Go for a Spin

Wheels transportation museum in downtown Albuquerque’s railyard is serious fun

By Leba Freed

Wheels is a mecca for parents and children to learn the history of rail in the west, and the stories of the development of automobiles, airplanes, bicycles, and every mode of transportation of our past, present, and even the future.

To understand how we got here, the museum showcases rare vehicles such as the Star Durant car that was found buried in California, dug up, and put on exhibit to enlighten visitors about the trauma of the dust bowl. Or the 1883 bike from France, the first to have brakes and pedals. There’s also the Farmhall tractor, on which many folks rode as they plowed fields.

More than 425 occupations called men and women to work in railyards, to move to America from 27 countries, to build this country. Our state evolved from early agriculture to a modern world with the advent of boilermakers, machinists, and track men. At the museum, you will learn about these workers. Women came to work during World War II, cleaning million-pound locomotives at midnight when they came in from runs. Each day, 1,500 to 2,000 men worked at the railyards, repairing 40 locomotives a month. You will learn their stories and more. You can watch a movie showing the last men who worked here. The museum also gives presentations about early autos, racing, and the first dealership here in New Mexico in 1900. Airplanes joined us about the same time, and there were three airports in Albuquerque at one time.

Many parents and grandparents visit Wheels every week, bringing babies in strollers, teens, and all ages in between to see more than 10,000 full-size and model-scale exhibits. Children can learn how to run model trains of every gauge. Everyone has free admission and gets a train ride around the exhibits as they learn about fire trucks, race cars, and an early Chalmers car built for the owner of the company—complete with a place for the chauffeur in front of the passengers.

Inspiration comes to visitors of all ages as they learn about airplanes—both model and full size—and the history of the first planes in New Mexico. The museum recently hung a full-size wooden plane created by Wheels volunteers with more than 800 hours of labor. This amazing plane allows visitors to see the inside of such a transportation mode.

Special docents give detailed tours of our rare exhibits. You can also explore antique trucks, learn how to run an 0-gauge model train, and read about specific families who worked here. We offer field trips, and provide scavenger hunts, so students and adults can glean information about tiny items on exhibit—find the wedding, or a horn on a 1942 Seagraves fire truck.

Wheels is the perfect place to learn the history of moving—from walking and riding a horse, to the electric car, to travel to Mars. Visitors come away with the understanding that 25,000 gallons of water were needed every 100 miles for a steam locomotive to reach a destination, that bikes are a fabulous way to get around, that new sources of power are being developed to take us to our destinations. All of these facets are part of what will drive your imagination when you visit Wheels.

Visit Wheels Monday through Thurday from 9 to 12, Saturday from 9 to 2, and some Sundays. Please call for information, 505-243-6269.

Leba Freed, an Alburquerque native, began saving the downtown Albuquerque railyards in 1994. She was instrumental in the purchase of the site in 2007 by the city. Leba has won many awards including NM Hero and the State Historic Preservation Award, and has been the president of Wheels since 1994.