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Travel Town/Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum

• Griffith Park
• price 1 of 4

Time Out says

The northwest corner of Griffith Park is the destination for train enthusiasts and curious kids. Travel Town, open all week, is a "railroad petting zoo" full of historic rail stock like an 1880 Southern Pacific locomotive and an 1881 Union Pacific caboose that also does a good job explaining how the railroads helped build Southern California.

Lovers of things that go choo-choo should be sure to visit the park on a Sunday, when the neighboring Los Angeles Live Steamers section is open for railheads. Kids clamor to come here again and again to ride a miniature train around more than a mile of track. The whimsy extends to the museum’s “buildings,” which are actually restored full-size train cars like the bright red 1929 Santa Fe Steel Caboose (which houses the caretaker’s residence) and the 1956 Union Pacific Sleeper Car (where official meetings are held). On the third Sunday of every month the museum puts its Stationary Steam Plant into operation for a live demo of turn of early 20th century steam technology.

LALS train rides are from 10:45am-3pm every Sun; closed the Sun before Memorial Day and the 1st Sun of Oct; $3 (suggested donation) for train rides; Travel Town is open from 10am-5pm daily, closed Wed; Travel Town entrance is free, $2.50 ticket for train rides.

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Guide To Travel Town Museum

By: Author Wendy Kennar

Posted on Last updated: December 12, 2021

MomsLA is your source for Things to do in Los Angeles with Kids

Families visiting Travel Town Museum in Griffith Park will find so much to do and explore including a collection of locomotives and passenger cars dating back to the 1800s. Our Guide to Travel Town has all the information you need to have a fun visit.

Travel Town Museum 5200 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles, CA

Monday through Friday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm Saturday and Sunday     10:00 am to 5:00 pm Travel Town is open 364 days a year (closed on Christmas Day)

Description:

Travel Town Museum is “an outdoor museum which preserves and celebrates the railroad heritage of the western United States — its history and its artifacts.” Travel Town is the place to visit if you have train-lovers in your family. Travel Town was developed in the 1950s and features an impressive collection of locomotives, freight cars, cabooses, and passenger cars. On the 2nd Saturday of each month from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm,, docent-guided tours are offered as well. Visitors have the chance to see inside the sleeping car, lounge car, and dining car to get an up-close look at what rail travel was like in the 1940s.

Related: Explore SoCal with Metrolink

Special Activities:

While admission to Travel Town is free, for a nominal fee ($2.75 each) families can take a ride on a miniature train. The ride travels around the museum twice. Be sure to also   visit during the holiday season to take advantage of the Holiday Light Festival Train Ride , when the Museum is festively decorated and tens of thousands of lights transform the area into a magical wonderland.

Related: The Best Museums for Kids in Los Angeles

While you’re at Travel Town, be sure to take advantage of the “loaner” wooden engines that children can play with — for free. There are special play areas in the gift shop as well as hands-on play areas in other areas of the museum.

You can also plan a family and/or group picnic at Travel Town by reserving a picnic area complete with 3 tables and 6 benches which can seat up to 30 people.

Travel Town also serves as a unique, only-in-L.A. birthday party venue . Your train-loving kids can have a fantastic birthday party onboard a real train! Check the website for details.

There is no admission fee, though donations are gratefully accepted.

However, there are still opportunities for families to become members of the Travel Town Museum. Membership comes with special benefits including a discount in the Travel Town Gift Shop, subscription to the Museum’s newsletter, invitations to special members-only events, and more. They even offer a Junior Enginee r Membership level — a perfect gift for the train-loving child in your life.

Parking is free.

While there is no on-site restaurant, you will find picnic tables and grassy areas perfect for a family picnic. You can truly make a visit to Travel Town budget friendly (free admission, free parking) by bringing a lunch from home to enjoy.

Nearby Attractions:

Because Travel Town is located within Griffith Park , you won’t run out of things to do nearby. If your kids like horses, you might want to take a short drive over to the Griffith Park Pony Rides . Kids can ride a slow, medium, or fast pony; or go for a wagon ride. Families can also go for a spin on the Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round , a Griffith Park family favorite since 1937. And a short drive away from Travel Town, you’ll find both the Autry Museum and the Los Angeles Zoo .

MOMSLA IS YOUR SOURCE FOR THINGS TO DO IN LOS ANGELES WITH KIDS.

