Golden Gate Railroad Museum facts for kids

The Golden Gate Railroad Museum (GGMX) is a special non-profit museum in California. It works to save old steam trains and passenger cars. The museum also teaches people about the history of railroads in the local area.

History of the Museum

The Golden Gate Railroad Museum (GGRM) started in 1972. That's when Mike Mangini saw an old steam train called SP 2472. This train had been sitting outside the San Mateo County Fairgrounds since 1959.

In 1975, Mike Mangini got permission to take the train. Volunteers started working on SP 2472 on weekends to fix it up. Soon after, they officially formed a group called "Project 2472."

After the train's boiler was fixed, it moved to San Francisco in 1990. It went to the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard. On April 30, 1991, the SP 2472 train could move by itself! It traveled to Santa Clara and then to Sacramento for a big train show called Railfair '91.

The train SP 4450 "Huff" at the GGRM in Hunters Point. It was later sold and taken apart.

The museum was first located at Hunters Point. But in 2005, the Navy told the GGRM they had to move. The Navy was giving the land to the city. So, the museum had to leave by February 2006.

The museum moved its collection of 12 trains and over 25 other rail cars. They moved to Sunol, California. This is where the Niles Canyon Railway is, run by the Pacific Locomotive Association (PLA). Some of the museum's trains were sold or given to other train history places. One of these was the Western Pacific Railroad Museum (WPRM).

In January 2017, the GGRM announced another move. They would be going to Schellville, California. This new spot is on the Northwestern Pacific Railroad. The GGRM's new yard in Schellville was fenced in late 2018. The big move to Schellville began in March 2020. Before moving, they had to fix the trains. This included changing old brake parts and fixing air leaks.

The main offices for the GGRM are in Redwood City. The museum staff and volunteers work hard to fix up their trains. They show off their restored trains at special events.

Museum's Train Collection

The GGRM's collection mostly features trains used by the Southern Pacific railroad. These trains were used for the "Peninsula Commute" service. This service ran along the San Francisco Peninsula between San Francisco and San Jose.

Trains the Museum Has Now

Fleet No.	Picture	Made By	Model	Wheel Type	Built In	Current Status	Notes
Locomotives (Engines)
2472		Baldwin	P-8	4-6-2	January 1921	Being checked and fixed	This train stopped working in 1957. It was on display at the San Mateo County Fairgrounds from 1959 until 1976.
3194		EMD	GP9	B-B	May 1954	Working	This train was first called T&NO 281. It worked on the Peninsula Commute from 1960/61 to 1985. It was given to GGRM in 1998.
1847		FM	H-12-44	B-B	January 1953	Working	This train used to be U.S. Army No. 1847. It was bought in 1995. It is painted to look like an old yard switcher train, SP 1487.
6378 & 6380		EMD	F7A	B-B	July 1952	Working	These trains were traded to General Electric in the late 1960s. They later worked on other smaller train lines.
GGRM 9		GE	65-ton	B-B	1943	Working	This train was built for the U.S. Navy in 1943. It is used for moving trains around the museum's workshop.

Trains the Museum Used to Have

Fleet No.	Picture	Made By	Model	Wheel Type	Built In	Current Status	Notes
Locomotives (Engines)
4450		EMD	SD9	C-C	April 1954	Taken apart	This train was sold to the WPRM in 2006. It was taken apart in 2013.

See also

• List of heritage railroads in the United States
• List of museums in California