Walking among the relics of the Western Pacific RR

Sloan · **Posted:** Sun Jul 19, 2009 6:10 pm

http://www.chicoer.com/lifestyle/ci_12869828

Randy Hees · **Posted:** Sun Jul 19, 2009 7:39 pm

From the above referenced article...

A positive article... but,

Quote:

"Most of us living in the northern Sacramento Valley have visited the well-appointed California State Railroad Museum at Old Sacramento. It's chock full of state history, beautifully restored railcars and a number of interactive displays that bring the glory of the tracks back to life.

Portola's train museum isn't that. Instead, it's like a giant train parking lot filled with dozens and dozens of restorations yet to happen. In the meantime, time is catching up on many of these weathering reminders of America's love affair with the rail."

Has there ever been a better description of a "typical" railroad museum? It is an insightful description, comparing it to a "museum" railroad museum, by someone who has visited both.

If you were not a railfan, and read this, would you make it a destination of choice rather than a chance encounter?

Mike Swanson · **Posted:** Wed Jul 22, 2009 9:17 pm

Sounds like she's never seen the unrestored half of CSRM's collection, which is currently rusting away (as it has been for far too many years) in the former SP Sacramento Shops area behind the museum proper. At least the fine folks at Portola have made an honest effort to keep the unrestored equipment in their care form deteriorating into piles of rust; CSRM, on the other hand, seems unable or unwilling to make the same effort.

Al Stangenberger · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 12:59 pm **Posts:** 650

CSRM has had to get rid of quite a few artifacts in the past year or so because several buildings at the old SP Shops have been sold to a developer, and a lot of the yard area had to be cleaned of toxic wastes, which meant that the tracks had to be torn up.

WRM was given two ex-Sacramento Northern cars, and other museums have also been given artifacts.

Again, owning the property is a major plus for a museum.