Monterey & Salinas Valley Railroad Museum
MSVRR Welcomes All to the Holiday Toy Drive at December Open House!
This Saturday and Sunday (December 2nd and 3rd) come join us at our iconic museum for a railroading themed toy drive! You are free to take whatever is available. Check out the selection in the front lobby area of the museum. We are open from 10am - 4pm both days. Hope to see you there!
Welcome to the Monterey & Salinas Valley Railroad Historical Society! Located next to the Salinas Amtrak station, we host an interactive HO scale layout and diorama recreating Monterey County railroads from the mid-1900s! We host an Open House for free to the public the first weekend each month! All Aboard!
~~~ Admission is FREE! ~~~
>>> The museum is currently available for Personal Tours and Special Gatherings. If you are interested, contact Special-Program@msvrr.org to learn more and schedule a visit!
>>> Guest Train Operations on the Diorama are now available during Open House Weekends! Click here for more information on Guest Operators.
>>> Check out KSBW coverage on our museum! - https://www.ksbw.com/article/take-a-step-back-in-time-at-the-railway-express-agency-building-in-salinas/42144130
>>> Are you a member of MSVRR? Click here to access the Museum Members Portal
DNOW7949.MOVOur Mission
The “Monterey & Salinas Valley Railroad Modeling and Historical Society” (MSVRR) is dedicated to creating and maintaining a HO scale diorama modeling Monterey County railroads from 1948 to 1965, the peak of the railroad's impact in the Salinas Valley.
Working with the local community, we provide experiential educational opportunities for children of all ages to enhance their knowledge of railroad impact in the Salinas Valley within their core educational curriculum and to inspire civic involvement.
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Photos of the layout can be viewed on The Diorama page. To learn more about how far we have come, you can read about the history of our organization and local railroading. If you would like to arrange a meeting with us or learn how to be more involved, please Contact Us.
Want to donate directly online? We have a GoFundMe page!
Help support our Junior Engineer Outreach and Education Program benefiting local youth by teaching them local history and model railroading! Link: https://gofund.me/b725f02f
Model Railroaders Wanted!
Whether you are new to model railroading or have taken up the hobby your whole life, we encourage you to apply to become a member with us! You can operate your own trains on our layout, assist guests when the museum is open, and support us as we continue to build the historical society and serve our community!
If you are interested in becoming a member, volunteer, or donator, please check out the Membership page to learn more. You can find more information on the different tiers of membership, as well as accessing the necessary documents to start your journey with us today!
Where to Find Us
NOTE: The parking lot area surrounding the museum has recently been redone, so please drive safely when reaching the museum from West Market Street. Google Maps will take some time to update.
We are located at the historical Railway Express Agency (REA) building next to the Amtrak station, just look for the large steam engine and rail cars! The MSVRR Historical Society has collaborated with the city of Salinas to restore the building to its 1940s appearance and guarantee the land to the Museum under a long term commitment plan.
Museum Open House Schedule
Open House occurs the first Saturday and Sunday of every month (excluding holidays) from 10am to 4pm, during which the museum is admission free to the public. We have held special events for Salinas Founders Day and National Train Day in the past. Besides these public venues, we have weekly Board meetings where active members can participate in discussions and vote on official museum activities and determine future projects. Visit the Schedule/Events page for details.
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We ❤ Our Sponsors and Community Partners!
City of Salinas
Public Funds Disclosure
The Monterey & Salinas Valley Model Railroad and Historical Modeling Society (MSVRR) is funded in part by the City of Salinas. We are legally obligated to provide the RRF documentation for the public, which you may access here: Public Funding-RRF-1 2023.pdf