Episode 1 - The Southern California Railway Museum

WEBVTT 1 00:00:06.160 --> 00:00:09.759 Well, how do you folks, and good morning, afternoon or evening, 2 00:00:10.080 --> 00:00:14.720 wherever and whenever you may be listening. My name is Tim and welcome to 3 00:00:15.000 --> 00:00:19.920 one day in so cal. Whether you've lived here your entire life or visiting 4 00:00:19.920 --> 00:00:24.000 from across the world, whether you only have one day in so cal or 5 00:00:24.079 --> 00:00:27.239 one month, I want to share some of the coolest, most fun and 6 00:00:27.320 --> 00:00:32.119 most unique things to do right here in southern California, whether that's solo or 7 00:00:32.200 --> 00:00:36.880 with friends and family. So join me on my next adventure and hopefully yours. 8 00:00:37.200 --> 00:00:48.880 Right now, on one day in so cal. You guys like that 9 00:00:48.920 --> 00:00:53.439 free music that came with the podcast production software? Eventually we may get around 10 00:00:53.439 --> 00:00:58.520 to change it. So this is episode one of my new podcast and the 11 00:00:58.560 --> 00:01:02.479 first time I've ever made my own podcast. I'm going to be filling my 12 00:01:02.520 --> 00:01:04.239 way through this, but I hope the topics will be of interest to anyone 13 00:01:04.439 --> 00:01:10.040 out there listening, whether you're planning a trip to southern California or just looking 14 00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:15.040 for hidden gems. Uh Well, I guess I'm not sure how often I'll 15 00:01:15.040 --> 00:01:18.159 be creating new episodes due to my busy schedule, but I'll certainly commit to 16 00:01:18.439 --> 00:01:22.319 at bare minimum one per month. Most likely we'll be getting around to more 17 00:01:22.359 --> 00:01:25.319 than that. But, Um, you know, I do work full time, 18 00:01:25.359 --> 00:01:27.280 I do go to school full time and I'm always out on an adventure. 19 00:01:27.400 --> 00:01:32.400 So, UM, nonetheless, I'm committed to this podcast and I hope 20 00:01:32.400 --> 00:01:36.400 it's as fun for you as it will be for me. Uh. I 21 00:01:36.480 --> 00:01:40.920 previously have podcast experience. Uh. I used to be a host with the 22 00:01:40.959 --> 00:01:44.920 Disneyland, Disneyland News today PODCAST, which was part of the Walt Disney World 23 00:01:45.000 --> 00:01:49.760 News today, or W W N T podcast. Um, and company, 24 00:01:49.319 --> 00:01:53.400 uh, W W N T, has grown into the leader of Disney Related 25 00:01:53.439 --> 00:02:00.040 News and information. You'll often find their articles on Fox News and MSNBC and 26 00:02:00.480 --> 00:02:05.519 major newspapers and other online publications. Um, and you know, really, 27 00:02:05.719 --> 00:02:10.080 it's really grown into the number one source under the under the helm of the 28 00:02:10.120 --> 00:02:15.719 fearless Tom Corliss, a great guy who really knows is Disney stuff and uh, 29 00:02:15.400 --> 00:02:20.199 someone I've worked with and met many times. Um, but not everyone 30 00:02:20.240 --> 00:02:23.840 can afford Disneyland or Disney world these days. Am I right? Disney has 31 00:02:23.960 --> 00:02:29.439 really grown into the upper middle class country club, hasn't it? Those of 32 00:02:29.439 --> 00:02:32.159 you they can afford Disney probably can't even get reservations with your magic key, 33 00:02:32.360 --> 00:02:36.639 or so I've heard. Some of you may even be boycotting Disney. I 34 00:02:36.680 --> 00:02:39.639 don't know. Um. All that said, the podcast of social media competition 35 00:02:39.639 --> 00:02:44.479 in the Disney related space is massive and there's no reason for me to start 36 00:02:44.520 --> 00:02:47.360 another podcast there. There are plenty of options in that realm if you're looking 37 00:02:47.400 --> 00:02:53.199 for Disney information or news or podcasts or shows. Um, I'll also be 38 00:02:53.240 --> 00:02:57.520 adding an a company website, maybe a blog, social media page. Um. 39 00:02:57.599 --> 00:03:00.639 I'm not really hunder percent sure yet where I'm gonna take this podcast. 40 00:03:00.560 --> 00:03:04.360 Um, and I'm usually a pretty stringent planner on these things. I'm but 41 00:03:04.400 --> 00:03:07.120 I'M gonna try new approach and just see where the winds take me this time. 42 00:03:07.120 --> 00:03:10.599 So what I'm going to be focusing on is things to do if you 43 00:03:10.680 --> 00:03:16.439 only had one day in so cal. I'm talking museums, historical locations, 44 00:03:16.479 --> 00:03:22.199 botanical gardens, famous places, parks or other places of interest. It might 45 00:03:22.199 --> 00:03:25.000 be exploring the VIBE and the energy of Venice beach and everything it has to 46 00:03:25.039 --> 00:03:29.520 offer, or maybe just to walk down the Hollywood walk of fame. Or 47 00:03:29.520 --> 00:03:31.280 maybe I'll ride a tram up to the getty center, which is fine and 48 00:03:31.439 --> 00:03:36.000 well with their art collection, but did you know that? There it's about. 