Gettysburg’s Lincoln Train Museum, built in 1969 and recreated in 2013 by the late retired Sheriff James F. Kralik, shares a patriots love of America and those whose roles shaped and created our American story.
Within walking distance of the location where Abraham Lincoln gave his Gettysburg Address, dedicating the hallowed ground of one of the bloodiest and most decisive battles of the American Civil War, you can explore the history and heroes of America from the days of the founding fathers through 911 with the spirit of President Lincoln.
Museum collections include Americana from politics to sports, Hollywood, the wild west, Civil War, Abraham Lincoln, US Military, World Wars, The Medal of Honor and Purple Heart, as well as railroad history and memorabilia. Your rail journey with us includes the history of President Lincoln’s funeral journey from Washington DC to Springfield Illinois as well as a ride on our recreated Lincoln Funeral Car, United States, upon which you journey with the Spirit of Lincoln as he shares his love of America with you.
Why a train museum you ask? Well, Abraham Lincoln, our 16th president, savior of the union and emancipator of slaves was also instrumental in forging our American Rail Road system. His life adventures seemed to encompass this new transportation system which was built upon American ingenuity.
As a young attorney in the early 1850’s, Abraham Lincoln started dealing with railroad cases. By the middle of the decade he would be considered one of the most successful and sought after practitioners of railroad law.
In 1861 President Elect Abraham Lincoln gave his farewell speech to his town of Springfield from the back of a rail car. During that speech Lincoln “foreshadowed that the great conflict brewing would claim him: ‘I now leave, not knowing when, or whether ever, I may return…’ And he was right, he never saw Springfield again”.
The rail adventure to Washington Lincoln would embark upon that evening would consist of “sneaking through Baltimore at night, in disguise foiling an alleged assassination attempt.”
As the bloody Civil War engulfed the nation, the transcontinental railroad would become “Lincoln’s way of uniting our nation ‘from sea to shining sea’. Our hero wanted to make America across the continent feel like one people and one nation”.
In 1863 President Lincoln would use the developing transportation system and arrive by rail at the Historic Gettysburg Railroad Station on his journey to dedicate the grounds of Gettysburg’s Soldiers National Cemetery.
During the Civil War the Federal Government would create the first private railroad car, a car for the President as a means to unite the nation after the civil war. That car would ultimately become the “Funeral Car United States”. The President never stepped aboard that car while he was living but he took his final journey home to be laid to rest in Springfield, accompanied by the remains of his son Willie, upon it. Sadly, the Funeral Car United States would be destroyed by a prairie fire in 1911 on a side track in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The Lincolns’ story of the American Railroad; however, wouldn’t end there. Lincoln’s oldest son, Robert, would become the president of the Pullman Car Company in 1897. The Pullman Car Company would change their railroad cars from 60-foot varnished wood railroad cars to an 80-foot riveted-steel design. In September of 1910, with Robert Lincoln as President, coach 895, The Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad Business Car No. 101, would be manufactured for the Western Pacific Railroad. After complete restoration, today this car is available for use. It is now the oldest operational car in America and has been renamed The Abraham Lincoln. In July 1988, The Abraham Lincoln was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
We are delighted to invite you to explore our history presentations and rail collections in Gettysburg, PA on the grounds where every brave, wounded, and fallen soldier was an American patriot.
Come on in, step aboard, and explore!