find the biggest collection of diesel locomotives in the southern United States in the Railyard. Restoring the rolling stock is an ongoing process, so you can see items that have been restored, as well as trains that are still waiting to be restored. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes so you can walk all along this exhibit. It’s very large, and it takes some time to get through it all.
Road Transportation
Are you more of a car person? If so, check out the road transportation exhibits. The Automotive Gallery is a standout exhibit. It has an assortment of cars from the 20th century. In fact, close to every decade is represented. You can also look through Virginia license plates. The earliest plate the museum has is from 1917. Just think of the type of vehicle that plate was used for. Maybe it was a 1917 King Model EE or a 1917 Peerless Model 56. Whatever the vehicle was, it sure didn’t have a GPS or autonomous features. Technology has changed a bit over the years, after all.
Air and Space
The Wings Over Virginia Aviation Gallery is quite a sight to see. You’ll be happy that you were born later in life, so you didn’t have to fly on those early planes. You’ll also want to check out the Jupiter Rocket exhibit. This style of rocket first hit space in 1956.
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So Much More
You can also see models of ships, a transportation safety room, and more. There’s even a transportation-themed playground for the kiddos. This place really thought of everything.
The Virginia Museum of Transportation isn’t the only place to visit if you love vehicles. You can also celebrate your love of vehicles at Berglund Automotive in Roanoke, Virginia. Instead of carrying the classics, we have new cars, trucks, and SUVs that you can drive off the lot today. Whether you want something luxurious or family friendly, we have you covered.
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