After many many years of the train room more or less looking the same, it seems today 6/4/2019 the Franklin Institute announced it will be renovating the train room and making it a two story affair!
New article here: https://www.inquirer.com/arts/franklin-institute-philadelphia-locomotive-train-room-renovation-baldwin-60000-20190604.html?__vfz=medium%3Dsharebar
While it’s awesome to hear the place is finally getting some updates, I really hope they plan to include many actual hands-on exhibits like they’ve done in the past, and not limit them to touch screens. Kids need to feel the weight of a train part, or be able to handle and see perhaps modern technology in modern passenger and freight trains. They can play with touchscreens at home!