Fullerton Train Museum, California

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Fullerton, California · Updated October 19, 2026 · 12 min read

Railroad museumFreeOpen the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of each month, 9 am to noon

The Fullerton Train Museum is a free collection of six vintage passenger cars and cabooses parked beside a working main line at the Fullerton Transportation Center, cared for and opened to the public by the volunteers of the Southern California Railway Plaza Association.

  • Free admission
  • Six vintage railcars on display
  • Open 1st and 3rd Saturdays
  • Right at Fullerton Train Station
  • Run by volunteer nonprofit SCRPA
  • Railroad Days began in 1999

Fullerton Train Museum at a glance

Hours
1st and 3rd Saturdays of each month, 9 am to noon
Admission
Free
Seasonal events
Easter Event at the Fullerton Train Museum, Halloween at the Fullerton Train Museum, Santa Claus at the Fullerton Train Museum
Plan for
About 1 hour
Best for
Young train fans and families who like watching real trains
Best ages
Ages 3 and up
Parking
Fullerton Transportation Center, corner of Pomona and Santa Fe

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

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Fullerton Train 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 Fullerton.

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 two-day train show to six railcars by the main line

The museum grew out of a party. In May 1999 the group then called the Fullerton Railway Plaza Association used the depot's new parking lot and two sidings the city had installed to stage its first Railroad Days weekend. About 15,000 adults and children came over two days, and the event kept growing until it drew more than 40,000 visitors at its tenth anniversary in May 2008. That turnout convinced the volunteers that a permanent rail attraction at the depot would find an audience.

When the city began planning to redevelop the depot area in 2005, the association hired attractions consultant Barry Howard, who created the design concepts for the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento, to sketch a hands-on learning center they called the Southern California Railroad Experience. In December 2008 the city declined the proposal. Rather than give up, the group adopted a new regional mission, renamed itself the Southern California Railway Plaza Association, and spent several years looking for another way to put real equipment in front of the public.

The answer was to buy railcars and park them where people already gather for trains. SCRPA acquired six vintage cars that now sit on permanent display at the east end of the Fullerton Train Station, open for tours as the Fullerton Train Museum. Railroad Days continued until 2018, when city constraints and then the pandemic halted the show. Today the association's Railroad Operations Committee holds work parties on the cars twice a month and opens them to visitors at the same time, so every open house is also a chance to see volunteers at work.

Three cabooses, three streamliners and a live main line

The collection lines up six cars on the tracks beside the station. Three are cabooses that span the steel era: a 1929 Santa Fe cupola way car, a 1942 Union Pacific tall cupola caboose and a 1961 Southern Pacific bay window caboose. The other three are 85-foot streamlined passenger cars from the postwar years: a 1951 Santa Fe sleeping car, a 1949 Union Pacific lunch counter, diner and lounge, and a 1949 Union Pacific dormitory and lounge car.

The museum says its cars are kept in their in-service condition, and visitors walk through them during open hours. Because the display sits at the Fullerton Transportation Center beside the main line, modern trains pass while you explore, which many kids find as exciting as the historic cars.

Don’t miss

  1. 1949 Union Pacific lunch counter, diner and loungeA streamlined 85-foot car with a lunch counter, a reminder of how meals were served on postwar trains.
  2. 1951 Santa Fe streamlined sleeping carAn 85-foot Santa Fe sleeper that shows how overnight passengers traveled in the streamliner years.
  3. 1929 Santa Fe cupola cabooseThe oldest car in the collection, a steel way car from the railroad that gave Fullerton its station.
  4. 1961 Southern Pacific bay window cabooseIts side bay windows replaced the rooftop cupola, an easy design change for kids to spot when compared with the two cupola cabooses.
  5. 1942 Union Pacific tall cupola cabooseA wartime Union Pacific caboose with a tall lookout perched on top.

Walk-through cars and trains rolling past

Kids can walk through historic railcars and compare three different caboose styles side by side, which turns the visit into a spot-the-difference game. The three-hour Saturday windows are relaxed, admission is free, and you can stay as long as the kids stay interested.

