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Freighthouse Development & Museum Exhibits

The museum includes an operating 1200 square foot model railroad which visually tells the story about how local railroads operated on the central coast. This model railroad exhibit seeks to The City of San Luis Obispo completed its repair and restoration work of the exterior of the Freight House in 2012. Then in 2012 and 2013, the San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum held fundraising events and received several grants which allowed construction of interior trusses, insulation, removal of deteriorated and non historic walls and preparation of the interior per our master plan. Finally, in 2014, the museum completed restoration of the interior, provisioning of accessible restrooms, and construction of spaces to facilitate the public’s access to displayed artifacts, documents, model railroad and archives.

You may donate to this project here:

Museum Model Railroad Exhibit

The museum includes an operating 1200 square foot model railroad which visually tells the story about how local railroads operated on the central coast. This model railroad exhibit seeks to demonstrate the life and times wherein the railroads were directly involved in the economic vitality of local communities and provided the majority of transport for people and freight. This model railroad depicts portions of the Southern Pacific and the entire Pacific Coast Railroad as they operated along the California Coast from Gaviota to Paso Robles.

Please support the continued development of our model railroad. See the model railroad page.

You may donate to this project here:

Support Museum Programs

Our museum is always working on ways to educate and support our visitors, members, and the public and this is still true during the Covid-19 pandemic. We are creating information and activities that you can enjoy from home. For example we created a digital version of the Museum’s book Danny the Diesel Locomotive, intended for ages about three to six. It’s free to view and download, but a donation will help continue Museum programs for our younger visitors.

All proceeds go entirely to the Museum with an acknowledgement to the creators of these materials.

You may donate to this project here:

Southern Pacific Railroad Pacific Motor Trucking Trailer

The museum recently acquired a 22 feet, Daylight painted Pacific Motor Trucking Trailer. This is the second such trailer acquired by the SLORRM and the plan is to have both of these trailers put on a Southern Pacific flat car just as would have been done when they were in service, TOFC (Trailer on Flat Car).

We are working to raise funds to acquire and move an old TOFC trailer to the museum to begin construction of this fantastic display. See a SLO Tribune video. Also, see Brad’s video with more information and donation request.

You may donate to this project here: