Western America Railroad Museum in Barstow, California
Depot museumHours are not posted online; confirm before you go
The Western America Railroad Museum collects, preserves and shares the history of railroading in the Pacific Southwest from the east side of Barstow's historic Harvey House railroad depot.
- Founded in 2001
- At the Barstow Harvey House depot
- Outdoor locomotives and rolling stock
- Santa Fe 1460, nicknamed Beep
- Run by a nonprofit
Western America Railroad Museum at a glance
- Hours
- Not posted online; confirm locally before visiting
- Admission
- Not posted online; ask on arrival
- Plan for
- About 1 hour
- Best for
- Route 66 road-trippers and Santa Fe fans
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Contact and directions
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Taking the kids to Western America 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 Barstow.
Rally Takes the Train
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Keeping Barstow's railroad story at the Harvey House
Barstow grew up as a railroad town, and the Western America Railroad Museum, often shortened to W.A.R.M., was founded in 2001 to make sure that history stayed in public view. Its mission is to collect, preserve and share the story of railroading across the Pacific Southwest.
The museum is run by a nonprofit organization and makes its home on the east side of the Harvey House railroad depot, one of the best known railroad buildings on the old Route 66 corridor. Inside are artifacts, timetables, uniforms and other railroad memorabilia, while the outdoor collection lines up locomotives and rolling stock along the depot grounds.
Information about this museum online is limited. It does not appear to keep an official website or social media account that we could find, so treat this page as a starting point and confirm hours and access locally before you make the drive.
Inside the depot and along the outdoor tracks
Indoor displays cover railroad artifacts, timetables and uniforms from the region's rail history. Outside, the rolling stock collection includes locomotives such as Santa Fe 1460, a diesel known to rail fans as Beep. Because the museum shares the Harvey House grounds, a visit pairs naturally with a look at the depot building itself.
Don’t miss
- Santa Fe 1460, BeepA locomotive in the outdoor collection that search listings call out by name.
- The Harvey House depotThe historic Barstow depot whose east side is the museum's home.
- Timetables and uniformsIndoor displays that show the people and schedules behind the trains.
Big engines in the desert sun
Kids who like big machines can see full-size locomotives and rail cars outdoors. The museum does not say online whether children can climb aboard, so ask when you arrive. Barstow summers are very hot, so plan the outdoor part of a visit for the morning and bring water.
Plan your visit: tips for Western America Railroad Museum
- Confirm opening days before you go, since hours are not widely published.
- Look for the museum on the east side of the Harvey House depot.
- Visit the outdoor collection early in the day during hot weather.
A nonprofit keeping Pacific Southwest rail history
A nonprofit organization operates the Western America Railroad Museum. The museum does not post membership or volunteer programs online, so if you would like to help, ask staff during a visit how donations or volunteer time can support the collection.
Where to go next from Barstow
Heading toward Los Angeles, the RailGiants Train Museum in Pomona is about 71 miles away and the Southern California Railway Museum in Perris about 80. Going west instead, the Tehachapi Depot Railroad Museum is about 82 miles. Browse all of California's train museums to plan the rest of the trip.
- RailGiants Train MuseumPomona, CA · about 71 mi
- Southern California Railway MuseumPerris, CA · about 80 mi
- Tehachapi Depot Railroad MuseumTehachapi, CA · about 82 mi
- Fullerton Train MuseumFullerton, CA · about 88 mi
- Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad MuseumLos Angeles, CA · about 89 mi
- Walt Disney's Carolwood BarnLos Angeles, CA · about 89 mi
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
Barstow is a railroad town through and through, and I think of all the conductors who must have worked out of that depot. In our book, Mr. Conductor in his blue uniform holds out a hand to welcome Rally aboard, and Rally trusts him right away. A museum full of old uniforms and timetables is a good place to tell kids who those helpers were. Our train books for toddlers list has more.
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
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
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Work or volunteer at Western America 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.
Western America Railroad Museum: 20 common questions
Where is the Western America Railroad Museum in Barstow?
The museum is on the east side of the historic Harvey House railroad depot in Barstow, California. A mapping listing gives the address as 685 North 1st Avenue, Barstow, CA 92311, but that address is lower confidence, so look for the Harvey House depot when you arrive.
What is the Western America Railroad Museum?
It is a nonprofit railroad museum that collects, preserves and shares the history of railroading in the Pacific Southwest. It is often called W.A.R.M. and is housed on the east side of Barstow's Harvey House depot, with indoor exhibits and an outdoor collection of locomotives and rolling stock.
What are the Western America Railroad Museum hours?
