Perris, CA
Southern California Railway Museum
4.6· 2,201 Google reviews
Trip at a Glance
Source checked 2026-08-23- TypeOperating railway museum with historic train, trolley, hands-on, and seasonal special-event rides
- LocationPerris, CA
- Rating4.6 ★2,201 Google reviews
About Southern California Railway Museum
Southern California Railway Museum is a nonprofit operating railway museum on more than 100 acres in Perris. Its collection preserves locomotives, interurban and street railway cars, freight and passenger equipment, and supporting artifacts tied especially to Southern California electric and mainline rail history. Regular public weekends combine free grounds admission with separately purchased all-day train and trolley rides, while gated special events can replace those normal rules. The live event calendar, current ticket inventory, staffing, maintenance, and the selected day's equipment plan control what visitors can actually ride.
Build a Southern California Railway Museum Day
Choose the visit that fits your groupNear-term visitors, families, ticket holders, and travelers checking access before leaving
Use the current gated-event plan
Through September 28, enter only with a valid Harry Potter event ticket; ordinary grounds access and weekend ride rules do not apply during the takeover.
Families, first-time riders, transit enthusiasts, and flexible day-trip visitors
Ride the regular weekend railway
Choose a currently listed fall Saturday or Sunday, then confirm live inventory, event overrides, and the day's train, trolley, or electric-car operating plan.
Transit historians, photographers, researchers, students, and repeat visitors
Explore Southern California electric railway history
Use the Pacific Electric and Los Angeles Railway collections to connect preserved cars with the region's former interurban and streetcar systems.
Diesel and steam enthusiasts, photographers, restoration followers, and equipment-specific travelers
Check current locomotive operation
Read the Santa Fe 5704 and Ventura County No. 2 records as restoration context, then ask the museum before making a trip around a specific locomotive.
Holiday travelers, event visitors, families, local residents, and themed-experience riders
Plan a special-event ride
Compare La Raza Run, Perris Appreciation Day, the Fall Swap Meet, Victorian Tea, and THE POLAR EXPRESS because each uses different admission, ride, or parking rules.
Wheelchair users, caregivers, companions, and anyone planning around boarding or walking conditions
Coordinate mobility access
Request the mainline-train wheelchair lift in advance and do not transfer that capability to historic trolley service or every exhibit building.
Transportation-history families, veterans, aviation enthusiasts, photographers, and full-day planners
Add March Field Air Museum
Pair railway history with an independent aviation collection of more than 100 aircraft about 9.8 driving miles away.
Upcoming Events
Official schedule information
2026 special-event calendar
Schedule information was checked against the linked official source. Dates, availability, and operating conditions can change. Check the live official calendar ↗
Plan Your Visit
- ParkingParking is free on regular weekends; THE POLAR EXPRESS publishes a separate $6 parking charge
- Current Access BoundaryThrough September 28, 2026, the property is open only to Harry Potter ticket holders; the grounds and Museum Store reopen September 29, and regular weekend train and trolley operation resumes October 3
- Regular WeekendsOn ordinary Saturdays and Sundays, museum grounds are open 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; normal train and trolley rides are published for weekends, with special-event exceptions
- Regular AdmissionGeneral museum admission and parking are free on ordinary operating weekends; gated events set their own admission and parking rules
- Regular Ride FaresThe detailed ride page lists all-day tickets at $10-$13 for ages 12+, $8-$9 for ages 5-11, and free for children under 5 with an adult; live checkout controls the selected date
- Regular ServiceSaturday mainline trains are currently described at 11 a.m., noon, 1, 2, and 3 p.m., with loop trolley service on demand from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sunday service is normally electric trolley on demand from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Electric ServiceWhen available, Saturday mainline electric cars are listed at 11:30 a.m., 12:30, 1:30, 2:30, and 3:30 p.m.; equipment availability remains a live operating decision
- Ticket MethodAll-day regular ride tickets may be purchased through live checkout or at the Museum Store; special events use their own ticket links and terms
- Mainline AccessibilityThe museum publishes a wheelchair lift for mainline trains upon request; contact the museum before travel when the lift or boarding help is essential
- Trolley AccessibilityHistoric trolleys are not wheelchair-accessible; the museum specifically lists Grizzly Flats, Carhouse 1, Carhouse 4, and the Machine Shop as fully accessible
- Event OverridesOctober 10, 17, 24, and 31 have distinct public-event admission or ride rules; do not assume a regular all-day ride ticket controls those dates
- Track WorkThe current regular-ride listing says October 24-26 is an electric-operations-only track-work weekend
- Collection ScopeThe official collection includes more than 35 Pacific Electric pieces and more than 25 Los Angeles Railway streetcars among broader rail holdings
- Equipment BoundaryPreserved equipment and restoration milestones do not guarantee assignment; Santa Fe 5704, Ventura County No. 2, or any pictured car should be confirmed before an equipment-dependent trip
- TimezonePublished hours and departure times use Pacific Time
Find the Depot
The Trains
The museum's collections span Pacific Electric, Los Angeles Railway, Santa Fe, Southern Pacific, Union Pacific, street railway, rapid transit, freight, passenger, maintenance, and support equipment. The official Pacific Electric and Los Angeles Railway collections alone describe dozens of preserved vehicles. Santa Fe diesel locomotive 5704 arrived in May 2025 and moved under its own power in April 2026 after an eleven-month restoration; the museum separately describes Ventura County Railway No. 2 as an operating steam locomotive used on select special weekends. Those records establish preservation and recent operation, not a promise of assignment on any calendar date.
