Planning a road trip from San Francisco to Spokane in early October. Our tentative route would bypass Sacramento. Would a visit to the California State Railroad Museum be worth the detour? Before everybody screams YES, consider that I’ll be traveling with three people who grudgingly put up with my passion for rails.
How much time am I going to have to have (I’ve been known to spend full days at some other rail museums and wish I didn’t have to leave)? Is there anything else in Sacramento that can occupy my traveling companions (wife, sister, and brother-in-law)?
I’d say yes, and at least 6 hours. The museum is very large, informative, and well laid out. They have a great collection of rare locomotives, including the last surviving SP cab forward. Also, there are exhibits outside of the main museum building, in a replica trainshed, so don’t miss those. The former SP Amtrak and Light Rail station is nearby and worth a visit.
For others, Old Sacramento offers quaint shops and historic buildings. Historic boats ply the river, and there are several museums. I suggest finding the tourist website for the city, in order to find something the others are interested in and make your best case.
I agree that the CSRM and Old Sacramento are worth a day on your trip.
As you probably know, north of Sacramento the opportunities for ‘incidental railfanning’ are far less. North of Yuba City SR-99 follows the UP Valley sub for a few miles and which may or may not be dead. North of Redding the natural scenery improves dramatically and I-5 plays tag with the ex-SP line.
Hopefully you’ll follow US 97 up through Klamath Falls. A non-railfan side trip not to be missed is a visit to Crater Lake - truly jaw dropping. US 97 follows the BNSF Oregon Trunk through Bend. Finally just north of Terrebonne is the Peter Skene Ogden State Scenic Viewpoint where an impressive RR bridge crosses the visually spectacular Crooked River canyon.
The museum is terrific, worth as much time as you want to devote to it. I spent 2-3 hours in it last fall, and I’m not much of a museum person.
Turn the other members of your party loose in Old Sacramento, where there is no end of stuff to do. The museum is right there in Old Sacramento, so meeting up afterwards is no problem. Have them take the underground tour, which explains how the city developed. They could also do worse than sit in one of the Gilded Age bars and drink while soaking up the atmosphere.
Yes, MC, the Delta King is an interesting hotel, which, along with the Delta Queen (now in service on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers), was built for overnight service between Sacramento and San Francisco. However, it is now simply a fast boat, being fast to the river bank in Sacramento.
My wife and I spent a night there six years ago, and enjoyed it, despite the small size of the room (and it was larger than the cabins were when the two were in the overnight service). We enjoyed the dinner and breakfast that we ate on board, and, in the morning we saw a sea lion (I think that is what it was) lying on a dock across the river.
Delta Queen is stuck at Chattanooga. She can’t get an exemption from congress to operate because she’s being treated as an ocean liner - something she only did once in 1947 (to move to the Mississippi River from San Francisco Bay) and then towed by a tug with no guests on board. (btw - the bigger Mississippi Queen is scrapped and American Queen is in trouble)…Her wooden superstructure is sadly being treated like another Moro Castle. She’s the last of her breed and the King was a parts source for many things.
The DK was a neat vantage point to watch the SP swing bridge from.
Thanks for the quick responses. Y’all told me what I was afraid you would: this is a must-see. Now to convince the rest of the group that they just have to see Old Sacramento and stay overnight on a riverboat, etc. Part of my problem there is that it’s only a couple of hours from San Francisco – a little early to be stopping for the night. Oh well, maybe I can use first-day-of-the-trip as leverage.
Another question, particularly for those of you who might live closer to that area than I do (I’m in North Texas). What kind of weather are we likely to encounter in Northern California, central Oregon, and southern Washington in the early- to mid-October time frame? All of us are experienced snow-drivers but that doesn’t mean we want to go out of our way to practice.
Based on experience in the North Cascades, snow falls in the high areas, but not really any of the main passes, and those are plowed. Not sure how it is in the Sierras or Oregon Cascades, but it is probably similar. You really shouldn’t have any trouble on any main roads. Most of the snow starts in mid November.
Everyone has given you all the right information with one exception. If any of your family are wine lovers, be sure to visit UCal Davis and its bookstore and Napa Valley on your way to San Francisco. Also, there is a Napa Valley diner train complete with wine tasting that is vintage Alco powered.
From San Francisco you would not want to drive to the Napa Valley as it is way to far from Sacramento if you wish to go to the rail museum and old town.
It’s one or the other, but not both. As one who has been through the Napa Valley a lot I say go for Sacramento this time around. Wine producing appellations, you can find all over, but huge, hulking steamers, and diesel engines you can not.[:D]
Old Town is worth the stop alone. Do a search for it and you will see why highly recommended…