The Santa Maria Valley Railway Historical Museum is dedicated to the preservation of American railroad heritage with specific emphasis on California, the Central Coast and the Santa Maria Valley, by collecting restoring, displaying and operating historic equipment, models and memorabilia for its recreational and educational value.
Come visit our museum located at the Santa Maria Town Center Mall, on the second floor right across from the Robinsons - May Company. Our displays include a model of the Santa Maria Valley Railroad's rail yard in Santa Maria depicted in the bustling 1950's when the Santa Maria Valley Railroad operated both steam and diesel locomotives, displays and artifacts of the Santa Maria Valley Railroad and the Pacific Coast Narrow Gauge Railroad. Also on display are Captain Allan Hancock's Lionel standard gauge train set. Also located in the museum is our gift shop featuring railroading gifts for the young and old. On sale at our gift shop is "The Railroads of the Santa Maria Valley" by Hal Madson, considered the best single reference book on the history of railroading in the Santa Maria Valley area.
Currently we are restoring the Santa Maria Valley Railroad wooden caboose no. 180. Caboose no. 180 was acquired by the Santa Maria Valley Railroad in the 1950's. The caboose was sold to Betteravia Farms in the 1980's and Betteravia Farms graciously donated the caboose to the museum in December 2000. We recently acquired a Southern Pacific baggage cart and we are in the process of acquiring a Southern Pacific sugar beet car.
FUTURE PLANS
Our plans are to move the museum to a permanent location, with space to restore and display local railroad artifacts. The museum will also contain a library for historical records and publications for historical research and education.
Along with our current process of acquiring a Southern Pacific sugar beet car, we will continue to pursue the acquisition of rolling stock. Our future plans include acquiring a former Santa Maria Valley Railroad 70 ton diesel locomotive and an operating steam locomotive.
We are also working on acquiring a railroad right of way from the Santa Maria Valley Railroad to store and display our rolling stock and to eventually operate a Strawberry Tourist Train.
GET ON BOARD!
Become a sponsor and get on board the Santa Maria Valley Railway Historical Museum! We need your support to help preserve the history of railroading in the Santa Maria Valley for generations to come!
Corporate Sponsorship Program for SMVRHM
$200 - $499 Bronze Spike Level
Benefits include line listing in Train Orders Newsletter and on SMVRM website, listing on corporate sponsorship banner at all museum functions, discounts on museum events and 2 invitations to a sponsorship reception.
$500 - $999 Silver Spike Level
Includes everything in Bronze Spike Level plus business card size ad in Train Orders and on the SMVRM web site, and two free tickets to Choo Chew Saturday.
$1,000 - $4,999 Golden Spike Level
Includes everything in the Bronze Spike Level and also includes 1/8 page ad in Train Orders and SMVRM web site, two museum t-shirts and hats, and 4 invitations to a sponsorship reception.
$5000 and above Platinum Spike Level
Also includes ΒΌ page ad, a copy of "The Railroads of the Santa Maria Valley", 6 free tickets to Choo Chew Saturday, and up to 10 invitations to a sponsorship reception.
YES! I'm getting onboard the Santa Maria Valley Railway Historical Museum!
I am enclosing my tax-deductible sponsorship amount of: $________
