Santa Clara County Railroad Museum
Encyclopedia
The San Jose Steam Railroad Museum is a planned railroad
museum Celebrating the rich legacy of railroading within Santa Clara County has been under development by California Trolley and Railroad Corporation
since 1992. This project was originally intended to be located at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds in San Jose, California
; however in 2002, the Board of Supervisors voted to rescind support of our proposed railroad museum at that location. Since that time, CTRC has been actively working with various public agencies for a suitable location within our community. The proposed location is near downtown San Jose.
consists of the six stall San Jose Roundhouse, eighty foot turntable, water tower and herder's shack. The roundhouse was donated to the CRTC by Southern Pacific Railroad. The roundhouse was disassembled and moved to the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds for storage until a site is found for the museum.
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
museum Celebrating the rich legacy of railroading within Santa Clara County has been under development by California Trolley and Railroad Corporation
California Trolley and Railroad Corporation
Established in 1982, the California Trolley and Railroad Corporation is a 501 non-profit organization with a mission to preserve and reflect the rich legacy of rail transportation in the Santa Clara Valley for the educational and recreational benefit of current and future generations.Among the...
since 1992. This project was originally intended to be located at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds in San Jose, California
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
; however in 2002, the Board of Supervisors voted to rescind support of our proposed railroad museum at that location. Since that time, CTRC has been actively working with various public agencies for a suitable location within our community. The proposed location is near downtown San Jose.
Lenzen Roundhouse
The Lenzen RoundhouseRoundhouse
A roundhouse is a building used by railroads for servicing locomotives. Roundhouses are large, circular or semicircular structures that were traditionally located surrounding or adjacent to turntables...
consists of the six stall San Jose Roundhouse, eighty foot turntable, water tower and herder's shack. The roundhouse was donated to the CRTC by Southern Pacific Railroad. The roundhouse was disassembled and moved to the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds for storage until a site is found for the museum.
Locomotives
- The Corporation is restoring 1923 steam locomotiveSteam locomotiveA steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
, Southern Pacific 2479Southern Pacific 2479Southern Pacific Railroad 2479 is one of six heavy 4-6-2 Pacific type steam locomotives built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1923, designated the P-10 class. 2479 was retired from service in 1956...
and tender to working order for operation and display at the Santa Clara Fairgrounds. The locomotive can be viewed while under restoration on weekends when the restoration crew is present. - The CTRC has cosmetically restored 1913 steam locomotiveSteam locomotiveA steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
Southern Pacific 1215Southern Pacific 1215Southern Pacific Railroad 1215 was originally assigned to the Dunsmiur rail yard near Mt Shasta, locomotive 1215 primarily worked for the Western Division of the Southern Pacific Railroad from Oakland, Sacramento and Bakersfield...
and tender for display. The locomotive is now on display at the History Park at Kelley ParkHistory Park at Kelley ParkHistory Park at Kelley Park in San Jose, California, USA is designed as an indoor/outdoor museum, arranged to appear as a small US town might have in the early 1900s...
in San Jose, CA - "Little Buttercup" ( Santa Fe 5Santa Fe 5Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway #5 . The locomotive currently is on display at Kelley Park in the Trolley Barn at the History Park. Originally a saddle tank locomotive, it was rebuilt to a western look for the 1948 Chicago Railroad Fair and was renamed "Little Buttercup" after a character in...
) and tender built in 1899 are on display at the History Park at Kelley ParkHistory Park at Kelley ParkHistory Park at Kelley Park in San Jose, California, USA is designed as an indoor/outdoor museum, arranged to appear as a small US town might have in the early 1900s...
Trolley Barn until the museum is finished. Little Buttercup was on permanent loan from the Sacramento Railroad Museum until SRM formally transferred ownership to the California Trolley and Railroad CorporationCalifornia Trolley and Railroad CorporationEstablished in 1982, the California Trolley and Railroad Corporation is a 501 non-profit organization with a mission to preserve and reflect the rich legacy of rail transportation in the Santa Clara Valley for the educational and recreational benefit of current and future generations.Among the...
in 2008.