49 00:03:36.039 --> 00:03:38.319 It's lesser known and visited, younger and, in my opinion, better 50 00:03:38.400 --> 00:03:46.520 brother over in Pacific Palisades, the Getty Villa. That's right, not via 51 00:03:46.840 --> 00:03:52.240 villa, since it's a recreation of a Roman via. I mean villa of 52 00:03:52.360 --> 00:03:58.039 papyrty at Herculaneum. Um, I might explore the oasis of Palm Springs in 53 00:03:58.080 --> 00:04:00.879 Josh Traditional Park or even hit a theme park like universal studios or six flags. 54 00:04:01.439 --> 00:04:03.840 That's not to say I won't be venturing out regionally. Let's say I 55 00:04:03.879 --> 00:04:09.800 head up to mammoth or San Francisco or southern Utah or Phoenix, for example, 56 00:04:10.560 --> 00:04:14.599 but I think this podcast is primarily going to be focused on southern California 57 00:04:14.680 --> 00:04:16.279 and there's enough here to keep the content coming for years, I think. 58 00:04:17.319 --> 00:04:20.680 So you know whether you're coming out to visit for the weekend. Um, 59 00:04:20.800 --> 00:04:24.480 I just want to see some of those famous places you only seen on TV 60 00:04:25.079 --> 00:04:27.160 or you listened your whole life, and I'm just looking for, you know, 61 00:04:27.199 --> 00:04:30.839 additional information or a different point of view on places, or maybe hitting 62 00:04:30.879 --> 00:04:33.720 gyms that you didn't know about or didn't really think about. Um, that's 63 00:04:33.720 --> 00:04:39.000 why I'm gonna be doing this podcast Nice. So, for starters, you 64 00:04:39.000 --> 00:04:41.600 know why am I doing this podcast. It's a good topic to get on 65 00:04:41.680 --> 00:04:44.360 real quick and I promise we're gonna get to the content here. I just 66 00:04:44.399 --> 00:04:46.600 kind of want to go into an intro of why I'm doing this. Um. 67 00:04:46.639 --> 00:04:51.279 But for starters, I've always wanted to do one a podcast. I 68 00:04:51.279 --> 00:04:56.959 mean just for fun, and I mean that this is for fun. Um. 69 00:04:57.000 --> 00:05:00.199 If I eventually make any kind of profit doing this, cool, but 70 00:05:00.319 --> 00:05:03.040 that's not the intent here. I'm here to share where I live, the 71 00:05:03.079 --> 00:05:06.800 good, the bad and the ugly. Um, and I just want to 72 00:05:06.879 --> 00:05:12.240 show off just how amazing that the southern California is. You know, it's 73 00:05:12.240 --> 00:05:14.240 got its problems. We all know this. We've seen in the news, 74 00:05:14.279 --> 00:05:17.240 but there's just so much to do here and so much to see and so 75 00:05:17.319 --> 00:05:21.199 much experience, and I just want to share my experiences and give you guys 76 00:05:21.279 --> 00:05:24.600 kind of a heads up, from a locals point of view, about southern 77 00:05:24.600 --> 00:05:28.600 California. Um. The other reason I'm doing this is I've made a commitment 78 00:05:28.639 --> 00:05:31.000 to myself to get out of the house at least once a week and go 79 00:05:31.040 --> 00:05:35.360 out and do something, anything, and that commitment has served me well. 80 00:05:35.439 --> 00:05:40.319 Both mentally and physically. Without going too deep, I had a kind of 81 00:05:40.360 --> 00:05:44.480 a health scare, and I mean that in quotation marks, for absolutely quotation 82 00:05:44.519 --> 00:05:46.959 marks, where I started having muscle twitching and various parts of my body. 83 00:05:47.600 --> 00:05:51.560 So I did what every other human being in the world would do, you 84 00:05:51.600 --> 00:05:55.240 know, without access to a medical professional, I went to Dr Google, 85 00:05:55.360 --> 00:06:00.480 looked at my symptoms and diagnose myself with eternal illness. And, Short Story 86 00:06:00.560 --> 00:06:05.680 Long, I'm essentially sure I'm fine. So don't do that. If you 87 00:06:05.879 --> 00:06:10.360 ever have symptoms, go to your doctor, I'll go online and diagnose yourself 88 00:06:10.360 --> 00:06:14.399 with something scary and uh Um. You know, if you want to know 89 00:06:14.480 --> 00:06:16.639 more about that story, feel free to check out what's going on podcast by 90 00:06:16.720 --> 00:06:23.199 David Harvey, where we discuss those symptoms, anxiety and basically benign fast relation 91 00:06:23.279 --> 00:06:26.920 syndrome. Uh So, not to get a talk track, sorry that I 92 00:06:26.959 --> 00:06:30.360 kind of did already, but what I committed doing was at least once a 93 00:06:30.399 --> 00:06:31.920 week going to getting out of the House and going to do something. And 94 00:06:31.959 --> 00:06:35.560 now the pandemic is over, I want to share my personal experiences and give 95 00:06:35.600 --> 00:06:41.519 you the listener ideas or tips from a personal point