Visitor Information

The Western Railway Museum gives visitors the opportunity to ride historic streetcars and interurban electric trains from all over California and other western states. Streetcars loop the shaded picnic grounds. Interurban cars run over the restored main line of the old Sacramento Northern Railway. With over 50 historic cars on display, railway exhibits, the Museum Store and Gift Shop and the large, shaded picnic grounds, the Western Railway Museum is ideal for family and group outings. When do the trains operate?   When are you open? How much does it cost? Where are you located? How long should we plan to visit? Is there food available? Are you handicap accessible? Do you offer tours for school groups and seniors?

Parking

The Visitors and Archives Center has paved and striped parking with ADA accessible spots, and plenty of bus and RV parking.

Visitor Center

Your trip to the Western Railway Museum begins in the mission-revival inspired Visitor Center. After buying your admission tickets, explore Cameron Hall, a 2400 sq. ft. display and exhibit hall designed in the grand railroad station style. Cameron Hall contains many exhibits of historic interest including a permanent exhibit on the Transportation History of Solano County. There are also several other exhibits that change periodically. Adjacent to Cameron Hall is the large Museum Store and the F.M. Smith Memorial Library and Association Archives.

The Visitor Center is available for special events, such as birthdays, weddings, conventions, and meetings.

Museum facilities are ADA-accessible with some exceptions. Many of the railcars and rolling stock have narrow passageways or steps that cannot be altered due to their historic nature. In such cases, every effort has been made to provide interpretive material that is accessible.

Museum Grounds

The grounds of the Western Railway Museum include a large car house with historic electric-powered rail vehicles you can stroll through. The 1.5 acre shaded picnic grounds are perfect for family and group outings.

Electric Operations

Volunteers operate authentic, restored trains every day we are open. Follow the paved walkway from the Visitor Center to the boarding platforms at the north end of Car House One. Your admission ticket to the Museum is good all day, and you can ride as often as you wish.

Presently the Museum offers 15-minute, mile long streetcar rides around the grounds, and a 50-minute interurban ride over the re-electrified portion of the former SN interurban mainline to Gum Grove.

Interurban trips typically depart at 11am, 12:30pm, 2pm, and 3:30pm, whenever the Museum is open to the public. Streetcar trips typically depart, at 20 and 40 minutes past the hour, on weekends. All trips are subject to change, and weather permitting.

Food & Facilities

The Depot Café snack bar is open on weekends, serving old-fashioned steamed hot dogs, chips, candy, snacks, sodas, ice cream, coffee, hot chocolate, hot cider, tea, and water.

The Western Railway Museum, including our Visitors’ Center, modern restrooms, Depot Café snack bar, car houses, and parking lot meet or exceed the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act.  However, due to the historic nature of the trains, they are not wheelchair accessible

Gas, restaurants, and lodging are available in nearby Suisun City, Fairfield and Rio Vista. We’ve included some suggestions on our Links page.

A TYPICAL VISIT

Tickets to the museum are good all day and include unlimited train rides.  You are welcome to stay as long as you like.  Most visitors find that 2 – 4 hours is sufficient to:

• Take a train ride
• View the exhibits in Cameron Hall
• Tour our collection of historic trains in Car House One
• Have a picnic in our park
• Visit the Museum store.