Holiday open houses add something extra. The museum's calendar lists an Easter event in March, a Halloween morning in October with a Talking Pumpkin, and a December morning to visit with Santa and his elves. The SCRPA also runs an annual Railroad Safety Poster Contest with local schools to teach younger children about staying safe around trains.

Plan your visit: tips for Fullerton Train Museum

  • No reservations are needed for the Saturday open houses.
  • Arrive before noon: tours run 9 am to noon only.
  • Check the events page for the yearly calendar, since some Saturdays become holiday events.
  • Donations to the SCRPA are tax deductible, and membership runs January to December.

Three Saturdays a year turn into small celebrations. The museum's 2026 calendar lists an Easter event in March, Halloween at the Fullerton Train Museum in October with a Talking Pumpkin, and a December morning when Santa and his elves visit the cars, all from 9 am to noon. For more seasonal ideas, see our guides to Halloween train rides in California and California Christmas train rides.

The SCRPA volunteers behind every open house

The Southern California Railway Plaza Association is a volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit run by a board with backgrounds in railroad operations, nonprofit work and technical trades. Its Railroad Operations Committee restores the six cars at twice-monthly work parties. Members get the Hot Rail! quarterly newsletter, quarterly dinners and motor coach excursions to other rail sites, and donations are tax deductible.

Pair Fullerton with another Southland rail stop

RailGiants Train Museum in Pomona is only about 17 miles away, close enough to pair with a Saturday morning open house. The Lomita Railroad Museum is about 23 miles west, and Travel Town Museum in Los Angeles is about 28 miles. Find more in our guide to California train museums.

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.

Those streamlined Union Pacific lounge cars were built for looking out the window, and I love that kids can sit where travelers once watched the West roll by. Rally does the same thing in our book: he presses up to an arched window, sees the ocean, and says hello to a white bird. Watching kids peer out of those big lounge windows while real trains roll past the station feels very close to his story. See how it began on our story page.

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 Fullerton Train 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.

Fullerton Train Museum: 20 questions families ask

When is the Fullerton Train Museum open house?

As of October 2026, the Fullerton Train Museum holds open houses on the first and third Saturday of every month from 9 am to noon. Volunteers from the Railroad Operations Committee open the cars to the public during their regular work parties. Some open house dates become holiday events, so check the events page at fullertontrainmuseum.org.

What are the Fullerton Train Museum hours?

As of October 2026, the museum is open only on the first and third Saturdays of each month, from 9 am to noon. It is not open on other days, because it is run entirely by volunteers. Plan to arrive before noon, and confirm the date on the museum's events calendar before you go.

Do you need tickets for the Fullerton Train Museum?

No. As of October 2026, admission to the Fullerton Train Museum is free and no reservations are needed for the Saturday open houses. Just show up between 9 am and noon. The museum is supported by the nonprofit SCRPA, so donations and memberships are welcome and tax deductible.

Is the Fullerton Train Museum at the Fullerton train station?

Yes. The museum is at the east end of the Fullerton Train Station, at the corner of Pomona and Santa Fe in the Fullerton Transportation Center. Its listed address is 200 East Santa Fe Avenue, Fullerton, CA 92832. The six railcars sit on tracks beside the station, close to the active main line.

What trains are at the Fullerton Train Museum?

The museum displays six vintage railcars: a 1951 Santa Fe streamlined sleeping car, a 1929 Santa Fe cupola caboose, a 1942 Union Pacific tall cupola caboose, a 1961 Southern Pacific bay window caboose, a 1949 Union Pacific lunch counter, diner and lounge car, and a 1949 Union Pacific dormitory and lounge car.

Can you go inside the cars at the Fullerton Train Museum?

Yes. The SCRPA says its six vintage railcars are open for tours during the Saturday open houses, and the museum describes visitors walking through its collection. Volunteers keep the cars in their in-service condition and are on hand to answer questions while they work on restoration projects.

Does the Fullerton Train Museum have a Halloween event?

