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Archives
The Thomas Gross Archive Facility houses an extensive collection of photographs, drawings, diagrams, maps, books, and other historical information. It’s open Mondays and Saturdays.
The Fred Harvey Exhibit
The Fred Harvey Exhibit, which occupies part of the Thomas Gross Archive Facility, has a number of displays about the Harvey Girls. Fred Harvey was a pioneer of western hospitality, operating a number of restaurants and hotels along the Santa Fe Railway. His Harvey Girls were the waitresses who “civilized the West.”
Current Collections
Pacific Electric
Pacific Electric (PE) was America’s largest interurban electric railway system, blanketing the Los Angeles region with more than 1,000 miles of rail lines.
Southern Pacific
In its heyday, the Southern Pacific was the most powerful company in California. Founded in 1865, the Southern Pacific (SP) was originally created as a rail line from San Francisco to San Diego.
Union Pacific
The Union Pacific was the last major railroad completed to Los Angeles in 1905. Its beginnings stretched back to 1862 when President Abraham Lincoln signed the Pacific Railroad Act.
Grizzly Flats
The story of the Grizzly Flats Railroad began in 1938, in the backyard of Ward and Betty Kimball’s San Gabriel, California orange grove.
Other Electric Railways
In addition to its large collection of electric railway vehicles from the Los Angeles area, the Museum has trolleys from several other California cities including San Diego, Fresno, Bakersfield, San Francisco and Sacramento.
Los Angeles Railway
The Los Angeles Railway (LARy) was the city’s local streetcar system. The streetcars used a yellow paint scheme, so they became known as the Yellow Cars.
Ventura County Railway
The Ventura County Railway No. 2 is the Museum’s operating steam engine. During special events and select weekends throughout the year, you can ride a train behind the VC2 and experience the excitement of an operating steam locomotive.
Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the nation’s largest railways.
Restoration Projects
AT&SF 560 (Fairbanks Morse H12-044)
Southern California Railway Museum acquired this extremely rare AT&SF Locomotive over 30 years ago, the only one of the original six of this model Santa Fe purchased still in existence. After being in storage for 30 years, the Diesel Shop team invested a lot of time and effort to prove that the SF560 Diesel engine was operable, allowing the restoration project to move forward.  Proposed restoration tasks include intensive cleaning, replacing missing or broken windows, handrails and steps, and returning the exterior to its former glory. For more information on this locomotive and its restoration, including the proposed paint scheme, please visit
Los Angeles Transit Lines 2601
Restoration of LATL 2601 is almost complete. The major remaining project is replacing the damaged cast iron wheels with wrought steel wheels. The new wheels are in stock. The trucks need to be removed from the car and placed in the shop. The motors have to be removed before the existing wheel sets are rolled out and sent to a wheel shop to have the old wheels pressed off. The new wheels will be pressed onto the axles, the axles will be returned to the Museum, and the trucks will be reassembled.
Pacific Electric 1624
PE 1624 needs to be painted inside and out. When 1624 was retired, the cab interior was painted a light gray. This project to return the cab to its original colors is underway. However, it needs additional volunteers to complete the preparation, priming, and painting of the cab interior and to prepare the exterior for painting.
Sacramento Northern 653
SN 653 needs its cab interior cleaned and painted. Its electric power control contactors need cleaning. Although they’re operable, the contactors need renewal to ensure reliable performance.
Phone
(951) 943-3020
Email
info@socalrailway.org
2201 S. "A" Street, Perris, CA 92570
PO Box 548, Perris, CA 92572
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