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About Us

The Minnesota Transportation Museum

The Minnesota Transportation Museum holds a unique place in the city of St. Paul, state of Minnesota, and for the nation. The Jackson Street Roundhouse is recognized on the National Register of Historic Places and is home to a rich array of historical collections from active railcar restorations to railway memorabilia. The museum also operates seasonal passenger train rides through the St. Croix River Valley on Osceola & St. Croix Valley Railway. As one of the last operating roundhouses built by James J. Hill to serve the Great Northern Railway, the Jackson Street Roundhouse had a direct role in the economic and cultural development of our region and the westward expansion of the United States.

Mission

To educate, inspire, entertain, and engage visitors by sharing the story of rail transportation history in the Upper Midwest region and how its evolution shapes our lives, culture(s), economy, and society.

Vision

Collect, preserve, restore, and provide resources for visitors, researchers, partners, our communities, and future generations

  • Enhance learning opportunities that lead to knowledge and employment
  • Provide friendly and enjoyable experiences by creating hands-on learning opportunities
  • Operate real transportation equipment in the form of demonstrations, immersion rides, and other activities that promote experiential learning
  • Present our message and knowledge in an engaging manner
  • Inspire passion for railroading by showing its importance and success in our society and the nation’s development.

Minnesota Transportation Museum (MTM) is located at the historic Jackson Street Roundhouse. This building was originally a steam engine maintenance facility for The Great Northern Railroad.

The Roundhouse was built in 1907 and was one of the last roundhouses built by the “Empire Builder,” James J. Hill. It replaced a smaller wooden engine-house of Saint Paul & Pacific. The Roundhouse was part of a large shop complex built in the 1880s.

Located near downtown Saint Paul just north and east of the State Capitol, the complex had been sold by Great Northern in 1960. The Roundhouse was then remodeled as a warehouse/industrial building. All the tracks were removed and an addition was built where the turntable used to be.

MTM took possession of the Roundhouse in 1986, acquiring a substantial mortgage. Jackson Street was restored as an operating roundhouse, but with several changes. It is MTM’s back shop, but it also houses exhibitions, archives, an audio-visual theater, a meeting room, and offices. The turntable was re-installed in 2001, and the connection with the current day BNSF was restored along with five yard tracks. BNSF cleaned up the environmental pollution which was mostly petroleum in the groundwater. The large mortgage was paid off through the generous financial support of longtime director Arthur E. Pew III and others.

The Museum at Jackson Street Roundhouse opened in 1999. In March of that year, MTM hired its first paid Executive Director, and the administrative offices moved into a renovated space, shared with the Great Northern and Northern Pacific Historical Societies. They and MTM are creating an archive with climate-controlled space and a combined cataloging system.

Board, Department Heads, & Other Staff

Board of Directors

Chair
Wayne Merchant

Vice Chair
Bob Puelston

Secretary
Open

Treasurer
Deb Wood

At-Large
Marion Pew

Morten Jorgensen

Lane Littrell

Todd McGonagle

Larry Paulson

John Radimecky

Garry Yazell

Committee Chairs

Finance
Deb Wood

Personnel
Bob Puelston

Marketing
Barb Loida

Museum Development / Public Relations
Wayne Merchant

Collections & Restoration
Todd McGonagle

Education & Training
Bob Puelston

Equipment Maintenance
Open

Building & Grounds
Garry Yazell

Department Heads and Staff

 

Executive Director
Ellen Puff

Guest Services Manager

Billie Rocarek

JSR Museum & MTM Administrator
Barb Sheldon​

Director of Operations
Dave Hartjie

Operations Coordinator

Tim Grube

Executive Assistant
Frani Lowe

Jackson Street Gift Shop

Marilyn Thomas, Frani Lowe, Robert Keeschan, Carl Rice

Locomotive Maintenance Superintendent
Bob Puelston

Locomotive Maintenance Supervisor

Nick Edstrom

Maintenance of Way
Open

Railway Coach Maintenance
Kurt Mahre

Railway Collections Restoration

Todd McGonagle

Blacksmith-Machine Shop
Gordon Barr

Roundhouse Security
John Radimecky, Bob Puelston

Fire Safety
Nick Modders

Newsletter (Semaphore) Editor

Warren Plaisance

Tots & Trains Coordinator

Warren Plaisance

Senior Advisor

Scott Hippert

 

 
 
 
 
 

TCU (Job Corps) Supervisor
Terry Holman

Railroad Operations Superintendent
Bob Puelston

Associate Superintendents
Kurt Mahre & Ward Gilkerson

Track Inspectors
Lane Littrel, Ward Gilkerson & Bob Puelston

Crew Scheduling
Deb Wood, Larry Paulson & Lane Littrell

Railway Operations Training
John Radimeckym Craig Lofgren

Volunteer Coordinator
Wayne Merchant

Osceola Operations
Noel Petit

Pizza Train
Sandy Hagan

Minnehaha Depot Supervisor
Aaron Novodvorsey

Museum Curator
John Van Arsdale

Garden Railroad Club
Jeff Hunter & Joe Komarek

Facilities Maintenance
Bill Hawley, Gordon Barr, Garry Yazell

Woodworking Shop Supervisor

Bill Hawley

Technology Manager
John Radimecky

Social Media
Conor Casey, Tanner Halbmaier

Video Production
Brian Rockholt

YouTube/Webmaster
Greg Symicek