Much of the museum equipment was obtained from various Hollywood studios, where they were used in movies and television.
[1] Museum activities consist of operation of historic 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge and 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge railroad equipment, including train rides, handcar rides, lectures, an annual railroad history symposium, changing exhibits, and a variety of special events.
The museum's current exhibit commemorates the 150th anniversary of the completion of the First transcontinental railroad, featuring V&T Coach No.
17, which was originally built for the Central Pacific Railroad and had carried Leland Stanford to the Golden spike ceremony at Promontory Summit, Utah.
The building is still used as a working railroad station where tickets for the museum train rides are purchased.