Current hours are not posted online, and the museum does not appear to have an official website. Before you drive to Barstow, check a recent listing or ask locally at the Harvey House depot, since small volunteer museums often keep limited days.
How much does the Western America Railroad Museum cost?
Admission prices are not posted online. Many small nonprofit rail museums charge little or ask for a donation, but do not count on that here. Ask when you arrive, and bring a little cash in case the museum accepts donations.
When was the Western America Railroad Museum founded?
Listings for the museum say it was founded in 2001 and has been operated by a nonprofit organization since then. It preserves the history of railroading in the Pacific Southwest, using indoor displays at the Harvey House depot and an outdoor collection of rail equipment.
What locomotives are at the Western America Railroad Museum?
The outdoor collection includes locomotives and rolling stock, and listings name Santa Fe 1460, nicknamed Beep, among them. A complete equipment list is not posted online, so ask at the museum about the other engines and cars on display during your visit.
What is inside the Western America Railroad Museum?
Inside the depot you will find railroad artifacts, timetables, uniforms and other memorabilia from railroading in the Pacific Southwest. The indoor displays complement the outdoor rolling stock, so plan to see both parts of the museum when you visit the Harvey House grounds.
Is the Western America Railroad Museum inside the Barstow Harvey House?
Yes. The museum is located on the east side of the Harvey House railroad depot in Barstow, a historic railroad building. Travel guides describe its locomotives, rail cars and memorabilia as being at the Harvey House, so the depot is the place to head for.
Where can I see Western America Railroad Museum photos?
The museum does not appear to post photos on an official website or social account that we could find. Travel review sites, Route 66 guides and the Wikipedia article about the museum are the most likely places to find recent pictures of the depot and the outdoor locomotives.
What are the Western America Railroad Museum reviews like?
This page does not collect reviews. Route 66 and museum guides recommend it as a stop for anyone interested in railroad history, pointing to its locomotives, rolling stock and artifacts at the Harvey House. For recent visitor opinions, check Tripadvisor, which has a listing for the museum.
Can you ride a train at the Western America Railroad Museum?
The Western America Railroad Museum does not advertise train rides. It is described as a museum with indoor exhibits and outdoor rolling stock on display. If a ride is important for your family, ask the museum directly, or consider a California heritage railroad that runs scheduled trips.
Is the Western America Railroad Museum good for kids?
Kids who love trains will enjoy seeing full-size locomotives and rail cars up close outdoors. We could not confirm whether visitors can climb aboard any equipment, so ask on arrival. Keep the visit short for little ones and plan for desert heat in summer.
Is the Western America Railroad Museum wheelchair accessible?
Accessibility details are not published online. The outdoor equipment is on depot grounds and the indoor exhibits are in a historic building, so conditions may vary. Ask the museum on arrival, or check with the Harvey House depot ahead of time if you can.
How long should I spend at the Western America Railroad Museum?
About an hour is a reasonable plan for the indoor displays and the outdoor rolling stock. Add extra time to look around the Harvey House depot itself, which is part of what makes the stop worthwhile for travelers on the Route 66 corridor through Barstow.
Who runs the Western America Railroad Museum?
A nonprofit organization operates the Western America Railroad Museum. Its stated purpose is to collect, preserve and share the history of railroading in the Pacific Southwest. The group's leaders are not named online, so ask staff on site if you want to get in touch with the organization.
How can I volunteer or donate to the Western America Railroad Museum?
The museum does not list a volunteer or donation program online. As a nonprofit, it likely welcomes support, so ask staff during your visit how to give or help with the collection. That is the most reliable way to reach the right person.
Is the Western America Railroad Museum on Route 66?
Route 66 travel guides list the Western America Railroad Museum as an attraction in Barstow, and the Harvey House depot is a familiar stop for travelers on the old highway corridor. That makes the museum an easy add-on if you are driving Route 66 through the Mojave Desert.
Does the Western America Railroad Museum have a phone number or website?
The museum does not appear to have an official website, phone number or email online. Tripadvisor and the Wikipedia article about the museum are the most visible listings. If you need to reach someone ahead of time, try asking at the Barstow Harvey House depot.
What does W.A.R.M. stand for in Barstow?
W.A.R.M. is the short form of the Western America Railroad Museum, the nonprofit rail museum at Barstow's Harvey House depot. You may see either name in travel guides and listings, and both refer to the same museum with its indoor exhibits and outdoor locomotives.
What train museums are near the Western America Railroad Museum?
The RailGiants Train Museum in Pomona is about 71 miles away, the Southern California Railway Museum in Perris about 80 miles, and the Tehachapi Depot Railroad Museum about 82 miles. Several Los Angeles rail stops, including Travel Town Museum, are about 89 miles away.
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