Disclaimer:  MomsLA has made every effort to confirm the information in this article; however, things can often change. Therefore, MomsLA makes no representations or warranties about the accuracy of the information published here. MomsLA strongly urges you to confirm any event details, like date, time, location, and admission, with the third party hosting the event. You assume the sole risk of relying on any of the information in our list. MomsLA is in no way responsible for any injuries or damages you sustain while attending any third-party event posted on our website. Please read our Terms of Use which you have agreed to based on your continued use of this website. Some events have paid to be listed on MomsLA.

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Check out videos on hundreds of California adventures

Travel Town Museum in Griffith Park Los Angeles

Travel Town Museum is a historic railroad museum in Griffith Park that was created in the 1950s and which preserves the history of California and its connection to the trains and railroads that helped build it. The museum features a big park, dozens of train cars, interior exhibits, and a train you can actually ride. It is fantastic for families or anyone who enjoys trains, and here is all the information if you want to check it out.  

• Free to enter
• $3.50 for a train ride
• Closed on Wednesdays and periodically for events. Check their site before going
• 10 AM – 5 PM on the days it is open
• Location: 5200 Zoo Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Getting There

From the 5 Freeway North, you will get off on the Forest Lawn Drive exit and turn left to go under the freeway. You will then turn left again on Zoo Drive and see the parking lot entrance in front of you. The parking lot here is pretty big, but it can fill up on the weekends.

Here is a video I made from my recent visit.

Travel Town Museum

After parking, you can head into the museum and railyard to start exploring.

The first few trains you will see are the ones that you can actually rent out for birthday parties. I have to imagine this would be a ton of fun if your child were into trains.

You can also climb up into a few of them as well.

You will notice that there is a track that surrounds the whole area. This track is for the train that you can pay to ride if you would like.  

If you want to ride it, I would recommend going over there first and getting a ticket so you will know when you can go on it. When we went, we got the last ticket before the conductors were breaking for lunch.

The train is a lot of fun as it goes slowly around the park twice, and you can see all of the trains on display in a fun way.

After taking the train, you should explore the interior section, which has exhibits on trains and the history of the railroad in California.  

There are many train cars in there, and it is worth walking through.

After exploring the indoor area, head over to the large hanger; it shades the most extensive collection of train cars and engines.  

This area is pretty cool as it has a lot of trains in excellent condition, and you can walk up into a few of the engines. There is also a store if you want to buy any train-related merchandise and a large grass area to have a picnic on.

My family loved exploring the Travel Town Museum, and I highly recommend it if you are looking for a fun spot to explore in Los Angeles. Let me know what you think in the comments.

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The Storied History of Travel Town

There are many terrific venues in Griffith Park and exhibits within venues. Travel Town is a perfect example; it’s a must-visit attraction, especially if you have kids. Or if you’re a big kid who loves all things trains and history!

At Travel Town, you can see and sometimes explore several of the various-use locomotives on display; a L.A. Railway Horse Drawn Car from 1880, a San Francisco Cable Car, and two locomotives from the L.A. Harbor Dept. that originally hauled quarry rock on Catalina Island. These little engines were saved from the scrap heap thanks to Travel Town’s founder, Charley Atkins who secured many of the locomotive wonders on display at this site.

Established in 1952, Atkins’ Travel Town serves as a reminder that travel across great distances used to be difficult and arduous; up until the 19th century, your choice of transportation was limited. You could walk, bump along in wagon trains or stagecoaches, or saddle up on horseback. Traveling from one coast to the other via ship, (navigating around the Cape of Good Horn) was a journey that could take months — even in good weather!

With the advent of trains, travel became easier and even elegant. Technological advances each year made trains more popular with businesses shuttling goods across the country, and passengers who had a desire for travel and exploration.

Travel Town pays tribute to train travel across the spectrum. You can visit passenger, dining and assorted-use boxcars from around the country, including several from Hawaii. The Oahu Railway cars #1 and #36 were donated to Travel Town in 1953. There’s a Southern Pacific Railway Post Office #12 built in 1890, plus a circa 1937 Union Pacific Dormitory/Club car currently undergoing restoration. Many of these locomotives and cars derive from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It’s wonderful to see how well they hold up, despite age and exposure.

The oldest kid on the block is the Stockton Terminal & Eastern #1 locomotive built by Norris-Lancaster in 1864. This engine is proudly put on display for annual events like Depot Days and it always draws crowds of visitors curious to see how folks traveled “back in the days.”

Tucked among Travel Town’s behemoths from long ago, you’ll find an innocuous little building that houses the delightful Fred Harvey exhibit. Have you ever seen the 1946 movie The Harvey Girls starring Judy Garland and Angela Lansbury? The film tells how in the 1880s, restaurateur Fred Harvey established the first restaurant “chain” and changed the way America ate, especially those in transit along the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway.

