(New Hill, N.C., Jan.14, 2026) –The North Carolina Railroad Museum, Inc. (NCRM), home of Triangle’s Train–New Hope Valley Railway, was recently awarded $280,216 in federal grants that will help add more interactive exhibits for visitors to learn about North Carolina railroad history and its role in transportation innovation.
With a rail yard, full-size locomotive train rides, garden railroad, gift shop, equipment, railroad cars, and exhibits, the NCRM and New Hope Valley Railway straddle the small towns of Bonsal and New Hill, N.C., 30 minutes southwest of Raleigh. The all-volunteer museum and railroad welcomed 17,832 visitors in 2025.
The grants from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) will support the creation of 40 major interactive museum exhibits over the next three years. These funds cover approximately 50 percent of the total estimated costs with the rest coming from donors, sponsors, and volunteer efforts.
“We’re grateful to receive these very competitive federal grants but our museum will need support from our friends and greater community to complete the exhibits on schedule and preserve railroad history for all to enjoy,” said Jim Jatko, volunteer chair of the NCRM fundraising committee. “Every dollar raised is effectively doubled, thanks to these grants.”
Since 2020, the IMLS has awarded these grants to only 36 public and private museums in North Carolina with most going to the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, a state agency managing North Carolina’s arts, history, libraries, museums, state parks, aquariums, and the NC Zoo.
NCRM will install interactive technology exhibits in seven existing railroad cars and locomotives. Created using the principles of Universal Design for Accessible Learning, these exhibits will be fully accessible and double the museum’s current indoor exhibition space.
The state-of-the-art interactive, self-guided learning experiences funded through grants, matching funds and private donations, will include:
- Voices from a Golden Age – Learning from Our Technological Heritage
This exhibit series uses three rare pieces of rolling railroad stock already owned by NCRM to bring more than 100 years of railroad technology and human stories to life. It includes:
- 1918 Pullman Baggage Car
Built by the Pullman Car Company, this baggage car will be transformed into a museum-quality exhibit space explaining the impact of Pullman innovation on passenger rail travel. Visitors will learn about the Pullman Company’s luxurious railroad cars, the evolution of onboard service, and the vital contributions of Pullman Porters, whose legacy shaped American labor, travel, and civil rights history.
- 1968 Nickel Plate Road Caboose
This caboose will become NCRM’s first exhibit dedicated entirely to Pre-K STEM education offering an early introduction to science, technology, engineering, and math through play and imagination. Young learners will explore what makes a railroad train and what is inside the different cars, as well as enjoy a quiet place to see, hear, or read stories about trains. - 1968 Nuclear Escort Vehicle
This exceptionally rare railroad car was used to provide security for special trains transporting nuclear fuel from power plants for Duke Energy, formerly Progress Energy. Interactive exhibits will explore these unique shipments and their critical role in supporting the nation’s nuclear energy program. 2. LOCOMOTION -The Power to Move (STEM Exhibition
This new combination of indoor and outdoor exhibits will provide hands-on learning about what powers railroad trains across our nation, including a surprising look at hybrid power systems that were first pioneered by railroads in the 1930s. Designed for families and school groups, LOCOMOTION will explore the science and engineering behind rail transportation.
The exhibit will feature four pieces of heritage railroad equipment:
- 1941 GE Diesel-Electric Locomotive #67
- 1945 Beaufort-Morehead GE Diesel-Electric Locomotive #75
- 1945 Becker Sand & Gravel GE Diesel-Electric Locomotive #71
- 1956 Swift Premium Ice-Refrigerated Box Car
Visitors will be able to:
- Safely touch full-size diesel-electric components
- Explore the physics of motion through hands-on stations
- Compare historic hybrid technology with today’s automotive and industrial systems
- Examine a 100-foot display of historic railroad track, including wheels and trucks dating back to a 1910 Arch-Bar truck
Visitors, railroad enthusiasts, and supporters who want to help the museum secure the full match can make tax-deductible contributions at https://www.triangletrain.com/donate
