Portola Railroad Museum

[NevinW]

Yesterday we went on a Sunday drive and came across the Portola Railroad museum. If you are a UP, SP or WP diesel fan this is worth the trip. First time I have ever been in the Cab of an F7. Even climbing in is a small adventure. One slip and it is long way to ground. The engine room of the F7 is like being in a submarine. Visibility from the cab isn't that great, I can see why the road switcher type design took over. First time I have ever seen a DDA40X up close either. I saw them frequently while growing up in Las Vegas but not up close. Many of the engines are in pristine condition with good paint jobs (which up close still has considerable weathering). A number of the California Zephyr cars are there in various states of disrepair. I went inside a dome car that still had seats. The neat part is that they don't seem to mind you crawling all over the engines- many had signs saying please close the door on the way out. The have a few steamers but the bulk of the collection are diesels. They were running a switcher that afternoon. You have to be careful as there is stuff moving around in the yard. It is not a static display. If you really like diesels and want the study them up close, the Portola is an excellent choice for a visit. I join the historical society while I was there. - Nevin

[Left Coast Rail]

I had the pleasure of visiting the Western Pacific Railroad Museum a few years ago when my brother-in-law was living in Portola. It is well worth a visit if you are near Sacramento, Lake Tahoe or Reno. The museum is run by the Feather River Rail Society. For those interested in operating an engine, they offer lessons. IMHO this would be an awesome Father's Day gift!