- Achieving the Impossible: Theodore Judah and the Big Four turned the vision of a transcontinental railroad into reality.
- Overcoming Obstacles: Chinese workers made up 90% of the Central Pacific Railroad’s workforce. How did they build the railroad using only hand tools and explosives?
- United at Last: What was it like to attend the Golden Spike Ceremony at Promontory Summit in 1869?
- From Rails to Riches: The Agricultural Boom: The refrigerated railcar transformed agriculture, allowing fresh fruits and vegetables to travel across the country.
- Trailblazers of Technology: The Transcontinental Railroad sparked new inventions to make rail journeys safer, faster, and more reliable. Innovation kept trains on track and passengers protected.
Explore how the Transcontinental Railroad transformed America through labor, innovation, and invention. This 45-minute interactive program takes students on a journey through the museum to learn about the building of the Transcontinental Railroad.
The Transcontinental Railroad changed life in America forever!
This FREE, one-hour program is available for 4th or 5th grades only. Reservations are required. There is also a digital version of this program.
Spring 2026 schedule: Wednesdays and from March 4 through May 13.
Reservations closed for the
25-26 school year
2026-2027 school year reservations will open in September.
Already booked a field trip?
What do you need to know before you go?
Teacher's Guide
RESERVATIONS
Group sizes are limited to 45 total individuals. This includes teachers, students, and chaperones. If your group is larger than 45, you will need to reserve multiple slots. Please contact the Group Desk if you need assistance.
About the Stations
Field Trip Guidelines
- A minimum of 1 adult chaperone should be present for every 10 students. Chaperones are responsible for the care, safety and actions of group members while visiting the Museum. Please remember, chaperones must remain with their groups for their entire visit to the Museum.
- A brief, mandatory orientation by staff will help students and chaperones remember museum guidelines and enhance the learning experience.
- Plan a time and place for your group to meet after the visit.
- Your time in the Museum is unlimited until we close at 5:00 p.m. Keep in mind that once you enter the Museum Store or exit through any of the doors in the lobby, there is no re-entry.
School Train Rides
Add an excursion train ride to your field trip! Pulled by one of our historic steam or diesel locomotives, this ride is the perfect hands-on compliment. Due to limited availability, not all schools will be able to take a train ride.
Scheduling a train to go with your Horse to Horsepower reservation:
- Available for Wednesday groups only.
- For 10am or 10:15am reservations, select the 11:30 train ride for after the Museum program.
- For 11:15am or 11:30am reservations, select the 10am train ride for before the Museum program.
- Due to scheduling conflicts, the 10:30am and 11am reservations will not be able to make a train ride. We encourage you to explore the Museum after the program.
Questions?
Please contact the California State Railroad Museum Group Desk if you have any questions or to make reservations over the phone.