Museo de Ferrocarriles de Yucatan

#270 -- built 1903 in Philly

Yesterday afternoon I spent a couple of hours at the Museo de Ferrocarriles (Train Museum) in Merida.  It is a very unusual museum, and a treat for anyone with even a sliver of geek.

The museum is an open-air acre of rail sidings on the edge of Merida's working railroad freight yards.  You pay a buck at the outdoor ticket table for admission.  A couple of nice kids at the ticket table tell you basically "here are the trains ... go anywhere you want ... just please stay off that one car which is being restored and isn't safe."

Safety is a relative concept.  I am confident that for liability reasons this museum could never exist in California.  You can clamber around on these old locomotives and train cars to your heart's content.  I didn't want to get hurt,  so I climbed all over -- but carefully.

Mother and child walking the museum

This rolling stock has not been prettified.  In truth, as you walk around the feeling is almost like being in a junkyard.  My theory is that the railroad management saw a good accounting opportunity.  Take a couple unused spur tracks.  Dedicate them as a museum foundation.  Run the rolling stock until it is completely worn out.  When it is 100% frapped, donate it to the museum for some whopping tax credit.  I don't intend to sound cynical, because -- if that is how it happened, I can only say the outcome is a terrific, unique and educational museum.  And a lot of fun!

Steam locomotive

Kid pulling the bell rope...

... and ringing the bell

19th century passenger car, currently under restoration

"Steel Wheels 2nd Lives Foundation"

All aboard

The only kind of liability signage I saw ... original

General Electric diesel electric locomotive, circa 1960

That lonesome whistle

End of the line