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.

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 Redwood Valley Railway is a gem is middle of the bay area. This 5 inch scale narrow gauge railway began in 1952 and recreates an era of railroading long since passed. Perched high atop the Oakland hills the railway operates every weekend thought the year, and weekdays during the summer and other holiday weeks. A ride on the railway is to be transported back in time, to when the smells of steam engines and valve oil filled the air. From the Army Camp depot you travel in open cars through the redwoods to Windy Point where have spectacular views of San Pablo Bay and Mt. Tamalpias. 

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 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 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.