of view of some of 96 00:06:41.560 --> 00:06:45.680 the many things you can do here in southern California, whatever the case may 97 00:06:45.720 --> 00:06:47.040 be. I want to share those adventures with you and I'll do it by 98 00:06:47.040 --> 00:06:50.040 giving you folks a rundown, from my point of view, again, of 99 00:06:50.079 --> 00:06:56.560 both information and experiences, Um, at some of what social has. So 100 00:06:56.879 --> 00:07:00.600 for each location I'll be going over our two categories. Um. First and 101 00:07:00.639 --> 00:07:04.079 foremost, you know, we have a car culture here in so cal there's 102 00:07:04.079 --> 00:07:09.560 some great transportation options, but for the most part you're gonna be driving too, 103 00:07:09.959 --> 00:07:13.120 you know, wherever you want to go. Um, it's not like 104 00:07:13.160 --> 00:07:15.839 New York, where it's all condensed and you can take the subway everywhere. 105 00:07:15.920 --> 00:07:19.360 Here in southern California you'd have to do like six transfers and a and, 106 00:07:19.480 --> 00:07:23.360 uh, you know, a two mile walk to get anywhere. So, 107 00:07:23.480 --> 00:07:28.279 UM, parking. Parking is the subject. It's a pain in the rear 108 00:07:28.360 --> 00:07:31.199 end here in southern California, at least if you want it for free. 109 00:07:31.600 --> 00:07:34.920 There are actually plenty of places to park here in southern California all over, 110 00:07:35.040 --> 00:07:39.439 but you're gonna pay for it, and sometimes it's at ridiculous rates. So 111 00:07:39.480 --> 00:07:43.680 I'll explore the venue of topic for each podcast has around parking. What they 112 00:07:43.759 --> 00:07:46.199 charge, if anything, what the alternatives are and if there are any free 113 00:07:46.199 --> 00:07:49.600 options. Um, and we we could probably also go into, uh, 114 00:07:49.680 --> 00:07:54.480 you know, public transportation options as well entrance fee. What will it cost? 115 00:07:54.519 --> 00:07:57.480 To get into the topic of choice for each episode, there are actually 116 00:07:57.480 --> 00:08:01.399 more than a few places that offer free entrances, but free, free entrance. 117 00:08:01.120 --> 00:08:05.199 But now you're on the parking or other areas, which is understandable, 118 00:08:05.399 --> 00:08:09.079 because otherwise parking lots would be filled up with folks who are not even busy 119 00:08:09.160 --> 00:08:13.079 the attraction at all and taken away parking from you. But nonetheless, we'll 120 00:08:13.079 --> 00:08:18.079 explore the entrance fees, what add ONS are, premium options are available and 121 00:08:18.079 --> 00:08:22.680 if you should partake in those things, um, things to do. Finally, 122 00:08:22.759 --> 00:08:24.600 we'll get into the meat and potatoes here and I'll explain what it actually 123 00:08:24.680 --> 00:08:30.240 will cost to do things at these locations, um, even if you paid 124 00:08:30.240 --> 00:08:33.960 your entrance fee or gotten for free. I'll go over my experiences and visiting 125 00:08:33.000 --> 00:08:37.679 these places, ensuring I visit before I record a podcast so that I'm up 126 00:08:37.720 --> 00:08:39.360 to speed on the latest and greatest that can share the information with you. 127 00:08:41.200 --> 00:08:43.960 I'll try out some of the premium options as well and again, I'll share 128 00:08:43.960 --> 00:08:46.279 those with you and let you know what I think. Is Is it worth 129 00:08:46.360 --> 00:08:50.120 it or now? Maybe not. Special events. A lot of these places 130 00:08:50.159 --> 00:08:54.679 have special events, for example, the Nissai Festival in Little Tokyo. I 131 00:08:54.679 --> 00:08:58.559 hope I said there right. Um, down a little Tokyo. You know 132 00:08:58.600 --> 00:09:01.639 it's always there, but they have special events down there sometimes, and I'll 133 00:09:01.639 --> 00:09:03.879 go over the calendar and what type of special events occur it. The location 134 00:09:03.919 --> 00:09:11.799 in question for the PODCAST. Subject Um per episode. Um Kids. Well, 135 00:09:11.840 --> 00:09:13.039 your kids have fun here. Some of you are bringing your kids in 136 00:09:13.080 --> 00:09:16.120 town. I don't want the youngsters to be bored out of their minds. 137 00:09:16.600 --> 00:09:20.639 I'll let you know if the location has any opportunities for children to be entertained. 