Harvey recognized railroads were quickly drawing the coasts closer together, but that travel was missing a major component : feeding passengers en route. While passengers could find food in small towns, it was an iffy proposition since there were no set standards from town to town. There was also the problem of getting passengers back on board so trains continued to run on time.

Efficiency and cleanliness was the name of the game for Fred Harvey

Through careful planning and execution, Harvey established Harvey Houses across America. Taking orders from menus on trains, and transmitting those orders in advance of the next stop, Harvey solved a huge problem for weary, hungry travelers : finding a decent meal. His wait-staff efficiently fed customers and got them on their way expeditiously.

Even better : Harvey “girls” were recruited from among young, attractive, hardworking women around the country, and were expected to comport themselves tastefully and civilly; highly unusual in the Wild West anything goes mentality of the late 19th century.

Finally, I was surprised to learn that architect Mary E. J. Colter was hired in 1910 as the architect/decorator for the Fred Harvey Company. At the time, she was one of only a few female architects working in the U.S. She was well-known for blending Spanish Colonial with Mission Revival : sprinkling in Native American and Rustic elements for good measure. Colter’s remarkable, extensive career included 21 projects for Harvey as well as projects in the ever-expanding National Park system.

Travel Town and the Fred Harvey exhibit are two “Don’t Miss” places to visit and linger in Griffith Park.

All aboard!

~Kathryn Louyse, FoGP board member

Currently the Fred Harvey exhibit and all Travel Town interior exhibits (including trains) are closed to the public. Unfortunately these exhibits will remain shuttered for the immediate future, but please keep checking back. More on the Travel Town Museum can be found here .

Train photos: Top/left: Stockton Terminal & Eastern #1. Built in 1864 by Norris-Lancaster Bottom/left: Southern Pacific #3025 , built by the Southern Pacific Railroad Company, 1904 Top/right: One of two LA Harbor Department Locomotives on exhibit (#31 was built in 1921, #32 was built in 1914) Center/right: San Francisco Cable Car on permanent loan Bottom/right: Pacific Electric #1544 “Electra” built in 1902 by North Shore Railroad

Fred Harvey photos: Top/left: Fred Harvey’s dainty Poppy place setting Center/left: One of Greg’s favorites (and oldest piece) is the silver tea pot. The place setting carries the Fred Harvey insignia. Bottom/left: Southwest Native American motif graces these place settings Top/right: One of the signature uniforms (reproduction) worn by a Harvey girl. The placard spells it out — “The apron must be spotless from the collar to the hem.” Bottom/right: Reproduction postcard of La Fonda Hotel/Restaurant in New Mexico. The back of the postcard would have held a description “Among La Fonda’s many attractions are its sunny patio; the restful lounge with its huge fireplace and deep-cushioned chairs; the New Mexican Room (restaurant); La Cantina (cocktail room); La Placita (outdoor dining room); and the famous orchestra from Old Mexico.”

Photo of Greg and Nancy Gneier at the Fred Harvey Exhibit All photos: Kathryn Louyse

I love the Travel Town Museum because I’m interested in Railroads and I like to work in one of those shop’s

We recommend that you contact Nancy to get more information about volunteering activities. https://traveltown.org/get-involved/volunteer/

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News | Travel Town Museum’s miniature train…

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News | Travel Town Museum’s miniature train rides wow young and old in Griffith Park

Enjoy a closeup look at huge historic locomotives and vintage railroad cars.

The “toot! toot!” of the miniature train’s horn blasted as it carried adults and children on 16-inch gauge tracks that circle Griffith Park’s popular Travel Town Museum. On a warm July Wednesday, families got a closeup look at dozens of outdoor exhibits of historic locomotives and train cars. Travel Town Museum, in the northwest area of Griffith Park, is home to more than 40 historic railroad locomotives and cars and is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm, free of charge.

