Using a Small Plane to Document a Railroad Museum

In 1980, I went on a plane ride with a friend from the model railroad club. We left from Buchanan Airport in Concord, California and flew to Stockton Airport where we took a break and then flew back. It was a two-seater plane and very noisy. I had to wear headphones so we could talk.

I don’t remember exactly what we flew over except that I requested we fly over the Junction, what we called the California Railway Museum (now called the Western Railway Museum), located on Highway 12 between Fairfield and Rio Vista. John was a little nervous to fly over the museum, as the Travis Air Force Base air space was very near the edge of the museum. So we flew on the east side, away from their air space. I had brought my camera and took a few shots.

This is what the museum looked in in 1980. The long building is a car barn, housing many of the old streetcars and interurbans. The smaller, but wider building is the shop. The building on the west side next to the railroad tracks was called “Terry’s Barn.” There were two other buildings on the north side near the highway: a house, used as a bunk house, and a large barn, which was painted white. On the side was the bookstore, where visitors bought books, snacks, and souvenirs.

This is what the museum looks like today. There are now three car barns south of the shop and next to the parking lot with the orange roof is the visitor’s center and archive. 

I met my husband at the “Junction.” We’re both railfans and have enjoyed visiting railroad museums across the country and ride trains. When my daughters were young, we used to work the Santa train and the Wildflower train, selling drinks and candy.

It’s kind of cool to compare the two photos. I’m so glad John took me up in his friend’s small plane.

#52Ancestors-Week 27: Planes

This is my seventh year working on this year-long prompt, hosted by Amy Johnson Crow (https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/) at Generations Cafe.

I write each week in one of my two blogs, either Mam-ma’s Southern Family or My Trails into the Past. I have enjoyed writing about my children’s ancestors in new and exciting ways.

Copyright © 2024 by Lisa S. Gorrell, My Trails into the Past. All Rights Reserved.