About the museum

Our mission.

The mission of the Trinidad Railroad Museum is to preserve, interpret, and celebrate the rich railroad history of Trinidad, Colorado, and the surrounding region. Through engaging exhibits, educational programs, and authentic artifacts, we aim to inspire an appreciation for the transformative role of railroads in shaping our communities and connecting our past to the present.

Our history

We’ve been laying down tracks.

Trinidad Railroad Museum was founded in 2023 with the goal of preserving and sharing the rich railroad history of Trinidad, Colorado. In 2024, museum Founder and President Chris Bryant served on Trinidad’s Historic Preservation Commission. He led the effort to designate Colorado & Southern locomotive No. 638, a cherished piece of local railroad history, as a Local Historic Landmark. In February 2025 we promoted our new location with a pop-up at Mutiny Coffee, spoke with over 40 people and raised over $400. The next month, the museum opened a physical location in the old C&S passenger depot on Elm Street. In 2025, our board members volunteered at other museums, conducted original historic research in archives, and gave presentations at community events and schools. Between March 2025 and April 2026, we welcomed in almost 250 visitors. In April 2026, we decided to close the physical location and put our focus on digital programming and community outreach.

Our work

What the museum does.

Trinidad has been a crossroads for generations of travelers and railroad workers. Before the railroad, the area was a hub for trade and travel on the Santa Fe Trail. Since 1876, several railroads have served Trinidad and the surrounding area. We collect the photographs, documents, artifacts, and stories that survive from each of them. The Denver & Rio Grande founding of El Moro in 1876, the AT&SF battle with the Denver & Rio Grande for control of Raton Pass, the CF&I coal camps near Ludlow served by Colorado & Southern, the Colorado & Wyoming coal trains out of the Purgatoire Valley, the streamlined passenger trains of the Santa Fe and Burlington Route, and the Amtrak and BNSF trains that still roll through town today, are all topics that are core to our mission.

We’ve been digging into archives at the Denver Public Library, History Colorado, and the Colorado Railroad Museum, and have uncovered a wealth of primary sources for exhibits and other programming. We have an online research program that has found new digital archives, as well as physical archives we plan to visit in the future. We are also planning an oral history program to capture the stories of long-time residents and railroad workers. The museum’s long-term goal is to secure a permanent physical location. For now, the museum is a Museum Without Walls and delivers its programming online, at special events, and with partner organizations.

The board

Who runs the museum.

A volunteer board of four oversees the museum’s collection, programming, and finances. Each member brings a unique perspective to the museum’s mission.

The board meets at least quarterly to discuss the museum’s operations and strategic direction.

We are currently seeking additional board members to join the museum. We are specifically looking for individuals with legal and accounting backgrounds, and/or have expertise in history, education, or nonprofit management.

Founder and President

Chris Bryant

Chris moved to Trinidad from Tulsa, Oklahoma in 2017, and upon discovering the depth of the area’s railroad history, began researching it intensively. He traveled to museums and train shows across the region before opening the doors of the museum in 2025. He served on the Trinidad Historic Preservation Commission and led the landmarking of Colorado & Southern Engine No. 638 in 2024. He holds degrees in Horticulture and Computer Science and works professionally as a Lead Software Quality Assurance Engineer.

Vice President

Jennifer Kramarz

A Trinidad native and Hoehne High School graduate, Jennifer pursued a degree in Computer Science at the University of Colorado – Colorado Springs (UCCS) and is now a software tester. During her spare time, Jennifer also volunteers at the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden, CO. This allows her to develop knowledge of operations at a railroad museum as well as foster a working relationship between the two museums.

Secretary

Aaron Phillips

Aaron is a senior software engineer and technical consultant based in Colorado Springs, with expertise in backend systems, embedded development, database design, and asset tracking. He has a strong interest in railroad history and preservation. His background in systems architecture helps the museum approach preservation work with both technical rigor and a deep respect for heritage.

At-large member

Jason Warf

Jason grew up in a small farm town in Illinois at the crossroads of the Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad and the Lafayette, Bloomington & Western Railroad — with family farms sitting directly on both routes. That early proximity to the rails sparked a lifelong interest in railroad history. For the past two decades he has focused on policy and legislation, working with elected and appointed officials at every level of government to craft responsible public policy. He brings this policy expertise and his relationships with elected officials directly to the museum’s board, helping advance the museum’s mission in the political arena.