Portola, CA
Western Pacific Railroad Museum
4.7· 268 Google reviews
At a Glance
Source checked 2026-08-24- TypeHands-on railroad museum with seasonal caboose trains and supervised locomotive operating sessions
- LocationPortola, CA
- Rating4.7 ★268 Google reviews
- UpcomingSat, Aug 29
About Western Pacific Railroad Museum
Western Pacific Railroad Museum is the Feather River Rail Society's hands-on museum in the former Western Pacific locomotive facility at Portola. Its 37-acre site, active diesel shop, 2.5 miles of track, more than 30 locomotives, and 128-plus pieces of rolling stock focus on the Western Pacific family and California Zephyr story. During the regular 2026 operating season, visitors can buy separate caboose-train tickets on weekend operating days. The museum also sells supervised Run-A-Locomotive appointments, cab rides with the engineer, and weather-dependent October and December train events. Historic equipment rotates, restoration work continues, and not every pictured car is open or operating, so the current calendar and crew instructions control the visit.
Choose the Western Pacific Experience That Fits
Choose the visit that fits your groupFamilies, first-time visitors, and railfans wanting a short moving-train experience
Ride the weekend caboose train
Use a remaining operating date through Labor Day, then buy the separate train ticket in the museum store and confirm the weather call.
Adults, families, and groups seeking a premium hands-on operating experience
Book Run-A-Locomotive
Reserve a supervised vintage diesel session, allow the required lead time, review the deposit and cancellation policy, and expect possible equipment substitution.
Rail historians, photographers, families, and visitors interested in diesel-era equipment
Explore the hands-on collection
Walk the former shop and yard, use the self-guided tour, and follow posted or crew boundaries around active work and equipment.
Visitors planning a dated fall or holiday trip
Plan a weather-dependent special train
Use the four October Pumpkin dates or five December Santa dates only after checking the live event page and current conditions.
Upcoming Events
Complete official date check
2026 special-event calendar
Reconciled the current 2026 calendar, visit page, Run-A-Locomotive page, Pumpkin Express page, and Santa Train listings. The remaining regular caboose-train horizon is Aug. 29 through Labor Day, Sept. 7. Run-A-Locomotive is appointment-based and therefore retained without invented occurrence dates. The September celebration does not currently promise a public train ride and is excluded. October and December trains are retained only on the explicitly published dates, with weather and volunteer conditions controlling operation. Check the live official calendar ↗
Plan Your Visit
- WeatherHours, regular operations, Run-A-Locomotive, Pumpkin Express, and Santa Trains can change or cancel for weather and volunteer conditions
- Museum HoursThrough Labor Day: Thursday-Friday noon-4 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Labor Day Monday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; later dates follow the event calendar
- Museum Admission$10 adults 19-64; $6 youth 5-18; free age 4 and under; $8 seniors 65+ and active military; $25 family pass at current review
- Caboose TrainRegular caboose trains run 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on remaining weekend operating days and Labor Day, subject to weather, volunteers, and equipment
- Train Fare$5 adults; $4 youth 5-18; free age 4 and under; $5 seniors and active military; $14 family pass, separate from museum admission
- Cab Ride$20 adults and $12 youth 4-18 for one locomotive cab ride with the engineer; signed release and seated riding are required
- Run A LocomotivePrivate supervised diesel-locomotive sessions operate mid-spring through mid-October by appointment; reserve at least 24 hours ahead and preferably two weeks in summer
- SiteA 37-acre former WP locomotive facility with a 16,000-square-foot diesel shop, 2.5 miles of track, rolling stock, artifacts, archives, and outdoor yard surfaces
- Boarding And AccessThe official pages do not publish a complete wheelchair boarding route or accessible-car guarantee; call before travel for mobility, surface, seating, restroom, and ride details
- TicketsBuy museum wristbands, train tickets, and available cab rides in the museum store at the Diesel Shop entrance; Run-A-Locomotive uses advance scheduling and a 50% deposit
Find the Depot
The Trains
The museum preserves more than 30 locomotives and 128 pieces of rolling stock, including WP 805-A from the California Zephyr era, WP 2001 as an early turbocharged diesel, WP steam locomotive 165, Union Pacific DDA40X 6946, passenger and business cars, cabooses, freight cars, maintenance equipment, a rail-mounted crane, and rotary snow-removal equipment. The public caboose train's locomotive and cars are operating-day assignments. Run-A-Locomotive requests are accommodated when possible but the museum may substitute equipment for inspection, repair, personnel, or safety needs.
