Area served South Bay Phone +1 408-243-3969 | Founded 10 May 1985 | |
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Type Public-benefit corporation Tax ID no. 77-0071257 (CA 501(c)(3)) Focus Railroad museum, Historic preservation, Model railroading Location 1005 Railroad Avenue
Santa Clara, California Origins San Jose Society of Model Railroaders Address 1005 Railroad Ave, Santa Clara, CA 95050, USA Hours Closed today MondayClosedTuesday5–8PMWednesdayClosedThursdayClosedFriday(Cesar Chavez Day)ClosedSaturday10AM–3PMSundayClosedSuggest an edit Founders Doug Gross, Robert Dolci, Bill Trudeau, Ed Peterman Similar Triton Museum of Art, Children's Discovery Museum, Japanese American Museum, San Jose Museum of Quilts & T, The Tech Museum of Innovation | ||
The South Bay Historical Railroad Society is located in Santa Clara, California and operates the Edward Peterman Museum of Railroad History in the Santa Clara Depot, as well as the Santa Clara Tower and two other buildings.
The depot is the oldest train station on the west coast. The track in front of the depot is the former Southern Pacific, currently Union Pacific, Coast Line, and also UP's Newhall Yard, where freight trains are made up and change crews. Both passenger and freight trains pass the depot. They include Caltrain, the Altamont Commuter Express, the Amtrak Capitol Corridor, the Amtrak Coast Starlight, and various UP freight trains.
Inside the museum there is a library, artifact displays, 2 large model railroad layouts (HO and N scale), and a boardroom that is available to rent. The museum is open on Tuesdays from 6PM to 9PM, and Saturdays from 10AM to 3PM. The Northern California Bluegrass Society (NCBS) and the South Bay Historic Railroad Society sponsor a free bluegrass and related music jam at the Edward Peterman Museum at the Santa Clara Historic Train Depot on most 2nd Saturdays of the month from 12-3pm.