Preserving Barstow railroad history, Santa Fe heritage, Harvey House culture, and desert railway equipment within the historic Casa del Desierto.
Overview
The Western America Railroad Museum is located at the historic Casa del Desierto complex in Barstow. The museum interprets the railroad history of Barstow, the Mojave Desert, the Santa Fe, BNSF Railway, and the communities and employees connected with desert railroading.
Its setting is central to its significance: visitors encounter preserved equipment and artifacts beside a busy active freight-rail center and within a surviving Santa Fe and Fred Harvey building.
Quick Facts
| Location | Barstow, California |
| Historic Building | Casa del Desierto (1911) |
| Museum Established | 2001 |
| Primary Historic Railroad | Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway |
| Primary Modern Railroad | BNSF Railway |
| Additional Modern Operator | Union Pacific through regional trackage-rights operations |
| Regional Focus | Barstow and Mojave Desert railroading |
| Major Themes | Harvey House history; freight operations; railroad community history; preserved equipment |
| Notable Equipment | Santa Fe No. 1460 “The Beep”; Santa Fe FP45 No. 95; Union Pacific SD40-2 No. 9950 |
Casa del Desierto
Casa del Desierto was completed in 1911 as a Santa Fe and Fred Harvey passenger facility, replacing an 1885 station that burned in 1908. It served travelers through hotel, restaurant, depot, and hospitality functions and remains one of Barstow’s defining railroad landmarks.
Santa Fe closed the station in 1973. The City of Barstow later acquired the building, which was rebuilt after heavy damage in a 1992 earthquake. The building is itself a primary artifact, not merely the container for the collection. The Western America Railroad Museum was established in 2001 on its east side.
Barstow as a Railroad City
Barstow developed at a strategic desert junction linking Southern California with Cajon Pass, Needles, the Southwest, the Central Valley, and routes toward Northern California. Railroad employment, yards, shops, hotels, passenger service, and freight traffic shaped the city’s identity.
Santa Fe Heritage
- Passenger and freight operations
- Harvey House service
- Desert operating conditions
- Barstow railroad employees
- Yard and shop activity
- Passenger-train history
- Community development
- Santa Fe artifacts and equipment
Harvey House Interpretation
Because the museum occupies Casa del Desierto, it offers a direct setting for interpreting Fred Harvey, Harvey Girls, railroad dining and lodging, Southwestern tourism, and Santa Fe passenger service.
Equipment Collection
A major strength of the museum is its outdoor collection of railroad equipment displayed beside the historic complex. The collection broadens the museum beyond photographs and small artifacts by preserving equipment connected with daily railroad operation in the Mojave Desert and Southwest.
- Locomotives
- Cabooses
- Passenger equipment
- Freight equipment
- Maintenance-of-way machinery
- Railroad signals
- Operating and infrastructure artifacts
What the Collection Interprets
- Santa Fe and BNSF operations
- Passenger travel
- Freight transportation
- Railroad maintenance
- Desert operating conditions
- Railroad employment and community life
- Changes in railroad technology
Notable Equipment
- Santa Fe No. 1460, “The Beep”
- Santa Fe FP45 No. 95
- Union Pacific SD40-2 No. 9950
BNSF and Union Pacific Operations
BNSF is the dominant railroad in the immediate Barstow area and operates the city’s major yard and transcontinental freight routes. The scale of modern BNSF activity makes the museum an effective place to compare historic Santa Fe material with the successor railroad’s present operations.
Union Pacific is also part of the regional operating environment. Union Pacific trains use trackage rights over BNSF through Cajon Pass and can be encountered in the broader corridor, although Barstow remains predominantly associated with BNSF operations.
Railroad Photography
- BNSF freight trains
- Union Pacific trackage-rights movements
- Desert railroad landscapes
- Yard and mainline operations from public areas
- Santa Fe architecture and artifacts
- Preserved equipment
- Historic and modern comparisons
Why the Museum Matters
The Western America Railroad Museum links Santa Fe history, the Fred Harvey system, Barstow’s railroad community, preserved equipment, Mojave Desert operations, and modern BNSF freight railroading within an original historic railroad complex.
Related Railroads
Related Locations
- Barstow
- Cajon Pass
- Mojave Desert routes
- Needles
- San Bernardino
Related Museums
Gallery
Photo gallery coming soon.
- Casa del Desierto exterior and interior
- Harvey House interpretation
- Santa Fe artifacts
- Locomotives and rolling stock
- Cabooses
- Maintenance-of-way equipment
- Signals and infrastructure artifacts
- BNSF operations
- Union Pacific trackage-rights trains
- Historic Barstow maps and photographs
Western Rail Archive Notes
The museum is both a railroad collection and a historic-place museum. Its strongest narrative is the combination of Casa del Desierto, preserved equipment, Barstow community history, and the active BNSF-dominated railroad environment outside. Equipment display, hours and access can change; check with the museum before visiting.
Archive Status
| Page Status | Category | Type | Gallery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foundational Article | Museums | Railroad Museum | In Development |