This is so sad .. from LTC Mark Metz
During a meeting on 3 Jun 2025 with the Center of Military History (CMH), the US Army Transportation Museum was informed that it will be one of 19 Army Museums closing within the next 2 years.
Tentative timeline:
Jul 2025: Army EXORD published
Aug 2025: Initial closures begin
Sep 2027: Final closures
Sep 2029: Final inactivations
NOTE: Closure means closed to the public. Inactivation means facility returned to installation
Specific closure/inactivation timelines will be detailed in an EXORD to be published in Jul 2025.
The ATMF will continue to provide updates to Membership as they become available.
The decision to close was based on 4 criteria: Building Condition, Visitation, Soldier Training, and Gate Access. CMH believes the Trans Museum is challenged in 3 of the categories:
• Building condition of the Transportation Museum is one of the worst in the Army Museum Enterprise (AME).
• Movement of the OCOT and training base to Ft Gregg-Adams considerably degraded soldier training.
• 100% government identification for Ft Eustis gate access severely limited civilian visitors.
The Transportation Museum Director sent an email to the Chief of Transportation and Ft Eustis Garrison Command informing them of the decision. General information on the closures has been published on the CMH and ATMF Facebook page.
Additional Notes:
• The Secretary of the Army and Army Chief of Staff were briefed on the closure plan and concurred.
• 19 Army museums to close; 12 to remain.
• CMH Tiger Teams will be sent out to determine what displays/artifacts will be culled from the closed museums and moved to the remaining museums.
• All Army museum vehicles/artifacts etc., are Army property and will be processed IAW with Army regulations.
Notes for ATMF Membership Consideration:
• First and foremost, the ATMF, and its membership, is not lying down and surrendering.
• The ATMF Executive Committee will organize a Working Group (WG) in the next week to develop strategy and a way ahead. The WG will include personnel from the ATMF Board of Directors (BOD) and Board of Advisors (BOA), Transportation Corps Officer Candidate School (TCOCS), Transportation Corps Regimental Association (TCRA), and other retired senior Transportation Corps officers/NCOs/DACs.
• The WG will need ATMF membership support. It will be looking for your recommendations, suggestions, who should be the recipients of a mass letter writing campaign, etc.
• Business as usual for the Transportation Museum and the ATMF until publication of the EXORD.
• We will continue to accept donations. Final determination on continued donation acceptance will be made upon receipt of EXORD.
• No change to the raffle campaign. Raffle drawing will be conducted as scheduled on 10 Oct 2025. Raffle tickets will be accepted up until 09 Oct 2025T
Web Links
https://transportation.army.mil/museum/
The museum houses the 2-8-0 Series locomotive (number 607), the last steam engine operated by the Army and the Berlin Duty Car