History
The railway-preservation organization was founded.
The collection moved to its present rural Perris-area site.
Regular public operations expanded as track and museum facilities developed.
The institution adopted the Southern California Railway Museum name.
Santa Fe locomotive 5704 arrived at the museum for restoration.
Restored Santa Fe 5704 moved under its own power after an eleven-month restoration effort.
See full history
The organization began in 1956 as railway preservationists assembled equipment that otherwise faced disposal. In 1959 it moved to the rural Pinacate area south of Perris, where volunteers developed track, carhouses, shops, exhibits, and public operations over decades. The museum long operated as Orange Empire Railway Museum and adopted the Southern California Railway Museum name to reflect its regional collection and mission. The current institution continues as a volunteer-supported nonprofit preserving, restoring, interpreting, and operating historic railway equipment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I visit the museum normally right now?
Not through September 28, 2026. The museum says the property is gated to Harry Potter ticket holders during that period. The grounds and Museum Store reopen September 29, and regular weekend rides resume October 3.
When do regular train and trolley rides resume?
October 3. Current first-party inventory lists regular weekend ride dates through November 8, with special-event rules on several October dates.
How much do ordinary weekend rides cost?
The detailed ride page lists all-day tickets at $10-$13 for ages 12 and older, $8-$9 for ages 5-11, and free for children under 5 with an adult. Live checkout controls the selected date and event days can differ.
Is general admission free?
On ordinary weekends, the museum publishes free grounds admission and parking, with ride tickets sold separately. Gated and holiday events replace those normal terms.
Are the trains wheelchair-accessible?
The museum publishes a wheelchair lift for mainline trains upon request. Historic trolleys are not wheelchair-accessible, so contact the museum before travel when lift access is essential.
Will Santa Fe 5704 or the steam locomotive operate when I visit?
Do not assume so. Official restoration and operating records show capability, but the museum does not promise either locomotive on every date. Confirm an equipment-specific visit directly.
What changes on October special-event dates?
October 10, 17, 24, and 31 have event-specific admission, eligibility, ride, or add-on terms. Use the individual event page rather than relying on ordinary weekend pricing.
How many 2026 Polar Express dates are published?
The official visual calendar publishes 44 dates from November 11 through December 31. Times and ticket availability vary by date.
Is March Field Air Museum included with a railway ticket?
No. It is a separate nonprofit museum about 9.8 driving miles away, with its own admission, hours, parking, tram, and photography rules.
Sources & Verification
Source-checked August 23, 2026. This free profile has not yet been claimed or confirmed by the operator.
- Official museum homepage for current access alert, identity, address, phone, and visitor links
- Official explore page for regular hours, free admission, fares, ride patterns, and collection orientation
- Official map and directions page for parking, boarding access, wheelchair-lift and building-access boundaries
- Official event index for the current special-event boundary and public programs
- Official weekend ride page for ordinary fare, schedule, ticket, and accessibility details
- Official Harry Potter event page for gated access, duration, times, and 2026 pricing
- Official La Raza Run page for October 10 admission and train-ride inclusion
- Official Fall Swap Meet page for October 24 admission and ride add-ons
- Official Victorian Tea page for October 31 timing, fare, and ride inclusions
- Official collections index for the preserved-equipment scope
- Official Pacific Electric collection page for the electric-railway roster
- Official Los Angeles Railway collection page for the streetcar roster
- Official Santa Fe 5704 record for the 2025 arrival and 2026 restoration milestone
- Official history and mission page for nonprofit and preservation context
- Official museum timeline for founding and Perris-site history
- Official Polar Express site for 2026 ticket, duration, parking, seating, and access rules
- Official Polar Express FAQ for arrival, sensory, parking, wheelchair, and onboard boundaries
- Official visual 2026 Polar Express date and time calendar
- Exact 2009 car 1201 image and CC BY-SA 2.0 rights record
- Exact 2018 San Diego Trolley cars image and CC BY-SA 4.0 rights record
- Exact 2022 locomotive 1956 image and CC BY-SA 2.0 rights record
- Exact 2018 Pacific Electric 418 image and CC BY-SA 2.0 rights record
- Exact 2017 Ventura County No. 2 and Pacific Electric 498 image and CC BY 2.0 rights record
- Exact 2013 museum platform image and CC BY-SA 2.0 rights record
