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The historic Cheyenne Depot, in the heart of downtown Cheyenne, was built in 1886 for Union Pacific passenger trains. It stands directly down the street about a mile from the Wyoming State Capitol building. The building was donated to the city of Cheyenne by Union Pacific in 1993.
Lobby
The lobby of the building has a map on the floor showing the Union Pacific portion of the Transcontinental Railroad. There’s also a small visitor center with brochures on what to do in Cheyenne and the rest of Wyoming.
Cheyenne Depot Museum
The big draw to the depot is the Cheyenne Depot Museum. It covers railroad history from the beginning of the Transcontinental Railroad and its ties to Cheyenne. Admission is US$10 for adults while children 12 and under are free (as of April 2024). It’s open daily.
Many interesting stories and artifacts are on display, including tools used by railroad workers, uniforms, and dinnerware used in Union Pacific dining cars. A particularly interesting display is about how snow was moved off the tracks.
Upstairs, there’s a viewing platform where you can see the railroad tracks and Union Pacific Main Yard.
Model Railroad
There’s also an excellent model railroad on display. It was the work of Harry S. Brunk of Clarkson, Nebraska, and has been at the museum since 2012. He spent 30 years making all of the scenery and buildings by hand. The railroad is a model of Colorado and Southern Railway’s Clear Creek narrow gauge line. Immediately recognizable to me were the towns of Idaho Springs and Georgetown, Colorado.
