After nearly 20 years of planning, the National Railroad Hall of Fame is set to break ground near the Galesburg Amtrak station, just blocks from Knox College. Hein Construction was unanimously selected by the National Railroad Hall of Fame Board as the general contractor to oversee the project and hopes to have shovels in the ground soon. The goal is to have the museum open in 2027.

In 2003, the US Congress designated Galesburg as the home of the National Railroad Hall of Fame, and plans began in 2006. “To have a National Hall of Fame really puts you on the map,” Galesburg mayor and Knox College Associate Professor and Chair of Environmental Studies Peter Schwartzman told television station WQAD. “You can think of Cooperstown, you can think of Canton, you can think of Cleveland for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. These are places that people, when they think of these cities, think of those specific museums or exhibits.”

Since the first train passed through town in 1854, rail has a deep, intertwined history with Galesburg. When it comes to passenger service, Galesburg is served by Amtrak, with routes connecting the city to destinations across the country. 

Galesburg also serves as a major hub for one of the largest freight rail companies in the country, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation, and hosts the second-largest classification yard in the company’s network. Galesburg is also home to a BNSF Certified Site, the Galesburg Business Park, a rail-served industrial development on 350 acres. For more information and updates on the National Railroad Hall of Fame, please click here.