The Central Florida Railroad Museum, opened in 1983, is located in the historic Tavares and Gulf Railroad depot, located one block south of Winter Garden’s thriving historic downtown and the West Orange Trail. The station, built in 1913, was purchased by the Central Florida Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society in 1979 and rehabilitated for use as a railroad museum.  In 2003, the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation became partners with the Central Florida Chapter of the National Railway Society to make the extensive private collections of local, state and national memorabilia and photographs of Central Florida’s railway history accessible to the public. One of Florida’s virtually undiscovered gems, the museum holds a large collection of dining car china and silverware, a 1938 Fairmont motor car, a velocipede hand car and the former Clinchfield Railroad caboose, #1073. Junior train enthusiasts will be delighted at the climb-on cabooses (one is also located at the Heritage Museum on Plant Street), an HO scale train layout, and an interactive Thomas wooden train set and layout.

The Central Florida Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society hosts several special events throughout the year. To learn more, visit the Central Florida Chapter’s web site, http://www.cfcnrhs.org.

Hours: Open every day, 1 to 5 p.m., except major holidays.

Admission: Free, although donations are appreciated.

Location: 101 South Boyd Street, Winter Garden, FL 34787

Phone: 407-656-0559