Yes. As of October 2026, the museum's calendar lists Halloween at the Fullerton Train Museum on Saturday, October 17, from 9 am to noon, with a Talking Pumpkin for kids to visit. It takes the place of the regular third Saturday open house. Check the events page each year for the new date.

Can you see Santa at the Fullerton Train Museum?

Yes. As of October 2026, the museum's calendar lists Santa Claus at the Fullerton Train Museum on Saturday, December 19, from 9 am to noon, when families can visit with Santa and his elves among the railcars. Dates change each year, so check the events page at fullertontrainmuseum.org.

Is there an Easter event at the Fullerton Train Museum?

Yes. The 2026 events calendar listed an Easter event at the Fullerton Train Museum on Saturday, March 21, from 9 am to noon, held during a regular open house slot. Look for the next year's date on the museum's events page in early spring, since it moves with the calendar.

Where can I see photos and reviews of the Fullerton Train Museum?

The museum's Facebook page, the official page of the Fullerton Train Museum, posts photos and updates, and it also shares on Instagram. Yelp carries visitor reviews and photos too. Reviewers often mention the friendly volunteers and the period details inside the Union Pacific lounge cars.

Is the Fullerton Train Museum good for toddlers?

It is a good short outing for toddlers who love trains. Admission is free, the visit is relaxed, and little ones can watch modern trains pass the station while you tour the historic cars. Walking through passenger cars is easy, but caboose steps can be steep, so be ready to lift small children.

Can you ride a train at the Fullerton Train Museum?

The museum itself does not offer rides; its six cars are on permanent display. But because it sits at the Fullerton Transportation Center, the Metrolink stop where trains use the main line, families can pair a visit with a real train trip from the same station. Check current schedules before planning a ride.

Where do you park for the Fullerton Train Museum?

The museum is inside the Fullerton Transportation Center at the corner of Pomona and Santa Fe, so most visitors use the station's parking. Railroad Days was once held on the depot's parking lot. Lots near busy stations fill with commuters, so leave a little extra time to find a space.

How long should I spend at the Fullerton Train Museum?

Most families spend about an hour walking through the six railcars and watching trains at the station. The open house runs three hours, from 9 am to noon, so there is no rush. Rail fans who want to talk with the restoration volunteers may stay longer.

Who runs the Fullerton Train Museum?

The Southern California Railway Plaza Association, or SCRPA, runs the museum. It is a volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit led by a board of directors, dedicated to preserving Southern California's rail heritage and offering train-related education for young people. Its Railroad Operations Committee restores the cars.

What was Fullerton Railroad Days?

Fullerton Railroad Days was an annual train show at the Fullerton depot that began in May 1999 and drew about 15,000 people its first weekend. It grew to more than 40,000 visitors by its tenth year in 2008. The event ran until 2018, and the museum says its future is uncertain.

How can I volunteer or become a member at the Fullerton Train Museum?

Join the SCRPA. Membership runs January 1 to December 31 and includes the Hot Rail! quarterly newsletter, quarterly member dinners and seasonal motor coach excursions. Members interested in hands-on work can join the Railroad Operations Committee work parties on the first and third Saturdays. Email info@fullertontrainmuseum.org to start.

Can I donate to the Fullerton Train Museum?

Yes. The SCRPA is a recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit, so donations to it and to the Fullerton Train Museum are tax deductible to the extent the law allows. The museum's website has a donation page, and you can also mail gifts to P.O. Box 5195, Fullerton, CA 92838-5195.

How do I contact the Fullerton Train Museum?

Call (714) 278-0648 or email info@fullertontrainmuseum.org. The mailing address is P.O. Box 5195, Fullerton, CA 92838-5195, and the website has a contact form. The museum also answers through its Facebook and Instagram pages. Because it is volunteer run, allow a few days for a reply.

What train museums are near the Fullerton Train Museum?

RailGiants Train Museum in Pomona is about 17 miles away, and the Lomita Railroad Museum is about 23 miles. In Los Angeles, about 28 miles away, you will find Travel Town Museum, the Griffith Park & Southern Railroad and the Los Angeles Live Steamers. The Southern California Railway Museum in Perris is about 40 miles.

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