California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento, California

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Sacramento, California · Updated October 19, 2026 · 13 min read

Railroad museumTrain ridesMuseum open daily; excursion trains run seasonally

Opened in 1976 on the Old Sacramento waterfront, the California State Railroad Museum tells how railroads built California and the West, with 21 restored locomotives and cars in its main hall and a historic excursion train that rolls along the Sacramento River.

  • Opened to the public in 1976
  • 21 restored locomotives and cars
  • 225,000 square feet of exhibits
  • Sacramento River excursion train
  • Smithsonian Affiliate since 2017
  • Open daily 10 am to 5 pm

California State Railroad Museum at a glance

Hours
Open daily, 10 am to 5 pm
Admission
The museum does not list admission prices on this page; check californiarailroad.museum before you go
Train rides
Sacramento Southern excursion: 45 minutes, 6 miles round trip. Coach $18 adults, $10 ages 6 to 17, under 6 free; First Class on weekends from April
Seasonal events
The Polar Express, Excursion train season
Plan for
About 2 to 3 hours, more with a train ride
Best for
Families, rail fans and history lovers
Best ages
Ages 3 and up
Parking
Metered street parking in Old Sacramento is limited to 90 minutes and fills early
Accessibility
Historic excursion coaches require climbing narrow stairs; wheelchairs and strollers are stored at the station during rides

Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to California State Railroad Museum? Bring Rally along.

In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Sacramento.

Page 1 of 8

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

Like it so far? See the full book

25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.

From a Bay Area rail club's dream to North America's railroad museum

The museum began as an idea long before it had a building. In 1937, rail enthusiasts in the San Francisco Bay Area formed the Pacific Coast Chapter of the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society, and for years they pushed for a railroad museum in California. They backed that push with something hard to ignore: 30 historic locomotives and cars, donated to the California Department of Parks and Recreation as the starting core of a state museum in Sacramento.

The first piece opened in 1976, when the reconstructed Central Pacific Railroad Passenger Station welcomed visitors in Old Sacramento. The large Railroad History Museum building followed in 1981. Steam excursions on the Sacramento Southern Railroad began in 1984, the Central Pacific Railroad Freight Depot opened three years later, and in 1992 Railtown 1897 State Historic Park in Jamestown came under the museum's wing. In June 2017 the museum became a Smithsonian Affiliate.

Today the museum is part of the California State Parks system, and the California State Railroad Museum Foundation, a 501(c)(3) cooperating association, raises money for programs here and at Railtown 1897. The museum describes itself as a keeper of stories, and it has worked to widen whose stories get told: the Chinese workers who made up ninety percent of the Central Pacific's labor force over the Sierra Nevada, Black and African American railroaders, and the artist Anna Judah, who painted the mountains while her husband Theodore surveyed the route.

Its reach goes beyond the galleries. The Library & Archives is the only professionally staffed public research library in the state park system, holding Southern Pacific and Lima Locomotive Works drawings, photographs and railroad papers, and more than 500,000 people visit the museum each year.

Locomotives under one roof in Old Sacramento

The main Railroad History Museum building holds 21 restored locomotives and cars, some dating to 1862, along with exhibits on how railroads shaped travel, work and daily life in the West. One of the first sights is the Sierra Scene, a large mockup of construction high in the Sierra Nevada around 1867, featuring the Central Pacific locomotive Gov. Stanford. You can walk through a Pullman-style sleeping car and a dining car set with railroad china, and a large 3-rail O scale model train layout keeps younger visitors busy.

A roundhouse area rotates locomotives and equipment from the collection, so what you see can change between visits. Changing exhibits draw on photographs and artifacts, and recent galleries have covered the Chinese Railroad Workers' Experience and a detailed scale model of the Solano, the huge ferry that carried whole trains across the Carquinez Strait. Next door, the reconstructed Central Pacific Passenger Station is where excursion tickets are sold, and the Library & Archives reading room is upstairs in the Big Four building.

Don’t miss

  1. Central Pacific No. 1, Gov. StanfordA Norris-built 4-4-0 from 1862, shown at the center of the Sierra Scene construction mockup.
  2. Southern Pacific 4294A 1944 Baldwin 4-8-8-2 and the only surviving Southern Pacific cab-forward locomotive, cosmetically restored for display.
  3. Virginia & Truckee No. 13, EmpireMirrors set around this 1873 Baldwin 2-6-0 let you see every side of the engine at once.
  4. Nevada Short Line No. 1A little 1879 narrow gauge Mogul displayed on an elevated track above the other trains.
  5. The Pullman sleeping car and dining carWalk through the sleeper, then look into a dining car laid with real railroad china.
  6. The Solano Train Ferry modelAn intricate scale model of the ferry that was the largest train ferry in the world when completed in 1879.