138 00:09:20.080 --> 00:09:24.000 For example, I'm not so sure your six year old is necessarily going 139 00:09:24.039 --> 00:09:26.240 to have a blast at the yetty center. There is options for kids there, 140 00:09:26.279 --> 00:09:31.600 but Um row, after all, art is uh. I don't know. 141 00:09:31.639 --> 00:09:35.360 Maybe maybe they will have more fun over at the Science Center. Uh. 142 00:09:35.399 --> 00:09:41.120 Safety or concerns will be my final topicum each podcast episode. Politics aside, 143 00:09:41.360 --> 00:09:45.639 California does have its issues. There's no denying that, depending on where 144 00:09:45.720 --> 00:09:48.480 you go. You know it. I know it. Olympic medalist, Kim 145 00:09:48.519 --> 00:09:52.840 blast knows it, and as I've lived in southern California my entire of life, 146 00:09:52.879 --> 00:09:58.960 I've watched and consistently visited neighborhoods and regions here. And as a bonus, 147 00:09:58.000 --> 00:10:03.679 I'll show you to do something that nobody ever would in their role or 148 00:10:03.759 --> 00:10:09.039 career, I should say. I just changed careers from police officer to information 149 00:10:09.120 --> 00:10:16.279 technology, UM technician, basically. So I made that change. I think 150 00:10:16.320 --> 00:10:20.120 it's better for me overall. Uh, don't or I didn't get fired or 151 00:10:20.120 --> 00:10:24.200 anything crazy like that, but I decided, you know what, I'd rather 152 00:10:24.759 --> 00:10:28.240 do stuff like that on a reserve basis for free, and I wanted to 153 00:10:28.320 --> 00:10:33.039 do something I've always wanted to do, which is information technology, lets stress, 154 00:10:33.080 --> 00:10:35.080 more money. And uh, even today, when I go out, 155 00:10:37.000 --> 00:10:39.480 Um, I'm always on alert and aware of my surroundings, and I don't 156 00:10:39.480 --> 00:10:41.639 want you folks to have to worry about that. Just go out and have 157 00:10:41.679 --> 00:10:46.120 a good time, but be aware of some locations in southern California are having 158 00:10:46.120 --> 00:10:50.159 issues with crime and of course it has all everything to do with politics and 159 00:10:50.159 --> 00:10:52.639 everything else here. But you know, I'll give you, from my point 160 00:10:52.679 --> 00:10:56.399 of view and my experience in training, everything else. You know what I 161 00:10:56.440 --> 00:11:00.000 think about the location and if there's anything that particularly to be concerned about, 162 00:11:00.080 --> 00:11:03.639 for example, if I eventually recommend like a bike ride in a certain area 163 00:11:03.720 --> 00:11:07.039 or something like that, or a visit to a a small little museum or 164 00:11:07.120 --> 00:11:11.519 House. Um, you know what's the what's the neighborhood vibes like and, 165 00:11:11.759 --> 00:11:13.360 uh, you know, safety wise, I want you guys to be safe 166 00:11:13.360 --> 00:11:20.480 out here Um, and have a good time. So all that put together 167 00:11:20.519 --> 00:11:24.799 here. If you want to tag along, let's jump right into my first 168 00:11:24.480 --> 00:11:30.879 one day in so call episode and we're head of the Paris. Now I 169 00:11:30.919 --> 00:11:35.159 know what you're thinking and the answer is new not that Paris. There is 170 00:11:35.200 --> 00:11:39.480 a Paris California, pe R R I S, and it's home to one 171 00:11:39.519 --> 00:11:43.919 of the most spectacular railway museums in California, if not the country, and 172 00:11:45.000 --> 00:11:50.519 that is the southern California Railway Museum. The southern California Railway Museum is a 173 00:11:50.600 --> 00:11:54.960 large museum located in the Inland Empire, approximately twenty one mile southeast of the 174 00:11:56.039 --> 00:11:58.600 city of Riverside, California, and what we like to call out here in 175 00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:03.559 an empire. It was originally established in Griffith Park in Los Angeles where the 176 00:12:03.559 --> 00:12:07.200 travel town museum is located. Um, eventually we'll make our way out there, 177 00:12:07.200 --> 00:12:11.200 by the way to and check that out. But the original founders of 178 00:12:11.240 --> 00:12:16.279 this museum, we're way ahead of their time. While Los Angeles was scrapping 179 00:12:16.279 --> 00:12:20.799 their trains and trolleys for cars and buses, these visionaries knew that one day 180 00:12:20.080 --> 00:12:24.240 we would want to know about the history of rail that literally built southern California 181 00:12:24.279 --> 00:12:28.639 too, what it is today. But there are set. The collection essentially 182 00:12:28.679 --> 00:12:31.919 grew to the point where they needed to find more land. Thus the Orange 183 00:12:31.960 --> 00:12:35.919 Empire Trolley Museum was born. Orange Empire is a nickname for the endless citrus 184 00:12:35.960 --> 00:12:41.519 groves that made up the majority of agriculture and in the Olympire Um. So 185 00:12:41.639 --> 00:12:45.159 in ve they changed the name because, you know, they didn't have just 186 00:12:45.200 --> 00:12:48.559 trolleys anymore, they had actual trains and steam engines and everything else, and 187 00:12:48.600 --> 00:12:54.720 it became known as the Orange Empire Railway Museum and that was the name of 188 00:12:54.759 --> 00:12:56.600 the museum. And Uh, you know, even even now, if you 189 00:12:56.600 --> 00:13:01.679 Google Orange Empire Rally Museum, it was they'll pop up. But as of 190 00:13:01.720 --> 00:13:05.519 Twenty nineteen they did change the name one more time and it's called now the 191 00:13:05.559 --> 00:13:11.000 southern California Railway Museum. So you know, to me it's always gonna be 192 00:13:11.000 --> 00:13:16.279 the orange empireroad museum because I've been going to this place since I was five 193 00:13:16.919 --> 00:13:20.080 and I absolutely love trains, which is one of the reason I still do, 194 00:13:20.159 --> 00:13:22.840 which is one of the reasons I decided to make this my first episode. 