CA railroad museum’s restored steam engine allows visitors to ‘ride history’
The first thing you might notice about the restored locomotive departing from Old Sacramento is the billowing cloud of steam pouring out of the shiny, black engine, stamped with the name Granite Rock Co. on its side.
The cacophony of bells and whistles, announcing the train’s departure, will also catch your attention, Ty Smith said Saturday morning just as those iconic sounds drowned out the California State Railroad Museum director’s voice.
Standing next to Granite Rock 10, Smith said the steam locomotive “is the living, breathing part of the museum. It’s where you don’t just read about history, you ride history.”
Those sounds, sights and smells of the steam locomotive are iconic to the railroading experience and its connection to American history, Smith said.
And now, train enthusiasts can learn about California’s rail history by boarding passenger cars pulled by a functioning steam locomotive, where they will ride roughly 3 miles of the Sacramento Southern Railroad.
The departure of the Granite Rock 10 on Saturday morning marked the first journey with passengers since the engine was taken off the tracks for repairs in October 2019.
Railroading history
So much of American culture and history has been shaped by railroads. Smith noted reference to railroads in music, “Midnight Train to Georgia,” and language: “We’re always getting off track or derailed.”
But today, few people actually use trains for transit even as their commutes and cities have been heavily shaped by the placement of the country’s railroad tracks.
The Granite Rock 10 is helping teach people about the state’s rail history, said California State Railroad Museum Foundation President and CEO Tim Schroepfer.
The company H.K. Porter, Inc. built the Granite Rock 10 for the U.S. Army Transportation Corps in 1942. It was sold it to the Granite Rock Co. in Logan five years later, according to the train museum. The steam engine was retired from service in 1960 and donated to the California State Railroad Museum in 1995. Two years later the historic locomotive began pulling excursion trains, the museum said.
“Railroads play such an important part in society, even today, moving goods,” Schroepfer said. “We don’t really understand that because we don’t engage with railroads the same way that we might have in the past.”
Watching the various parts move and hearing the steam whistles is a visceral experience, Schroepfer said, which inspires people young and old to learn more about this unique technology.
The foundation has a partnership with the state park to help the museum acquire train equipment, in addition to other support efforts. The nonprofit is in the process of acquiring several passenger cars, one of which will be able to accommodate people with disabilities. The railroad museum is part the California State Park system, which occupies one-third of Old Sacramento, Smith said.
Enthusiasts relish the sights and sounds
Fresh off the train, parents Chris and Kelsey Meade said they made the trip to Old Sacramento with their two kids to get the unique experience of being pulled by a steam-powered locomotive.
Watching the steam swirl around the train, as the landscape swept by, was “something you don’t really see everyday,” Chris Meade said.
“It was nice hearing all the cool train sounds,” he said. “You don’t really typically get that with the diesel, so you kinda get taken back in time.”
Just before departure, Chief Mechanical Officer Al Di Paulo said the steam engine was running really well. Di Paulo led the maintenance team that restored Granite Rock 10, which involved a cylinder-rebuilding project.
“It’s steaming really good, it’s a pleasure to run,” Di Paulo said from a window of the engine, the steam hissing behind him.
Visitors can ride the excursion train Fridays through Sundays at various times each day, which can be found on the railroad museum’s website. Tickets can be reserved in advance or purchased in-person at the Central Pacific Passenger Station in Old Sacramento.
The steam locomotive will likely pull excursion trains two weekends each month. The Granite Rock 10 will rotate with historic diesel locomotives throughout the month. The museum’s social media channels will provide notice about when the steam engine will be pulling trains.
This story was originally published August 9, 2025 at 2:14 PM.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated which entity built the steam engine.