Model trains, a walk-through sleeper and a ride by the river

Children can walk through real passenger cars, look up at locomotives taller than their parents and watch the large O scale layout run. The museum runs an education program for elementary students that uses costumed docents, re-enactments, and train and handcar rides, so school-age kids who have been here on a field trip may want to come back with family.

The excursion train is the big draw for little ones: a 45-minute, 6-mile round trip along the Sacramento River in historic coaches, free for children under 6. Plan ahead if you have a stroller. Passengers must climb a narrow set of stairs into the coaches, and strollers, wheelchairs and mobility devices cannot ride, though the passenger station offers temporary storage.

Plan your visit: tips for California State Railroad Museum

  • Arrive early: Old Sacramento street spaces are limited to 90 minutes and fill up fast.
  • Buy or pick up excursion tickets at the Central Pacific Passenger Station at Front and J streets.
  • Leave the stroller at the station before boarding the excursion coaches.
  • Researchers must book Library & Archives visits ahead; appointments are weekdays only.
  • Foundation members ride the coach excursion free.

The museum's own website calls it the home of The Polar Express, and holiday trips are one of the most searched things about it. Dates, times and tickets are released by the museum and its foundation, so check the official site early in the fall. For more holiday ideas around the state, see our guide to Christmas train rides in California.

California State Parks and the foundation behind the trains

California State Parks runs the museum, and docents bring the galleries to life. The California State Railroad Museum Foundation, a nonprofit cooperating association, funds programs here and at Railtown 1897 in Jamestown. Visitors can help by becoming members, which includes free coach rides on the excursion train, by donating, or by shopping at the museum store. The foundation also posts staff and career openings on its site.

More rail stops around Sacramento

The Central Pacific Railroad Passenger Station sits about a mile away in Old Sacramento. Live steam fans can head roughly 12 miles to the Sacramento Valley Live Steamers Railroad Museum, and the Western Railway Museum is about 33 miles southwest. For the full list, see train museums across California.

Every train museum in California

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of Rally the corgi looking out an arched train window at the ocean and a white bird
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

The excursion train here runs right along the Sacramento River, and I love imagining a little one pressed to the glass watching the water slide by. In our book, Rally sits at an arched window looking out at the ocean and says hello to a white bird. A river is not the ocean, but I think Rally would find a bird to greet all the same. You can color that window scene on our coloring pages.

Free for train families

Print the Rally coloring pages before you go

Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.

Get the free coloring pages
Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

More for train families

Work or volunteer at California State Railroad Museum?

We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.

Sources

Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.

California State Railroad Museum: 20 questions families ask

Where is the California State Railroad Museum located?

The California State Railroad Museum is at 125 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, in Old Sacramento State Historic Park on the Old Sacramento Waterfront. Some references list the address as 111 I Street. The excursion train boards at the Central Pacific Passenger Station at the corner of Front and J streets, a short walk from the main building.

What are the California State Railroad Museum hours?

As of October 2026, the museum lists its hours as open daily, 10 am to 5 pm, seven days a week. The museum store keeps the same hours. Holiday closures and special event hours can change, so check californiarailroad.museum or call the front desk at (916) 323-9280 before you drive in.

Is the California State Railroad Museum open today?

The museum says it is open seven days a week from 10 am to 5 pm, as of October 2026. If you are planning around a holiday, a big event or a specific excursion train, confirm the day's schedule on the museum's website or by calling (916) 323-9280, since special events can change normal operations.

How much are California State Railroad Museum tickets?

Museum admission prices are not included in the information we reviewed, so check the Hours and Admission page at californiarailroad.museum for current rates. Excursion train tickets are priced separately: as of October 2026, coach is $18 for adults, $10 for ages 6 to 17, and free for children under 6 and foundation members.

Can I buy California State Railroad Museum tickets online?

Yes, excursion train tickets can be bought through the Buy Tickets links on the museum's website, and they can also be bought or picked up at the Central Pacific Passenger Station at Front and J streets. For museum entry and holiday events, use the official site at californiarailroad.museum so you get current prices and dates.

Are there discounts or free tickets at the California State Railroad Museum?

Members of the California State Railroad Museum Foundation ride the coach excursion free and get reduced First Class fares, and children under 6 ride free. Other discounts, including any EBT or community programs, are not described in the information we reviewed. Call the museum at (916) 323-9280 or check its website to ask what is currently offered.