195 00:13:24.559 --> 00:13:30.720 But, UM, literally every weekend go to Grandma's house and you know, 196 00:13:30.759 --> 00:13:31.600 what do you want to do this weekend? I want to go to 197 00:13:31.679 --> 00:13:35.039 the Orange Empire Road Museum, and we always did. I even brought some 198 00:13:35.120 --> 00:13:39.480 friends sometimes. You know, I remember Russell McGuire. Brought him out to 199 00:13:39.559 --> 00:13:43.480 the train museum and I just wanted to ride the train over and over and 200 00:13:43.480 --> 00:13:46.039 over again, and he's like no, I don't want to ride anymore on 201 00:13:46.120 --> 00:13:48.639 board. No, we're going on the train man and uh, you know, 202 00:13:48.919 --> 00:13:54.240 uh, just where other kids would might be bored with this kind of 203 00:13:54.240 --> 00:13:58.039 thing, I just could never get enough of it and I just felt so 204 00:13:58.080 --> 00:14:03.679 special that even back then I was a member of this museum and uh, 205 00:14:03.840 --> 00:14:07.440 it really holds a place in my heart because, you know, obviously grandparents 206 00:14:07.480 --> 00:14:11.879 aren't here anymore. Um, you know, they passed on everything else. 207 00:14:11.919 --> 00:14:13.960 But I just, you know, walking around, I could just be like, 208 00:14:13.000 --> 00:14:16.639 Hey, I remember I was over here at that spot and that happened, 209 00:14:18.320 --> 00:14:20.519 or remember putting, you know, a quarter on the track with the 210 00:14:20.559 --> 00:14:24.159 train ran over it. or I remember the time I snuck into the L 211 00:14:24.200 --> 00:14:31.000 A railway barn and uh, you know, moved up one of the Um 212 00:14:31.000 --> 00:14:33.639 power polls on the trolley. Starry escapes from the exact name of it. 213 00:14:33.679 --> 00:14:37.759 I got a candle, ever, but and turned it on and I was 214 00:14:37.840 --> 00:14:41.840 supposed to and Um, I just I love, I just love the museum. 215 00:14:41.879 --> 00:14:46.600 But that's why, I guess I wanted to start with the one champire 216 00:14:46.679 --> 00:14:50.120 rolling museum because, you know, it's it's as an interested me and I 217 00:14:50.200 --> 00:14:52.879 want to share it with you. And I promisely in every episode is not 218 00:14:52.919 --> 00:14:56.360 gonna be about museums and trains. But but that's gonna be our first one, 219 00:14:56.399 --> 00:15:01.240 I guess. So the Ente Empire Rolling Museum is located to two zero 220 00:15:01.320 --> 00:15:05.799 one south a street in Paris, California, and I'm not gonna lie it 221 00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:07.879 say it's it could be a bit of a drive, depending where you live. 222 00:15:07.960 --> 00:15:11.080 If you live, you know, in the San Fernando Valley. Yeah, 223 00:15:11.080 --> 00:15:13.639 YOU'RE gonna gonna be doing a little commute down there if you but you 224 00:15:13.679 --> 00:15:16.600 know, if you've got people that love trains, your kids love trains. 225 00:15:18.440 --> 00:15:20.360 Maybe you have a husband or a wife you know that. You know in 226 00:15:20.399 --> 00:15:24.840 a second life they were a train engineer. You know this is this is 227 00:15:24.879 --> 00:15:28.039 the place to be and I'm gonna tell you why you're Um. But first, 228 00:15:28.080 --> 00:15:31.519 once you arrive with the museum, you'll be delighted to find out that 229 00:15:31.639 --> 00:15:37.799 parking it's completely free. You can park right up to the front gate if 230 00:15:37.799 --> 00:15:41.080 it's not already taken by somebody else or you know, it's not a handicap 231 00:15:41.120 --> 00:15:46.120 spot. Um, I think you'll be further delighted and may be surprised, 232 00:15:46.120 --> 00:15:52.679 to find out that entrance to the museum is also completely free. That's right, 233 00:15:52.720 --> 00:15:56.360 there's no charge to walk past the gates and explore to your heart's content. 