Henry Chadwick 9-years old, North Hollywood, poses for a photo in front of a locomotive at Travel Town in Griffith Park Wednesday, July 27, 2022. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Locomotives on display at Travel Town in Griffith Park Wednesday, July 27, 2022. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Railroad related signage on display at Travel Town in Griffith Park Wednesday, July 27, 2022. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

People walk past Southern Pacific locomotive #3025 at Travel Town in Griffith Park Wednesday, July 27, 2022. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

A 1899 Baldwin locomotive on display at Travel Town in Griffith Park Wednesday, July 27, 2022. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

A 1899 Baldwin locomotive at Travel Town in Griffith Park Wednesday, July 27, 2022. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

People take a break from exploring Travel Town in Griffith Park Wednesday, July 27, 2022. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Southern Pacific locomotive #3025 built in 1904 on display at Travel Town in Griffith Park Wednesday, July 27, 2022. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

People ride the 16″ gauge miniature train at Travel Town in Griffith Park Wednesday, July 27, 2022. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Henry Chadwick 9-years old, North Hollywood, explores a locomotive at Travel Town in Griffith Park Wednesday, July 27, 2022. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Children explore Union Pacific locomotive #4439 at Travel Town in Griffith Park Wednesday, July 27, 2022. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

The Union Pacific locomotive #4439 on display at Travel Town in Griffith Park Wednesday, July 27, 2022. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Locomotives and train cars on display at Travel Town in Griffith Park Wednesday, July 27, 2022. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Children look at trains at Travel Town in Griffith Park Wednesday, July 27, 2022. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Trains on display at Travel Town in Griffith Park Wednesday, July 27, 2022. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

A man take a photo at Travel Town in Griffith Park Wednesday, July 27, 2022. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Rainroad tracks at Travel Town in Griffith Park Wednesday, July 27, 2022. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Pedro Delgado and son Quintin Delgado, Bell Gardens, look at a locomotive at Travel Town in Griffith Park Wednesday, July 27, 2022. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

According to a historic City of Los Angeles press release from 1952 that can be found on the Travel Town Museum website , the idea that evolved into Travel Town goes back to William Frederickson Jr., the city’s superintendent of recreation of that era. The museum opened in 1952 and the miniature train ride opened to the public in 1978.

Historic locomotives and cars on display include “The Little Nugget,” the Union Pacific Dining Car, the Santa Fe Motorcar M.177, the Pullman Car Hunters Point, the Southern Pacific Locomotive No. 219, and the Stockton Terminal & Eastern No. 1. Other exhibits feature artifacts from the  railroad industry.

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Preparing for Monday’s solar eclipse: What you need to do to watch safely

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Grab your eclipse glasses — weather permitting, Los Angeles County and the rest of California will catch a glimpse of the rare total eclipse Monday.

Unfortunately for eclipse fanatics on the West Coast, Californians will be able to see only a partial eclipse. From this state’s vantage point, the moon and sun won’t be exactly aligned, and only a portion of the sun’s disc is blocked, according to the Griffith Observatory .

The moon’s encroachment into the sun’s path will start at 10:06 a.m. and it will have made a substantial bite into the sun’s image by 10:39 a.m. The eclipse will peak at 11:12 a.m. and be over by 12:22 p.m., according to the observatory.

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Depending on where you are in the state, you’ll get a slightly different view of the eclipse. For example, in Los Angeles half of the sun will be visibly covered by the moon, but in San Francisco only a third of it will be covered. Anglenos can take that as a win.

NASA offers an eclipse explorer online map if you want to time your viewing just right.

This is a rare event; the next solar eclipse that can be seen from California won’t occur until 2044. To help you prepare, experts share how you can view the eclipse safely, where to get protective eyewear, how to photograph the eclipse and who will be hosting public viewing parties in Los Angeles County.

How to safely watch the eclipse

The first rule of a solar eclipse is, don’t look at the sun without specialized eclipse glasses or a solar viewers. It’s not safe.

If you look up at the eclipse without protection, it will instantly cause severe eye injury, according to NASA .

The same rule applies for looking at the eclipse through a camera lens, binoculars, telescope or regular sunglasses. According to NASA, the concentrated solar rays will burn through the lens filter and seriously harm your eyes.

What you can use are solar viewers or eclipse glasses that comply with the ISO 12312-2 international standard . These glasses reduce visible sunlight to safe and comfortable levels and block all but a tiny fraction of solar UV and infrared radiation, according to the American Astronomical Society.

The society warns that some eclipse glasses are labeled as ISO-compliant but have not been properly tested. Unfortunately, there’s no way for you to be able to test whether the eclipse glasses are legitimate or not before you buy them. Instead, the society shares a list of reputable suppliers of eclipse glasses, viewers and filters online .

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Temperatures on Thursday are expected to drop 20 degrees in some areas from Wednesday’s highs as a cold storm blows across California. Some regions could feel historic low temperatures.

Once you have some eclipse glasses in hand, here’s how to tell whether they’re safe. Through a pair of eclipse glasses you should be able to see only the sun (or something comparably bright) and nothing else. Some signs that the viewer might not be safe are:

• If you can see shaded lamps or other common household light fixtures, don’t use it.
• If you glance at the sun through the viewer and find it uncomfortably bright, don’t use it. Safe solar filters produce a view of the sun that is comfortably bright and in focus.

