Ride the Rails in Parrish Florida
Florida Rail Road Museum offers one of the most unique museum experiences in the world.
Here you “Ride the Exhibits!”
The Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, year-round. Diesel train excursions operate most Saturdays and Sundays, departing at 11 AM and 2 PM. Special events are scheduled throughout the year featuring themed train rides. Some events have different schedules, so please check the calendar to the right for details. The party caboose is available to charter for small, private parties or you may charter the entire train for large family or corporate events.
Hours of Operation
The Museum’s Ticket Office and Gift Shop is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 AM until 4 PM. Limited equipment displays are available during the week. Train rides are available on Saturday and Sunday only.
The train operates rain-or-shine on a 13 mile round trip lasting approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes. The regular operating schedule is listed below. Please check the calendar as some special events superceed this schedule.
Special Events
Throughout the year, the Museum schedule special event weekends that couple exciting themes with a ride on the train. Examples include a train robbery, World War II re-enactment and a trip to the North Pole.
The train may operate on modified schedules during special events. The calendar on our home page lists all Museum operating days. You may also view the special event schedule directly.
Volunteers
With only one paid staff member, the Florida Railroad Museum would not exist without the generous efforts of its volunteer members. From restoring old equipment and maintaining operating equipment, renewing the track and operating the train each weekend our volunteers are the backbone of this organization.Training
Highly qualified volunteers with thousands of hours of service will guide you through all the training needed to perform your duties. The most rigorous training can be found in the Operations Department, where volunteers work their way from car host to locomotive engineer. It is a long and rewarding journey.
Flexible Scheduling
As a volunteer you decide the level of service and number of hours to donate. Some positions in the Operating Department do require a minimum number of trips or days worked during the year to maintain certification.
Maintenance and restoration activities are scheduled throughout the week. Train operations and the gift shop run on weekends with occasional charter work during the week. Phone reservations operate from volunteer’s homes throughout the week. Finally, this website runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is not unusual for visitors to find an e-mail reply sent at 2 o’clock in the morning.
Current Restoration Projects
Cosmetic restoration of Frisco 3749 – After spending it’s career carrying passengers between St. Louis and San Francisco, it did some prison time in Alabama and starred in a 1950’s movie. Retiring to Florida, first in Pensacola then Church Street Station in Orlando, the steam locomotive known as Frisco3749 now calls Parrish it’s home. The restoration project is ongoing, and we need donations and volunteers for the job.
Tax Deductible
Membership dues, donations of money and materials and vehicle mileage traveling to/from the museum for volunteer duties are all deductible under IRS 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization guidelines.
Join Now
All volunteers must be members of the Museum. Membership starts at just $40 per year for an individual and includes many benefits. Detailed information is available on the Membership page. You can even join right from home, right now.