234 00:15:56.960 --> 00:16:00.279 Now allow me to throw an astick in here, though. While parking 235 00:16:00.399 --> 00:16:06.080 is completely free and entrance to the museum is completely free, special events do 236 00:16:06.279 --> 00:16:08.879 cost, and we'll go over that later in the little events section of this 237 00:16:08.879 --> 00:16:14.480 podcast, of this episode, I should say. But the southern California Railway 238 00:16:14.519 --> 00:16:18.679 Museum is not your typical status stat display museum, either like travel town in 239 00:16:18.720 --> 00:16:25.600 Los Angeles, that are moving, fully working completely restored trolleys, trains and 240 00:16:25.600 --> 00:16:30.879 passenger cars that you can ride on and, believe it or not, they 241 00:16:30.919 --> 00:16:36.840 operate almost every single weekend, holiday and special events. I also want to 242 00:16:36.879 --> 00:16:38.320 note too, though, that while at museum, or I should say well, 243 00:16:38.360 --> 00:16:41.159 answers to the museum is free, there is a small charge for riding 244 00:16:41.159 --> 00:16:45.600 the trains and trolleys. Unlimited rides on trains and trolleys for the day it 245 00:16:45.639 --> 00:16:48.480 will cost you eight bucks for kids and twelve bucks for adults and kids young 246 00:16:48.840 --> 00:16:53.159 for younger free. So if you visit on the weekends, which a high 247 00:16:53.240 --> 00:16:56.679 is suggest doing, is planning a trip here at all, do it on 248 00:16:56.679 --> 00:17:00.120 the weekends. There will generally be at least three trains and trolleys operate on 249 00:17:00.159 --> 00:17:04.880 a rotated schedule. Usually it's a diesel Um, a large interurban trolley, 250 00:17:04.920 --> 00:17:10.160 which was kind of the precursor to today's metro link, and then a smaller 251 00:17:10.200 --> 00:17:12.839 trolley Um, which is kind of like a precursor to like the buses and 252 00:17:14.319 --> 00:17:18.440 Light Rail we have now, which operates on a half mile loop. Um. 253 00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:22.680 You know, they might have the southern Pacific stream or not southern Pacific 254 00:17:22.920 --> 00:17:26.680 Union Pacific streamliner, you know, all set up with the engine and all 255 00:17:26.680 --> 00:17:30.880 the yellow cars, you know, ready to transport you back to the nineteen 256 00:17:30.920 --> 00:17:34.079 fifties, or Hollywood interurban cars, seven, seventeen, straight out of WHO 257 00:17:34.119 --> 00:17:38.000 framed Roger Rabbit? Um, or you might be right in the rails behind 258 00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:44.759 a fully working steam locomotive. Speaking of steam locomotives, perhaps I think the 259 00:17:44.799 --> 00:17:48.799 star of southern California Rowing Museum is Ventura County railway steam engine number two. 260 00:17:49.839 --> 00:17:55.799 The museum has, it maintains in really impeccable condition as a working locomotive. 261 00:17:56.400 --> 00:18:03.200 and Um, they operated regularly and that most special events. Um, it 262 00:18:03.240 --> 00:18:07.920 should be noted as of this podcast. So that is currently undergoing a mandatory, 263 00:18:07.039 --> 00:18:11.039 UH, maintenance schedule, Um, and so basically it's not expected to 264 00:18:11.119 --> 00:18:15.880 hit the mainline tracks again probably tell about three or so. Um. And 265 00:18:15.920 --> 00:18:19.759 that's obviously for safety. We're talking about a huge high pressure boiler, you 266 00:18:19.799 --> 00:18:25.079 know, oil driven steam engine and uh, obviously they want to make sure 267 00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:26.880 that's safe and the gun undergoes it's proper maintenance and everything. So that's what 268 00:18:26.920 --> 00:18:30.519 they do. They're literally taking the whole thing apart piece by piece, inspecting 269 00:18:30.519 --> 00:18:34.920 it, replacing parts and putting it back together. And you know I've I've 270 00:18:34.960 --> 00:18:40.240 written behind this thing many times what a magical experience it is to Um be 271 00:18:40.279 --> 00:18:42.640 behind the steam train. Just look up some youtube videos of Ventura Canna railway 272 00:18:42.680 --> 00:18:45.000 number two and you'll see what I mean. Let me get a shot of 273 00:18:45.039 --> 00:18:53.240 water here. Not Used to be doing podcasts that much, so gets the 274 00:18:53.240 --> 00:18:57.839 throat drives out a little bit. UH So. So, while the steam 275 00:18:57.880 --> 00:19:03.880 train is amazing, I don't want to dissuade you, Um from everything else 276 00:19:03.880 --> 00:19:08.400 the steam the southern California Railway Museum is a pretty extensive collection of railway artifacts 277 00:19:08.440 --> 00:19:14.000 and working pieces to display and right on. So we all know the the 278 00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:17.720 the entrance in parking through the to the museum is free and that there is 279 00:19:17.720 --> 00:19:19.839 a small cost right trains. But let's talk quickly about a few other premium 280 00:19:19.839 --> 00:19:25.799 options the museum has to offer. Perhaps the coolest thing that I