The Linden Depot is the last surviving junction depot in Indiana. It was built in 1909 to serve the Nickel Plate Railroad which ran east and west from Toledo, OH to St. Louis, MO, and the Monon Railroad (formerly the CI&L Railroad) which ran north and south from Chicago, IL to Louisville, KY. The Depot closed in 1973, and re-opened as a Museum on April 13, 1993.

In this original building, which has been restored to its original colors, are housed many items of railroad memorabilia pertinent to the Nickel Plate and Monon Railroads as well as some from other railroads. There is a Museum Store and an antique ride-on train for children aged six and under!

On the grounds of our museum complex is a Nickel Plate Railroad caboose, which is open for all to explore. There are also four 100-year old semaphores, including the double-bladed one pictured on the right, as well as other railroad signs and signals. We are also pleased to have added a 1978 CSX caboose now parked in our south yard. After a small amount of refurbishing, this caboose will also be open for all to explore!

Across from the CSX caboose is a full-sized replica of an 1837  Norris 4-2-0 Steam Engine, the "Lafayette," currently being built by volunteers at the museum.  This mammoth project was started during the winter of 2018 as the beginning of the celebration of the museum's 25th Anniversary on April 13, 2018.  To date, all of the major parts are in place.  The cylinders are being fabricated, and the siding for the horizontal boiler is ready to install.  It is most exciting to see this engine "come to life!" 

On the south side of the property is the building which houses the HO-gauge model railroad. There are four independent tracks traveling through Southwestern-style mountains, a canyon, a riverbed, through a town that looks much like Linden did in the 1960s, past an animated circus and an animated carnival. There is also have a monorail encircling the carnival, a trolley traveling through the town, a blimp cruising above the circus and a hot-air balloon ride. Work is always continuing on this layout!  Come and enjoy this exciting attraction!

Also in this building are two static N-gauge model railroads, and numerous O-gauge, HO-gauge and N-gauge trains on display. In keeping with the carnival and circus theme on the HO layout, there are numerous circus-related items, including star-back seats, authentic circus posters, circus tent poles, a lion transfer cage, an elephant stand, an elephant blanket, a circus performer's trunk with costumes, a clown bike and even a clown car!