Press Release – For Immediate Release
September 29, 2026
Grand Opening for the Santa Maria Valley Railroad Museum
The Friends of the Santa Maria Valley Railroad is holding a Grand Opening for the newly acquired Santa Maria Valley Railroad Museum on Saturday October 3, 2026 from 12:00 to 4:00 pm. The Grand Opening is coinciding with the weekend long Central Coast Railroad Festival with railroad events scheduled throughout the Central Coast.
Featured exhibits are the SMV Caboose 180, Union Sugar steam locomotive, and a Sacramento Northern boxcar. The museum is currently being cleaned out and renovated with new displays and exhibits. The boxcar is the first phase to be renovated to house an exhibit telling the story about the history of the Santa Maria Valley Railroad. Guests on Saturday will get a sneak peek of the renovation.
Rob Himoto, President of the Santa Maria Valley Railroad and Kevin O’Roark, Director of the Friends of the Santa Maria Valley Railroad, will be on hand during the grand opening.
The Museum is located at 532 E. Boone Street in Santa Maria.
The Friends of the Santa Maria Valley Railroad is a non profit organization with our mission to preserve, improve, and interpret the historical aspects of the Santa Maria Valley Railroad and its economic and cultural impact on the Santa Maria Valley and California.