Excursion: California State Railroad Museum

A railroad museum of particular interest to railroaders of all ages is this one in Sacramento, CA: California State Railroad Museum: https://www.californiarailroad.museum/

Located in Sacramento the museum is situated in what is called Sacramento’s Old Historic District alongside several blocks of rebuilt historic merchant and railway buildings.

A day long adventure with 2-4 hours in the railroad museum alone. Very friendly museum staff and guides describe the history of early railroading in CA and the West.

The museum’s exhibits are on par with other well regarded museums: large ambitious dioramas and restored trains.

photos (above and below): Built in 1862 (Philadelphia) and in service November 1863 (Sacramento) Central Pacific Railroad No.1.

photo (below): Virginia & Truckee Railroad No. 12 Genoa, Baldwin, Philadelphia 1873

photos (2 above/2 below): North Pacific Coast Railroad No. 12 Sonoma, Baldwin, Philadelphia 1876

photo (below): Virginia & Truckee Railroad No. 13 Empire, Baldwin, Philadelphia 1873

The train collection is rather small in comparison to other railroad museums most notably the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, but it is very strong on what it has including the final steam locomotive purchased by Southern Pacific: 4294 cab forward locomotive with tender. I was in awe of this loco for its sheer mass and size, and several groups in the museum at the time were in awe too! It should be noted that not all locomotives are on display at any one time, it is notable that the collection owns 8 of the surviving 45 full size steam locomotives built prior to 1880.

Southern Pacific 4294 cab forward steam locomotive built by Baldwin 1944, it featured oil fired tender with a combined weight of a million pounds.

Displaying fine early and rare steam locomotives is one facet of the displays in the museum which also includes a Santa Fe F7 and a display model modern aerodynamic electric by Siemens.

For toy train collectors there is a display including a few Marklin gauge 1 examples and Lionel Standard Gauge trains, I did not have the time this trip to tour this part of the collection, but I understand it is very good!

Along a wall on the way to the exhibit hall is an early railway regulator built by Seth Thomas in pristine condition and lettered for the Santa Fe railroad, it is perhaps the finest American railway regulator I have ever seen. Keeping trains on time and schedules tracked was helped by precision eight-day regulator clocks such as this fine example that incorporated a mercury pendulum which compensated for changes in ambient temperature.

Sometimes museum displays can go off the rails and detract from the historical importance of that which is exhibited, but in the case of the late 1920’s CN sleeper coach featuring moving train simulation it is WOW! Utilizing dim original lighting fixtures this coach from the ‘heavy weight’ era is fully furnished with original folding seats and bunks found in Pullmans of this era. The periodic flashing strobe light in the darkened windows give that passing scenery affect fully accentuated by the gentle rocking of the entire coach car, one has the going back in time feeling (sorry for cliche).

The AT & SF Super Chief Cochiti dining coach starts with a tour of the large kitchen followed by the dining room set up with tables dressed with china sets from various railroads: a great collection in and of itself. The appointed tour guide played chimes appropriately tuned for breakfast and dinner announcement.