found that 281 00:19:25.839 --> 00:19:30.200 the museum offers is their run one program the museum, under the guidance of 282 00:19:30.200 --> 00:19:34.720 a real railroad engineer, will actually allow you to operate one of their trains, 283 00:19:36.279 --> 00:19:37.839 and I'm not talking about a two man handcar either, I mean you 284 00:19:37.880 --> 00:19:41.839 will actually be able to sit in the driver's seat of a passenger freight or 285 00:19:41.880 --> 00:19:47.759 switcher diesel or, once they get it fully set up again, fully put 286 00:19:47.799 --> 00:19:51.480 back together again, the actual steam train, Um, and you will be 287 00:19:51.519 --> 00:19:56.680 able to drive the Stein, the train. Um. And, you know, 288 00:19:56.880 --> 00:20:00.359 really, for a lot of people, fulfill a lifelong dream. It 289 00:20:00.400 --> 00:20:04.240 reminds me of of back to the future when DOC is pulling on the horn. 290 00:20:04.279 --> 00:20:07.200 He's like, I always wanted to do that. Well, I think 291 00:20:07.240 --> 00:20:10.599 we've all wanted to get behind a train at one point or another and drive. 292 00:20:11.319 --> 00:20:12.920 Um, the cost for an hour of stick time behind one of these 293 00:20:12.920 --> 00:20:18.960 golias ranges from two fifty bucks to dollars an hour. So obviously it's a 294 00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:22.880 premium fee, but talk about the ultimate birthday or Christmas gift for the Railroad 295 00:20:22.880 --> 00:20:26.359 Fan of your life. Even I plan on eventually doing something like this to 296 00:20:26.480 --> 00:20:30.839 for somebody. But you know, you can also operate real trolleys and those 297 00:20:30.839 --> 00:20:34.039 prices range from a hundred dollars hundred fifty dollars an hour. You know, 298 00:20:34.359 --> 00:20:37.960 just again, talk about it once in a lifetime experience. You know, 299 00:20:37.160 --> 00:20:41.000 there's something you gotta do. One of those hundred things to do before you 300 00:20:41.039 --> 00:20:48.720 die sort of things. Uh. So Um, the museum has other few 301 00:20:48.759 --> 00:20:53.480 options and um premium opportunities as well. For the train fan child in your 302 00:20:53.519 --> 00:20:56.640 life, you can rent out a real railway caboose, you know, setting 303 00:20:56.680 --> 00:21:00.559 its own special area in a fenced in area for a birthday party, and 304 00:21:00.559 --> 00:21:06.640 the museum can provide additional items such chairs, tables, bounce houses, barbecues 305 00:21:06.720 --> 00:21:11.839 other items. And I heard the birthday boy himself even gets an engineer cap. 306 00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:17.400 So besides the working railroad and History Um, the museum does have a 307 00:21:17.400 --> 00:21:21.440 lot of stack displays as well, including things you won't see anywhere else in 308 00:21:21.440 --> 00:21:26.160 the world. The museum itself is well landscaped. You'll find large grassy areas 309 00:21:26.160 --> 00:21:30.640 with huge shade trees, Um, some light playground equipment for the kids to 310 00:21:30.680 --> 00:21:36.000 play on, Picnic tables, water fountains restrooms are conveniently located throughout Um, 311 00:21:36.039 --> 00:21:37.240 and so when you're not riding a train, you can take a tour of 312 00:21:37.319 --> 00:21:42.440 some of the many railway barns and houses storing really priceless artifacts of railway history. 313 00:21:44.359 --> 00:21:48.880 Perhaps the most famous railway at the museum, the most famous collection they 314 00:21:48.880 --> 00:21:53.160 have, is none other than the grizzly flats railroad. So grizzly flats, 315 00:21:53.200 --> 00:21:56.039 there's no need to go to Disneyland. Some of you Disney geeks out there 316 00:21:56.039 --> 00:22:02.559 are well aware that Walt Disney was absolutely nametur trains, and so was one 317 00:22:02.559 --> 00:22:06.920 of his top animators, Ward Kimball. So Kimball, like Walt, owned 318 00:22:06.920 --> 00:22:11.559 a working narrow gage railroad at his house that he called the Grizzly flats flats 319 00:22:11.680 --> 00:22:15.920 railroad. And these guys knew how to live. And UH, basically, 320 00:22:15.920 --> 00:22:19.119 it's a it's steam train. The MMA Nevada looks like it came right off 321 00:22:19.119 --> 00:22:22.279 the Disney land loop. You'll be able to meander get up close with this 322 00:22:22.440 --> 00:22:27.880 absolutely breathtaking engine and realized that Walt Disney himself not only did he ride this 323 00:22:27.920 --> 00:22:33.039 train, but he was likely behind the throttle as well. Um, well, 324 00:22:33.079 --> 00:22:37.240 you know all right. Word Kimball actually donated this entire collection to the 325 00:22:37.240 --> 00:22:41.000 southern California Railway Museum and he knew that the museum would take care of it 326 00:22:41.039 --> 