The Alameda County Central Railroad Society maintains two layouts (HO and O scale) at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, California.

The club is operates public shows during events at the fairgrounds but is open to visitors most Friday evenings.
 

The Golden State Model Railroad Museum operates model railroads in three different scales O scale (1:48), HO scale (1:87) and N scale (1:160) in their 10,000 square foot facility. April throught November, trains operate every Sunday, from 12-5,  the museum and gift shop also open Saturdays  

The Western Railway Museum is a project of the Bay Area Electric Railroad Association whose goal is to preserve the regional heritage of electric railway transportation as a living resource for the benefit of present and future generations.

The museum restores, maintains and operates historic railway equipment of northern California and the west along a 22 mile section of the former Sacramento Northern mainline. The museum also has a large bookstore and visitors center displaying surviving historic equipment and materials.

The museum is open weekends throughout the year and weekdays in the summer.

First opened to the public in 1976, the California State Railroad Museum complex is one of Sacramento’s largest and most popular railroad oriented visitor destinations. Over 500,000 visit the Museum annually, with guests traveling from throughout the world to experience this world-renowned facility.

With over 225,000 square feet of total exhibit space, the buildings within the California State Railroad Museum complex use stimulating exhibits, enthusiastic and knowledgeable docents, and beautifully restored railroad cars and locomotives to illustrate railroad history in California and the West. 

Throughout the main Railroad History Museum building, 21 meticulously restored locomotives and cars and numerous exhibits illustrate how railroads have shaped people’s lives, the economy, and the unique culture of California and the West. Included are a Pullman-style sleeping car and a dining car filled with railroad china.

Roaring Camp Railroads is two operating railways offering two different experiences.

The Roaring Camp and Big Trees is a one hour trip behind a restored narrow gauge steam locomotive, travelling over trestles, through towering redwood groves and up a winding narrow-gauge grade to the summit of Bear Mountain as conductors narrate the history of Roaring Camp, the railroad and the forest.  

The Santa Cruz Big Trees and Pacific operates passenger service on one of the oldest and most historic lines in California. When the route opened in 1875 it carried lumber as well as picnickers and tourists to the Big Trees and Santa Cruz. Today's Beach Train passengers can start their roundtrip journeys from either Roaring Camp in Felton or from the beach in Santa Cruz and travel through Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park and the scenic San Lorenzo River Gorge.

The Pacific Locomotive Association, Inc. operates the Niles Canyon Railway as a living history museum interpreting the importance of our heritage railroads in the development of California and the nation. 

The Niles Canyon Railway operates Steam and Diesel powered trains on the original transcontinental railway right of way which connected San Francisco Bay to the rest of the country. The railway operates throughout the year and has numerous special events. 

The Golden Gate Lionel Railroad Club was formed to promote, operate, and enjoy 3-rail O-gauge trains. The club meets twice a month at different location in the Bay Area. The club also operates a large modular layout displayed at Bay Area train shows and train events. Membership is open to anyone with an interest in 3-rail O-gauge trains of any era, condition, type, or manufacture.

The Golden Gate American Flyer Club is group of American Flyer enthusiasts from all parts of the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. The purpose of the club is to promote interest, fellowship and cooperation among persons interested in any facet of American Flyer S Gauge Model Railroading, including collecting or operating.  

Meetings are generally held on Friday evenings or Saturday afternoons at the homes of our members, and provide a chance to visit and enjoy the layouts of fellow members.  Meetings usually feature a silent auction or raffle and an informal "show & tell" session which enables members to share interesting items with their fellow collectors. The club also have members which display modules at various train shows in Northern California.  

The South Bay Historical Railroad Society (SBHRS) was incorporated in 1985 to preserve the local area railroad heritage. Located in the historic Santa Clara (Caltrain) Depot in Santa Clara, California built in 1863. Members are volunteers and work on the renovation and preservation of the Santa Clara Railroad Depot, the Santa Clara Tower and the two maintenance-of-way buildings. A large and varied collection of historic railroad artifacts is on display in the Edward Peterman Museum of Railroad History located in the Depot.

Within the Depot are two operational HO and N scale model railroad layout displays depicting various railroad eras and operations venues. Constant work by our members on these layouts provide an ever changing panorama, giving our visitors and members a better understanding of the different aspects of model railroading.

The Coastal Valley Lines Model Railroad Club of Sonoma County, LTD (CVL) is an informal association of novice-to-expert model railroaders from the Sonoma County, California area. The club operates a HO modular railroad at public and private events, and also gathers for clinics, work sessions and regular monthly meetings.