Photo by Mark Hogan, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
About Western Pacific Railroad Museum
At the Western Pacific Railroad Museum in Portola, California, historic diesel, electric and steam equipment traverses the former Western Pacific locomotive facility adjacent to Union Pacific’s ex‑Western Pacific mainline. Visitors board restored cabooses for rides each Memorial‑Day through Labor‑Day weekend and can operate a locomotive for an hour through the Run‑A‑Locomotive program in summer.
At a Glance
Verified daily- Type
- Heritage railroad & tourist attraction
- Location
- CA
- Rating
- 4.7 ★ 268 Google reviews
Upcoming Events
No ticketed events are currently listed for Western Pacific Railroad Museum. Many heritage operators publish schedules seasonally or run on regular open hours instead of dated events.
Check the operator’s website for current hours and special runs, or subscribe to event alerts and we’ll email you when something is scheduled.
Plan Your Visit
- Parking
- Free lot
- Accessibility
- Wheelchair-accessible entrance · accessible restroom · accessible parking
- Hours
- Monday: ClosedTuesday: ClosedWednesday: ClosedThursday: 12:00 – 4:00 PMFriday: 12:00 – 4:00 PMSaturday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PMSunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Find the Depot
The Trains
The museum’s collection includes twenty‑nine diesel locomotives, one electric unit and the oil‑burning ALCO 0‑6‑0 steam switcher Western Pacific 165 built in 1919, as well as notable pieces such as FP7 805‑A that hauled the California Zephyr, GP20 2001 (the first GP20 built for the Western Pacific), GP9 2873 “the Kodachrome,” early diesel switcher WP 501, GE U30B 3051, the 200‑ton rail‑mounted crane WP 37, two snowplows (a wedge and a rotary), and the 1917 business car “Charles O. Sweetwood.” Passenger equipment includes fifteen cars, among them four California Zephyr cars—dome lounge “Silver Hostle,” dome‑coach “Silver Lodge,” dome‑coach “Silver Rifle” (on long‑term loan) and dining car “Silver Plate”—and the museum also maintains eighteen cabooses and numerous freight and maintenance cars. The site sits beside the former Western Pacific mainline that runs through the Feather River Canyon, the historic route once linking the Sacramento Valley with the Utah‑Nevada border.
History
See full history
The Feather River Rail Society, reporting mark FRRX, forms the nonprofit operator of the Western Pacific Railroad Museum and was founded in 1983. The museum itself opens the following year, 1984, originally under the name Portola Railroad Museum. On 1 January 2006 the institution adopts its current name, Western Pacific Railroad Museum. A fire on 7 September 2011 destroys the historic Western Pacific Hospital that had been part of the site. The museum is recognized as having one of the larger collections of early‑diesel era locomotives and freight cars in North America.
Around the Depot
The Western Pacific Railroad Museum is a deep-collection California stop — plan for an unhurried visit.
Getting There & Staying Nearby
Optional trip extras from our travel partners.
Rent a Car
Most heritage railroads sit well off the interstate. Picking up a rental at the nearest airport is usually the easiest way in.
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Tours & Activities Nearby
Tours
Guided tours, day trips, and things to do around the area, bookable in advance through Viator.
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