Oklahoma Railway Museum, LTD
The Oklahoma Railway Museum is a 501(c)(3) non-profit living-history railway museum in Oklahoma City that operates vintage train rides on three miles of former MKT track, serving families, school and scout groups, and railroad enthusiasts through ticketed rides, special events, memberships, and educational programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersOklahoma City, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Oklahoma Railway Museum, LTD does
Oklahoma Railway Museum, Ltd. (ORM) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit operating as a "living history" railway museum on approximately three miles of former Missouri-Kansas-Texas (MKT/Katy) mainline track in Oklahoma City, between NE 16th Street and NE 50th Street. The museum preserves and operates vintage locomotives and passenger cars dating from the 1920s through the 1950s, sourced from major American railroads including Santa Fe, Frisco, Rock Island, Katy, Union Pacific, Burlington Northern, and Great Northern, and is the Central Oklahoma Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society (NRHS).
The museum's core product is train rides — regular diesel and steam operations on the first and third Saturdays from April through August, supplemented by seasonal special events (Polar Express, Halloween Train, Easter Bunny Express) and premium "At the Throttle" experiences that allow visitors to operate diesel or steam locomotives under supervision. Auxiliary revenue and engagement lines include a five-tier membership program ($35–$150/year), birthday party rentals in vintage rail cars ($150–$250), Scout merit badge workshops ($15/scout), the Traveling Trunk classroom outreach program, guided school and group tours, photography/filming permits, a gift shop in the Oakwood Depot, and an endowment managed through the Oklahoma City Community Foundation.
The museum handles a high volume of distributed, anonymous visitors (38,000+ in 2019 versus ~150 in 2003) generated through a destination/event-driven go-to-market model that combines themed family programming, K–12 educational outreach, NRHS member community, and tourism partnerships (TravelOK Route 66 Passport, Route 66 Association, Adventure District of OKC). It has no parent company, no debt, and operates under Federal Railroad Administration jurisdiction, with critical land access dependent on a lease from the Central Oklahoma Parking and Transportation Authority (COPTA).
Oklahoma Railway Museum, LTD firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Oklahoma Railway Museum, LTD
- Legal name
- Oklahoma Railway Museum, Ltd.
- Website
- https://oklahomarailwaymuseum.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Oklahoma Railway Museum is a 501(c)(3) non-profit living-history railway museum in Oklahoma City that operates vintage train rides on three miles of former MKT track, serving families, school and scout groups, and railroad enthusiasts through ticketed rides, special events, memberships, and educational programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Oklahoma Railway Museum, LTD industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Heritage Railway Museum
- NAICS
- Museums (71211), Historical Sites (71212)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Specialty Museums (e.g., Maritime, Aviation, Sports, Music, Film) (THAJADAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Tourist/Scenic/Heritage Passenger Rail Operators (TLAFADAG), Historic Sites, Heritage Landmarks & Archaeological Sites (THAJACAC)
Keywords
Where Oklahoma Railway Museum, LTD is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oklahoma City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Oklahoma Railway Museum, LTD business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Train Ride Tickets: Revenue from diesel and steam train ride tickets sold for regular run days (first and third Saturdays, April-August) and special event days.
- Special Event Tickets: Tickets for Polar Express, Halloween Train, Easter Bunny Express, and At the Throttle experiences featuring premium pricing for themed events.
- Membership Fees: Annual memberships ranging from $35-$150/year providing free train rides on regular run days, newsletter access, members' picnic, and eligibility for crew positions.
- Facility Rentals: Birthday party rentals in rail cars: $150-$250 per party depending on package including train ride access.
- Donations and Sponsorships: Monetary donations, brick sponsorships ($75), crosstie donations ($50), planned giving, and endowment fund contributions through Oklahoma Community Foundation.
- Gift Shop Sales: Retail sales from the gift shop located in the Oakwood Depot waiting room.
- Scout Programs: Railroading Merit Badge program at $15 per scout, plus Traveling Trunk rentals for classrooms with $25 refundable deposit.
- Group Tours: Guided group tours with suggested donation of at least $1 per person, including school field trips and organized groups.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Student/Senior Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Regular Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Family Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Sustaining Membership |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Scout Merit Badge Workshop |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Brick Sponsorship |
| Unit Pricing | Donation | Crosstie Donation |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Birthday Party Package One (with train ride) |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Birthday Party Package Two (no train ride) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Traveling Trunk Rental |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Professional Photography |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
Oklahoma Railway Museum, LTD product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Oklahoma Railway Museum, LTD operates a living history railway museum on three miles of former Missouri-Kansas-Texas (MKT) Railroad mainline in Oklahoma City, offering scheduled and special-event train rides, hands-on educational programs, and facility rentals. The museum maintains four operational locomotives and passenger equipment for general admission rides, themed seasonal experiences, school and youth group programs, and private events. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, it preserves Oklahoma's railroad heritage through immersive experiences, archival work, and community programming.
