The main purpose of the railway collection at the museum's establishment, similar to most other fields, was primarily to document and promote contemporary railway technology. Leading Czech railway engineering companies, whose representatives were members of the relevant "sector group," donated many samples of new or tested components to the museum's collections. Over time, the activities of the railway department focused mainly on documenting the development of railway transport in what is now the Czech Republic.
In addition to an extensive collection of historical rail vehicles, which includes more than 150 standard or narrow-gauge vehicles and is continually being expanded, the NTM Railway Museum also collects components of both powered and non-powered vehicles (trucks, boilers, steam engines, car bodies), various railway equipment (devices, signaling technology, uniforms), and related accessories. To a limited extent, the collection also includes artifacts from the field of urban public transport, which has been the focus of other specialized museums in our country.
For better clarity, the railway collection is further divided into so-called subgroups, which contain collection items related to specific areas of railway history.