The year 2015 ended with two Saturdays of virtually sold out Santa Claus Train events on Dec. 5 and 12. Six trains full of happy children and their parents left each day to ride out to see Santa. These trains that use antique passenger coaches are run by the Old Dominion Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society.

Staffed with volunteers, Santa trains run on trackage of the Buckingham Branch Railroad from Dillwyn.

Along with the fall and spring excursions, these trips constitute the primary fund raising source for the chapter.  These funds enable the Chapter to operate and maintain the Richmond Railroad Museum, located at 102 Hull St. (the former Southern Railway passenger station). The chapter also maintains a restoration facility at Hallsboro Yard on the west side of the city.

The museum features a number of exhibits including the restored stationmaster’s office and a real caboose and coal-fired locomotive in the parking lot. Children enjoy climbing on these cars and pretending that they are riding the rails for real. Also on the tour is a large, complex, HO scale model train layout. Watching trains operate on this lifelike model is fun for children of all ages.

Admission to the museum is free, but donations are gratefully accepted. You can check out the museum on the web at odcnrhs.org. You can view a live webcam in the model room by clicking on the “model train” button. 

The Richmond Railroad Museum is operated by the Old Dominion Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, Inc., a voluntary, non-profit Virginia educational organization.