Product overview
Oklahoma Railway Museum, LTD operates as a living history railway museum offering interactive experiences centered on America's railroad heritage. The core offering is train rides on historic equipment along the former Katy mainline, supplemented by special events (Polar Express, Halloween Train, Easter Bunny Express), educational programs (School Tours, Traveling Trunk, Merit Badge Program), facility rentals (Birthday Parties), and membership. The museum also hosts third-party rail bike experiences through Joy Rails. Visitors can experience history through static exhibits, hands-on locomotive operation opportunities ('At the Throttle'), and educational outreach programs serving Pre-K through adult learners.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Heritage Train Rides
Quantifiable outcome
- Visitor growth from ~150 in 2003 to over 38,000 in 2019
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Oklahoma Railway Museum, LTD
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Oklahoma Railway Museum, LTD technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Oklahoma Railway Museum, LTD partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered major, supporting, significant, core and critical.
- BNSF RailwaymajorBNSF Railway donated a historic hydrogen fuel cell test locomotive (BNSF 1205) to the museum in August 2023. The locomotive was built as Canadian Pacific GP9 8637 in 1957 and converted to hydrogen fuel cell power in 2009 as a proof-of-concept project. BNSF continues partnership with plans for mainline hydrogen fuel cell locomotive demonstrations with Progress Rail and Chevron in 2024. The museum will convert the unit to a shove platform for museum trains.
- Oklahoma Department of Libraries (ODL)supportingODL awarded the museum a $1,000 CARES Act PPE grant in 2020 to purchase personal protective equipment and supplies during COVID-19. The grant was part of $60,000 distributed to 64 institutions including libraries, tribal libraries, museums, and historic sites.
- BNSF Railway (Turntable Donation)significantBNSF Railway donated a 100-foot Frisco turntable to the museum in 1994. Originally installed in Sapulpa, Oklahoma in 1920 and moved to Oklahoma City in 1929, the turntable was stored in BNSF ex-Frisco yard until 2017 when the museum had space to accept and install it as part of the Expansion Project.
- Herman Ragland FamilysupportingThe family of Herman Ragland donated the 1908 Le Flore Depot building to the museum in 2017. The depot was originally constructed by St. Louis & San Francisco Railroad and served various owners before being donated to preserve Oklahoma railroad heritage.
- National Railway Historical Society (NRHS)coreORM is the Central Oklahoma Chapter of the NRHS, an organization devoted to preserving railway history. The chapter was founded in 1970 and the museum operates under this organizational umbrella, providing access to NRHS resources, networking, and historical preservation support.
- Union Pacific RailroadsignificantUnion Pacific Railroad supported the museum's early development through crewed passenger trips in 1992 and continues as a key railroad partner. UP donated equipment including Rock Island baggage car No. 4119 and Union Pacific 1505 observation car. The museum operates near UP railyards and maintains connections to UP infrastructure.
- Farmrail CorporationsupportingFarmrail Corporation sold two lightweight passenger cars (No. 5478 and 5627) to the museum in 2020. These 1950s Canadian National coaches were overhauled by Farmrail in the early 2000s and used for excursion services. Cars provide extra capacity for Polar Express events and allow maintenance flexibility for existing fleet.
- Central Oklahoma Parking and Transportation Authority (COPTA)criticalCOPTA granted the museum lease for the old M-K-T tracks from NE 16th Street to NE 50th Street, enabling museum operations. Initial agreement in 1997 allowed demonstrations in exchange for maintaining the right-of-way. Expanded lease in 2002 added track connections allowing museum to tie into live rail.
- Oklahoma City Community FoundationsupportingORM is a member of Oklahoma City Community Foundation, which allows donations to be made and invested on behalf of the museum. The foundation also facilitates endowment fund contributions.
- Oklahoma Historical Records Advisory Board / National Historical Publications and Records CommissionsupportingFunded scanning of the Pierce (Casey) Brown Photo Collection through an Improving Access to Collections Grant for Archival Collections. The collection contains 700 photographs of Frisco steam engines from the 1890s through 1950s, administered by Oklahoma Department of Libraries.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves12 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Oklahoma Railway Museum, LTD competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- B&O Railroad Museum: Heritage railway museum in Baltimore, MD, preserving historic equipment and railroad history. Directly comparable as a museum-based heritage railroad with educational programming and rolling stock preservation.
