Toledo, Ohio – March 1, 2026 – We’re delighted to announce that the completely redesigned website for the Toledo, Lake Erie & Western Railway and Museum (TLE&W) is now live at tlew.org!
This major update brings a fresh, modern look and feel to our online home, with enhanced navigation, richer content, and exciting new interactive elements—all crafted to better share Northwest Ohio’s fascinating railroad heritage and make it easier for everyone to connect with our mission.
As a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1965, we preserve and celebrate the history of the Clover Leaf Route and regional railroading through museum exhibits, historic motorcar rides, and community programs. The new site reflects these efforts with clearer information, beautiful visuals, and tools designed to engage visitors, members, and supporters alike.
Exciting New Features Now Available:
- Enhanced Collections Showcase — Dive into our indoor and outdoor artifacts with quality photos, detailed descriptions, and an interactive map that pins key railroad locations and equipment pieces. Zoom in to explore, learn more about each item, and even get directions. We’ll continue expanding this section with additional photos and historical details as they become available.
- QR Code Integration (Coming Soon) — In the near future, we’ll add QR codes to signage at many outdoor collection pieces. Scan them on-site for instant access to the dedicated web page with full information about the artifact you’re viewing—enhancing your museum experience.
- Members-Only Area — A private section just for members, perfect for exclusive updates like work days, meetings, and special announcements. Members will receive login credentials by email (expected by March 2nd) to access this area. Looking ahead, we’ll add features for conducting elections and tracking volunteer work hours right on the site!
- Streamlined Ways to Get Involved — Easy-to-find sections on membership benefits (with application details for mail-in or in-person), donating artifacts or funds to our endowment, volunteering, and contacting us.
- Donor Appreciation & Visual Highlights — A warm thank-you to our supporters with featured partner logos, plus curated photos and links to our social media for the latest news and event updates.
- Responsive Design — The entire site is optimized for phones, tablets, and computers, ensuring a smooth experience no matter how you visit.
A Note on Online Payments: We’re finalizing the online membership and donation process via PayPal and expect to resolve the last technical details soon. Once live, this will be a game-changer for convenience—watch for our official announcement when it’s ready!
This launch marks the soft-launch phase: The site is publicly accessible starting today (March 1, 2026), so feel free to explore if you discover it! We’re first inviting our valued members to take the initial look over the next week—browse thoroughly, enjoy the new content, and share any feedback on typos, inaccuracies, or suggestions for improvement. Your input will help us polish everything before the full public rollout.
An official public announcement highlighting the redesigned website will follow in approximately one week, welcoming the broader community to discover all that’s new.
Visit tlew.org today to see the improvements for yourself! For questions, tour information, volunteer opportunities, or membership details, reach out via our contact page or call (419) 878-2177.
Thank you for your ongoing support—we’re excited about this next chapter in sharing our railroad legacy!