Are you searching for your next family adventure ? Look no further than the Foley Railroad Station. Entry is free, and it’s fun for the kids, dad and mom, too. The historic rail junction connects present day Foley to an era long past, of comings and goings in steel locomotives. Situated in downtown Foley amid a veritable display of parks, flowers and public spaces, the Foley Railroad Station is a field day for visitors of all ages.

There are several features that make up the Foley Railroad Station, including the Depot Museum, housed in a historic depot building from 1909. It contains artifacts, tools, photos and exhibits documenting Foley’s rail history and how the railway system helped develop the city into what it is today. You can also find the gift shop here in the front of the building, where the old ticketing station would be located in 1909.

You and your children will be fascinated at the scale and detail of the “O” Gauge Model Train Exhibit. A great portion of the exhibit was donated to the city of Foley by Alan Goldman in 2004 on the conditions that it be made free to visit and available to children. The museum is currently open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., but if you want to see the Model Train Exhibit, you’ll need to visit between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday, so plan your trip accordingly. With over a quarter mile of track, the exhibit features 12 trains that move from city to city and vista to vista. You could spend hours enjoying the detail of the exhibit. After it was donated, the exhibit took an estimated 6,000 volunteer hours and one year’s time from passionate members of the local Caboose Club to build it.

Outdoors, climb aboard and explore a real rail car. If you’ve driven through downtown Foley, you’ve likely noticed the 1940 L & N diesel locomotive engine, boxcar and caboose train cars that are always on display on the property. You and your kids can climb in the caboose and imagine what it was like riding the train while it was in operation.

If you would like to actually ride a train on your visit, there is a small, running train on property that you can ride in the summers and on Saturday. Call ahead with any questions at 251-943-1818, to be sure everything you want to visit is up and running that day. The museum is closed on most holidays, and admission is free of charge, although you are encouraged to leave a donation if you’d like.

With all the enriching features of the Foley Railroad Station, we hope you and the kids will stop in to explore the many offerings that help make Foley such a charming city.