Is the California State Railroad Museum free?

The museum itself does not appear to be free, but some visitors pay nothing for parts of the day: children under 6 ride the excursion coach free, and foundation members ride coach free too. Check the museum's Hours and Admission page for current museum entry prices and any free days.

Can you ride a train at the California State Railroad Museum?

Yes. The Sacramento Southern Railroad, operated by the museum, runs a 45-minute, 6-mile round trip from the Old Sacramento Waterfront along the Sacramento River in historic cars. Tickets are sold at the Central Pacific Passenger Station. The museum says the steam locomotive Granite Rock 10 is back, with its 2026 schedule still being set.

When does the California State Railroad Museum excursion train run?

The excursion is seasonal. Wikipedia describes it running between April and October, while a Sacramento visitor guide lists April through September, and First Class service runs on Saturdays and Sundays starting in April. Check the excursion page at californiarailroad.museum for this year's train schedule, or call (916) 445-5995 with ride questions.

What is First Class on the California State Railroad Museum excursion train?

First Class is an air-conditioned, roughly 50-minute ride with refreshments in one of three restored cars: the 1920s El Dorado lounge car, the French Quarter car with its star-studded ceiling, or the Audubon Dining Car. As of October 2026, it costs $25 for adults and $15 for ages 6 to 17, with children under 6 free.

Does the California State Railroad Museum do The Polar Express?

Yes, the museum's own website calls it the home of The Polar Express. Dates, times and tickets for the holiday ride are announced by the museum, and they are popular, so check californiarailroad.museum early in the fall and follow the foundation's Facebook page for on-sale news.

What events does the California State Railroad Museum hold?

Beyond the holiday Polar Express and the excursion train season, the museum hosts changing exhibits, community programs and special events throughout the year. Its events team can be reached at events@csrmf.org. The upcoming events calendar on californiarailroad.museum is the best place to see what is scheduled for the months ahead.

Where do you park for the California State Railroad Museum?

On-street metered parking in Old Sacramento is limited to 90 minutes, and California State Parks notes that the few spaces usually fill early. Plan to arrive near opening, or look at parking near Old Sacramento outside the metered zone, especially if you are adding an excursion ride and want a longer visit.

How long should you spend at the California State Railroad Museum?

Plan on about two to three hours to walk the main building, with its 21 locomotives and cars, the Sierra Scene and the model layout. Add about an hour for the 45-minute excursion ride and boarding. Keep in mind that metered street parking nearby is limited to 90 minutes.

What locomotives are at the California State Railroad Museum?

Highlights include Central Pacific No. 1 Gov. Stanford from 1862, Central Pacific No. 3 C. P. Huntington, Southern Pacific 4294 (the only surviving cab-forward), Virginia & Truckee No. 13 Empire, and Nevada Short Line No. 1 on an elevated track. The roundhouse area rotates other engines from the collection, so displays change.

When did the California State Railroad Museum open?

The museum's first building, the reconstructed Central Pacific Railroad Passenger Station, opened to the public in 1976, and the main Railroad History Museum building was completed in 1981. The idea dates to 1937, when Bay Area rail enthusiasts formed a historical society chapter and later donated 30 locomotives and cars to the state.

Is the California State Railroad Museum good for toddlers and strollers?

The main building suits young children, with big engines, walk-through cars and a model train layout. On the excursion train, strollers are not allowed on the historic coaches and everyone must climb a narrow set of stairs, but the passenger station offers temporary storage. Children under 6 ride the coach free.

What is the California State Railroad Museum Foundation?

The California State Railroad Museum Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and official cooperating association with California State Parks. It funds programs at the museum in Old Sacramento and at Railtown 1897 State Historic Park in Jamestown, and handles memberships. The membership department is at (916) 445-5995, weekdays 9 am to 4 pm.

Is the California State Railroad Museum hiring?

The California State Railroad Museum Foundation lists careers on its website, alongside staff, board and financial information. Because the museum is part of California State Parks, some positions may be posted through the state. Check the foundation's Careers page at californiarailroad.museum for current openings, or call the business office at (916) 445-7387.

What train museums are near the California State Railroad Museum?

The Central Pacific Railroad Passenger Station historic site is about a mile away, and the Sacramento RiverTrain is about 10 miles off in West Sacramento. The Sacramento Valley Live Steamers sit about 12 miles away in Rancho Cordova, the Folsom rail sites about 19 miles, and the Western Railway Museum about 33 miles.

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Kelsey Cecil
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