The American Astronomical Society advises against purchasing whatever eclipse glasses pop up in an internet search or online ads. What you can count on are glasses and viewers from a science museum, planetarium or an astronomy trade show.

When you do get a pair of glasses or viewers, make sure they’re in good condition. If the viewers are torn, scratched or punctured, discard them. If the filters are coming loose from their cardboard or plastic frames, discard them.

You can also indirectly see the eclipse by using a pinhole projection. With the sun behind you, allow the sunlight to pass through a small opening and project a solar image onto a nearby surface. Do not look at the sun through the pinhole.

There are several items you can use to fashion a pinhole projector, such as an index card with a hole punched in it, a pasta colander, a straw hat (with visible holes) or even your bare hands .

Experts such as Ed Krupp, longtime director of the Griffith Observatory, advise against staring at the eclipse for minutes on end, even with proper eye protection.

Krupp suggests looking up for just a moment to see the progress, then waiting 10 minutes or so before seeing how it looks again.

Where to get eclipse glasses

• Several branches of the Los Angeles Public Library are handing out free solar eclipse glasses every day until Saturday, but just to the first 40 people who ask for them. The library’s main online calendar lists the branches that are participating.
• The Los Angeles Public Library also will be distributing 21,000 solar eclipse glasses at the Los Angeles Maker Faire on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Los Angeles State Historic Park in Chinatown.
• The Los Angeles County Library branches are providing the community with the protective eyeware while supplies last. The county has a list of its branch locations and contact information so you can call ahead to check on the branch’s supply.
• Participating Warby Parker locations are handing out free solar eclipse glasses while supplies last. The website for the prescription glasses retailer has a list of locations that are giving out the protective glasses.

Tips on taking a photo of the eclipse with your phone

Your eyes aren’t the only thing you shouldn’t point at the sun. Your smartphone can also be damaged if you point its camera lens at the sun for long periods of time without a special filter.

It’s generally OK to include the sun in a photo focused on something else — for example, if you’re taking a landscape photo that includes the sun, that isn’t a safety issue for the camera. If you’re focused on the sun, put eclipse glasses or certified solar filters over the camera lens.

How to take a photo of the eclipse without damaging your phone

Here are some tips for taking photos of Monday’s upcoming solar eclipse without ruining your smartphone.

Eclipse viewing events

Eclipse events around Los Angeles are all taking place from 10 a.m. to noon Monday.

• The California Science Center is hosting a hands-on educational activities and viewing of the eclipse, which is included with the center’s free general admission. Free eclipse glasses will be available.
• Cal State L.A.’s Honors College will be providing its students and the public with viewing glasses and a space to view the eclipse between the Biological Sciences Building and the Annenberg Science Complex. For more information, call (323) 343-5969 or email [email protected].
• In celebration of National Library week, 10 of L.A. County Public Library branches are hosting an educational viewing of the eclipse. The participating branches are Stevenson Ranch, El Camino Real, Lloyd Taber-Marina del Rey, Chet Holifield, Diamond Bar, Acton Agua Dulce, Manhattan Beach, Rowland Heights, Woodcrest and Lake Los Angeles. Call the participating branch for more information.
• Los Angeles Pierce College is hosting an eclipse party that’s open to the public on the second floor balcony of the Center for the Sciences on campus. Staff will provide solar eclipse glasses and have solar telescopes on site. Any questions or requests for special accommodations should be emailed to Dale Fields at [email protected].
• Caltech is hosting a viewing party for the public at the Cahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics. Eclipse glasses will be provided while supplies last, and a solar telescope will be on site. Astrophysicists will be available during the viewing to help everyone get the most out of the rare experience. For more information, visit Caltech’s website or email Cameron Hummels at [email protected].
• If you’re looking to virtually see the moon’s passing, the Griffith Observatory will broadcast the total solar eclipse live on Youtube from Belton, Texas.

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Karen Garcia is a reporter on the Fast Break Desk, the team that has a pulse on breaking news at the Los Angeles Times. She was previously a reporter on the Utility Journalism Team, which focused on service journalism. Her previous stints include reporting for the San Luis Obispo New Times and KCBX Central Coast Public Radio.

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Travel Town Museum Foundation

The Travel Town Museum Foundation is a non-profit “friends” group that works in partnership with the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation & Parks at the city-owned Travel Town Museum in Griffith Park. Please follow the link below to visit Los Angeles’ city information page regarding to Travel Town.