Western Pacific Railroad Museum

What travelers say:

The Western Pacific Railroad was incorporated in 1903 to compete with the Southern Pacific Railway. Its pass through the Sierra Nevada mountains went through Portola (instead of the famous Donner Pass), so here at their former maintenance facility is the Western Pacific Railroad Museum. When you arrive, enter the gift shop in the main building, where for a modest admission charge they will give you a wrist-band, and then you can wander around almost anywhere. The main attraction is their collection of historic locomotives and rolling stock, many of which you can climb on and enter to check them out. There are lots of explanatory posters, and a room of memorabilia. The people working there (all volunteers) were all actual engineers, mechanics, and otherwise knowledgeable people who were happy to answer questions and really knew their stuff. Several of their locomotives are operational, and by arrangement in advance you can actually get lessons and operate two of them!