History
Western Pacific steam locomotive 165 was built; it later became a major museum restoration project.
The Portola diesel shop entered service, beginning the 1954-1974 operating period preserved by the museum site.
Western Pacific was approved for merger into Union Pacific, ending the independent railroad era the museum preserves.
Volunteers formed the Feather River Rail Society to preserve Western Pacific history.
Founding members assembled with the society's first acquisition, Western Pacific F7 921, at the former diesel shop.
The museum published a complete season of regular caboose trains plus dated Pumpkin Express and Santa Train events.
See full history
Feather River Rail Society formed in 1983 after Western Pacific merged into Union Pacific. Union Pacific donated equipment and made the former Portola locomotive facility available; founding members acquired WP F7 921 in 1984. The site preserves a diesel shop used from 1954 to 1974 and interprets Western Pacific innovation, freight operations, the Feather River Route, and the California Zephyr. The collection grew into a hands-on museum where restoration, switching, caboose trains, and supervised locomotive operation keep parts of the railroad story in motion.
Around the Depot
The Portola museum supplies the complete rail-first day. Plumas County Museum is the one promoted independent companion because its substantial Quincy collection connects the railroad to Mountain Maidu, mining, timber, civic, and settlement history about 26.6 straight-line miles away. A rural distance expansion is documented rather than padded with weak generic stops.
Getting There & Staying Nearby
Optional trip extras from our travel partners.
Rent a Car
Compare the attraction location with your airport or lodging before deciding whether a rental car fits the trip.
Compare rentals on Discover Cars →Bookings made through this link support usatrainrides at no extra cost to you.
Tours & Activities near Portola
Tours
Guided tours, day trips, and things to do around the area, bookable in advance through Viator.
Browse nearby tours →Bookings made through this link support usatrainrides at no extra cost to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do the regular caboose trains run?
The remaining 2026 regular operating days are Aug. 29-30 and Sept. 5-7, generally 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Weather, volunteers, and equipment can change operations.
Is the train included with museum admission?
No. The museum publishes separate admission and caboose-train fares. Buy both at the museum store unless a specific program says otherwise.
Can visitors actually operate a locomotive?
Yes, through the supervised Run-A-Locomotive program. It requires an appointment, release, deposit, and available instructor and equipment.
Will I operate the locomotive I choose?
Not guaranteed. The museum tries to honor requests but can substitute similar equipment when inspection, maintenance, repair, personnel, weather, or safety requires it.
Is the caboose train wheelchair-accessible?
The current official pages do not publish a complete accessible-car or boarding-route guarantee. Call 530-832-4131 about the exact date, surfaces, boarding, seating, restroom, and assistance needs.
What else can I see besides the ride?
The 37-acre former locomotive facility includes a working diesel shop, locomotives, passenger and freight cars, cabooses, maintenance equipment, artifacts, archives, and self-guided tour material.
Are Pumpkin Express and Santa Trains guaranteed?
No. The museum explicitly makes October and December events weather permitting. Check the live page and call when conditions are questionable.
How early should I book Run-A-Locomotive?
The museum requires at least 24 hours to arrange an instructor and recommends at least two weeks during busy summer months.
Sources & Verification
Source-checked August 24, 2026. This free profile has not yet been claimed or confirmed by the operator.
- Official 2026 calendar for hours, regular trains, Labor Day, Pumpkin Express, Santa Trains, and weather controls
- Official visit page for admission, train and cab fares, address, store process, hands-on collection, and current hours
- Official Run-A-Locomotive page for booking, pricing, deposits, cancellations, substitutions, ages, and operating season
- Official About page for Feather River Rail Society, site, shop, track, collection, and history
- Official passenger-car collection page for California Zephyr cars, cabooses, and public-access cautions
- Official self-guided museum tour for collection and exhibit context
- Official 2026 brochure for site, collection, visitor process, and Run-A-Locomotive overview
- Exact licensed Western Pacific Railroad Museum image collection