Railroad Film Collection
California State Railroad Museum Library
© 2011
111 I Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 323-8073
Email: rrmuseumlibrary@parks.ca.gov
Website: http://www.csrmf.org/library-and-collections
Title: Railroad film collection
Dates: 1930s to present
Collection number: Consult the library
Collector:
California State Railroad Museum Library
Collection Size:
Approximately 1,900 items
Repository:
California State Railroad Museum Library
Sacramento, CA 95814
Abstract: The California State Railroad Museum Library's railroad film collection includes film and video documenting railroad operations
and history, primarily in California and Western states, though also in some other geographic regions. The collection includes
both commercial and amateur film and video footage. Some topics covered include railroad facilities, steam and diesel locomotives,
freight and passenger trains, railroad instructional films, streetcars, train robberies, logging railroads, tourist railroads,
and railfan excursion trips. Content of particular northern California interest includes construction of the Oroville dam,
railroad ferries in the San Francisco Bay area, and trips aboard well-known named trains, such as the "California Zephyr"
with its dome cars. Also included are videos of some the Museum's institutional history.
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
The collection is stored off-site. Please contact the library in advance of your visit.
Copyright has not been assigned to the California State Railroad Museum. All requests for permission to publish or quote from
motion pictures must be submitted in writing to the Director of Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf
of the CSRM as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder,
which must also be obtained by the reader.
Railroad Film Collection. California State Railroad Museum Library, Sacramento, CA 95814.
Various donors.
Scope and Content of Collection
The California State Railroad Museum Library's railroad film collection includes film and video documenting railroad operations
and history, primarily in California and Western states, though also in some other geographic regions. The collection includes
both commercial and amateur film and video footage. Some topics covered include railroad facilities, steam and diesel locomotives,
freight and passenger trains, railroad instructional films, streetcars, train robberies, logging railroads, tourist railroads,
and railfan excursion trips. Content of particular northern California interest includes construction of the Oroville dam,
railroad ferries in the San Francisco Bay area, and trips aboard well-known named trains, such as the "California Zephyr"
with its dome cars. Also included are videos of some the Museum's institutional history.
Formats include 8 mm and 16 mm film, 3/4 inch videocassettes, 1/2 inch VHS and Betacam videocassette recordings, and DVDs.
Items were collected by library staff from various individual and corporate donors. Some items have been individually cataloged,
though others have not yet been processed. Please contact the library for more information.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection.
Railroads—West (U.S.)
Railroads—California
Electric railroads—California
Passenger trains
Freight cars
Motion pictures
Video recordings
Transportation in motion pictures
Amateur films