Museum

THE BEST FRIEND TRAIN MUSEUM

23 Ann Street

      

Hours of Operation

Monday – Friday

10 am to 2 pm

Closed Saturday and Sunday

Closed on Holidays

Free Admission

THE BEST FRIEND TRAIN MUSEUM

Managed by the City of Charleston

Contact numbers

843.853.8000

800.868.8118

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The current Best Friend Train Museum replaces

THE  BEST FRIEND OF CHARLESTON RAILWAY MUSEUM

 

that was managed by the Charleston Chapter NRHS

Curator, Mary Lehr,

from July 2010 until October 2014, during the train’s absence from the

City of Charleston while on loan to Norfolk Southern Corporation

for display in their lobby in Atlanta on Peachtree Street.

The Best Friend of Charleston Railway Museum

was managed by

Directors

Peter Buhl and Pat Merriam

and

 Junior Director

Benjamin Ensley.

 

We had some wonderful times in the

Best Friend of Charleston Railway Museum

and we made many friends..

We want to send out a Rail Fan

“HELLO”

to all of our friends and we invite you to visit the new

BEST FRIEND TRAIN MUSEUM.

 

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PAST HISTORY

The original

BEST FRIEND TRAIN MUSEUM and GIFT SHOP

was operated by the City of Charleston

in The William Aiken House,

under the direction of Captain John M. LeCato and Su Griffin.

It was a wonderful location beside the Best Friend Park,

adjacent to the Engine House that had been designed for the train.

When the train was donated to the  City of Charleston

by Norfolk Southern Corporation in 1992,

the Gift Shop and the Events were a destination for

many children and adults alike who wanted to know more about this beautiful train.

Tears were shed when the museum closed in 2000.  No more birthday parties

were celebrated on the train.

 

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Soon after the original Best Friend Train Museum and Gift Shop closed,

Members of the Charleston Chapter of the NRHS

approached Mayor Riley about bringing the

train into the park once a month for the children to visit.

A mutual agreement was reached and we entertained children with activities

and informative talks to let them see, touch and blow the whistle of a real train.

We had some magical days in the Best Friend Park!!

 

OOPS!!!  The Train is Off her Tracks…….!!!!