ASHWAUBENON HISTORY TOUR FIELD GUIDE
Earn Your Railroading Merit Badge in a Day at the National Railroad Museum
A one-day series of six hands-on workshops on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, covering rail safety, locomotive mechanics, trip planning and more—this guide explains what to expect and how to register.
Earn Your Railroading Merit Badge in a Day at the National Railroad Museum.
Set in the National Railroad Museum in Ashwaubenon, the Railroading Merit Badge Workshop condenses the badge’s requirements into six focused, instructor-led sessions. Scouts and adult leaders move through modules on rail safety, how locomotives work, freight operations, trip planning and signaling while gaining access to museum resources and demonstrations designed to satisfy the merit badge criteria.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
Six focused, hands-on sessions
Participants complete a sequence of six workshops that follow the Railroading Merit Badge requirements, covering practical topics from safety to signaling in an instructor-led format.
Complete the badge—and receive Blue Cards
Successful completion of the workshop activities fulfills the merit badge requirements; Blue Merit Badge Cards are provided by the museum to document completion.
Learn inside the National Railroad Museum
The program uses the museum’s exhibits and behind-the-scenes material to illustrate how locomotives work, what freight trains carry and the inner workings of railroad operations.
What the day feels like
What the day feels like
The workshop is a compact, classroom-and-field hybrid: Scouts rotate through short, practical sessions led by museum staff and volunteers, then apply those lessons directly on exhibits and equipment. Expect focused instruction on rail safety, hands-on demonstrations of locomotive mechanics, group exercises in trip planning and a close look at signaling and freight operations within the museum setting.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who this workshop is for—and who should consider alternatives.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
The workshop is a one-day event on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025; registration remains open until capacity is reached and the final registration date is October 29, 2025 (no on-site registration).
No prerequisites are required; reading the Railroading Merit Badge Book is recommended prior to attendance.
All registration is completed electronically through the National Railroad Museum website; there is no on-site registration and attendees should register before the final date.
Program admission plus ticket service fee is $12 for all attendees.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
Who is eligible to attend?
The workshop is open to all Boy Scouts and adult leaders; Cub Scouts may participate in activities but cannot earn the Railroading Merit Badge through this program.
How many attendees can the workshop accommodate?
Capacity is 300 scouts and 100 adult leaders.
How do I register?
All registration must be completed electronically through the National Railroad Museum website; there is no on-site registration.
When is the final registration deadline?
General registration remains open until the workshop capacity is reached; the final date for registration is October 29, 2025.
Is there a fee to attend?
Yes. The fee is $12, which covers program admission plus a ticket service fee.
Will I receive documentation for badge completion?
Blue Merit Badge Cards will be provided by the Museum to document completion.