- Steamtown National Historic Site: National Park Service site in Scranton, PA, preserving and operating historic steam locomotives on former DL&W yards. Directly comparable mission around railroad preservation and operational heritage equipment.
- National Railroad Museum: Heritage railway museum in Green Bay, WI, operating historic equipment on a short-line demonstration railroad. Closely comparable in mission, scale, and 'experience history in motion' positioning to the Oklahoma Railway Museum.
- Colorado Railroad Museum: Heritage railway museum in Golden, CO, operating a demonstration railroad and preserving locomotives and rolling stock. Comparable in scale, regional tourism positioning, and educational programming focus.
- Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum: Heritage railway museum in Chattanooga, TN, operating regular excursion train rides and seasonal themed events including a Polar Express-style offering. Directly comparable in operating model, event-based revenue mix, and visitor experience design.
- Strasburg Rail Road: Operating heritage railway in Lancaster County, PA, running regular excursion trains and partnering with Polar Express licensing. Closely comparable in seasonal/themed-event revenue model and heritage rail operations.
- Illinois Railway Museum: Largest heritage railway museum in the US, located in Union, IL, with extensive vintage equipment and demonstration railroad operations. Directly comparable in mission and offering mix; ORM is a meaningfully smaller analog.
- Mid-Continent Railway Museum: Heritage railway museum in North Freedom, WI, operating vintage equipment on restored track with seasonal train rides. Closely comparable in operating scale, volunteer-driven non-profit model, and equipment preservation focus.
- Nevada Northern Railway Museum: National Historic Landmark heritage railway in Ely, NV, operating original steam locomotives on preserved industrial-era track. Comparable in heritage rail operations, equipment preservation, and visitor experience model.
Regional players
- Heritage Park Historical Village: Large-scale living history attraction in Calgary, Alberta, combining historical buildings, rides, and immersive experiences. Comparable in operating model of a multi-faceted heritage attraction offering rides as a key visitor draw.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Oklahoma Railway Museum, LTD social profiles
Digital presenceOklahoma Railway Museum, LTD compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Oklahoma Railway Museum, LTD financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Oklahoma Railway Museum, LTD leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles18 records
Oklahoma Railway Museum, LTD funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Oklahoma Railway Museum, LTD M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Oklahoma Railway Museum, LTD
What does Oklahoma Railway Museum, LTD do?
Oklahoma Railway Museum, LTD operates a living history railway museum on three miles of former Missouri-Kansas-Texas (MKT) Railroad mainline in Oklahoma City, offering scheduled and special-event train rides, hands-on educational programs, and facility rentals. The museum maintains four operational locomotives and passenger equipment for general admission rides, themed seasonal experiences, school and youth group programs, and private events. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, it preserves Oklahoma's railroad heritage through immersive experiences, archival work, and community programming.
Is Oklahoma Railway Museum, LTD a public or private company?
Oklahoma Railway Museum, LTD is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Oklahoma Railway Museum, LTD founded?
Oklahoma Railway Museum, LTD was founded in 2000. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Oklahoma Railway Museum, LTD based?
Oklahoma Railway Museum, LTD is headquartered in Oklahoma City, United States, in the North America region.
How does Oklahoma Railway Museum, LTD make money?
Eight revenue lines are on record. Train Ride Tickets are the primary driver. The others are special Event Tickets, membership Fees, facility Rentals, donations and Sponsorships, gift Shop Sales, scout Programs and group Tours.
Who are Oklahoma Railway Museum, LTD's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are B&O Railroad Museum, Steamtown National Historic Site, National Railroad Museum, Colorado Railroad Museum, Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum, Strasburg Rail Road, Illinois Railway Museum, Mid-Continent Railway Museum and Nevada Northern Railway Museum. Heritage Park Historical Village is listed as a regional player.
Does Oklahoma Railway Museum, LTD have an API?
No public API is recorded for Oklahoma Railway Museum, LTD.
What industry is Oklahoma Railway Museum, LTD in?
Oklahoma Railway Museum, LTD's product category is Heritage Railway Museum. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJADAF, Specialty Museums (e.g., Maritime, Aviation, Sports, Music, Film), with a secondary code of TLAFADAG, Tourist/Scenic/Heritage Passenger Rail Operators. Its NAICS code is 71211.