00:22:45.680 and display it for future generations. And it's been really been there delighting guests 327 00:22:45.720 --> 00:22:51.680 since, and even my grandfather volunteered as a dostate at this U at this 328 00:22:51.759 --> 00:22:56.119 steam train, Um collection and gave tours and gave history and everything else. 329 00:22:56.279 --> 00:23:00.880 Um. And, believe it or not, the UH this this the steam 330 00:23:00.880 --> 00:23:06.839 train does run and the museum actually plans to eventually get track late so that 331 00:23:06.920 --> 00:23:10.359 this beautiful anger can once again take to the rails with passengers like me and 332 00:23:10.400 --> 00:23:15.359 you uti, Um. So hopefully they get that done in the near future. 333 00:23:15.400 --> 00:23:18.279 To be fair, they've been talking about this since I've been coming to 334 00:23:18.279 --> 00:23:21.319 the museum in the nineties, so I think they're actually going to do it 335 00:23:21.400 --> 00:23:23.559 this time though. And Uh, it's just it's just like any museum or 336 00:23:23.599 --> 00:23:26.960 any organization, you know, there's budgets and there's things that have to be 337 00:23:27.039 --> 00:23:30.039 done and mate Nancy and U, you know, it's one thing at a 338 00:23:30.079 --> 00:23:36.160 time. They run on donations and volunteers, UM, like most museums. 339 00:23:37.200 --> 00:23:41.480 Um. Another Trolley Car Barn is the Los Angeles Railway Collection. Um. 340 00:23:41.640 --> 00:23:45.400 So the Los Angeles railway was short sort of a precursor today's Los Angeles Metro 341 00:23:47.079 --> 00:23:51.960 because the trolleys were yellow paint scheme. They became a yellow paint theme. 342 00:23:52.000 --> 00:23:56.319 They became known as simply the yellow cars. Today, the Museum owns a 343 00:23:56.319 --> 00:23:59.279 collection of twenty five street cars from the Yellow car system and a lot of 344 00:23:59.319 --> 00:24:03.359 these cars off break on a half mile loop on the museum grounds on rotation. 345 00:24:03.000 --> 00:24:06.599 So if you're going into this barn, keep a special eye out for 346 00:24:06.640 --> 00:24:11.279 a real rare treat, a double decker trolley from Ireland. How it got 347 00:24:11.319 --> 00:24:15.960 here and everything else I don't know, but it's there and it's a double 348 00:24:15.000 --> 00:24:19.960 decker trolley and I remember. I haven't seen this thing move in a while, 349 00:24:21.039 --> 00:24:25.400 but I remember as a kid riding this double decker trolley at the museum 350 00:24:25.440 --> 00:24:27.119 and they actually had it going down the tracks and everything it was. It 351 00:24:27.160 --> 00:24:33.640 was pretty amazing. Um, in the southeast corner of the museum grounds is 352 00:24:33.680 --> 00:24:38.319 car house number four. This building houses a pretty incredible collection of both locomotives 353 00:24:38.319 --> 00:24:41.200 and passenger cars. You will actually be able to walk through some of these 354 00:24:41.200 --> 00:24:45.200 cars, including a US Postal Service railway car set up just the way it 355 00:24:45.319 --> 00:24:49.839 was over half a century ago. Um, the museum houses more items on 356 00:24:49.880 --> 00:24:53.880 display in different areas. Like there's some interactive stuff. Kids can press buttons 357 00:24:53.920 --> 00:25:02.920 and turn on different types of basically railway stig knolls or warning lights and everything 358 00:25:02.960 --> 00:25:07.359 else. Um, there's a little Hobo can't, believe it or not, 359 00:25:07.400 --> 00:25:11.039 set up, not with real hoboes, but basically how how the Hobos used 360 00:25:11.079 --> 00:25:12.680 to live, next to the railways and everything else. And there's just there's 361 00:25:12.720 --> 00:25:17.279 just so much here, so much to explore and see in different parts, 362 00:25:17.319 --> 00:25:21.000 and you can really spend a whole day here just meandering around and learning about, 363 00:25:21.559 --> 00:25:26.279 you know, the history of yesteryear. Um, the museum houses, 364 00:25:26.559 --> 00:25:30.119 uh, like I said, much more on display, but keep in mind 365 00:25:30.160 --> 00:25:34.079 that many items are stored and either being restored or mechanically worked on and are 366 00:25:34.119 --> 00:25:37.599 not open to guests, such as the huge collection in car house number ten. 367 00:25:38.559 --> 00:25:42.559 Now I have wanted to get my eyes into car house number ten. 368 00:25:42.799 --> 00:25:45.160 I think it's car house number ten. It could be wrong, but it's 369 00:25:45.200 --> 00:25:52.480 basically on the very back and no guests were allowed back there. Um. 370 00:25:52.559 --> 00:25:55.640 And then I found out there was a special event where I could actually tour 371 00:25:55.720 --> 00:26:00.079 this car house, and I'll talk about that a little bit later. But 372 00:26:00.200 --> 00:26:02.839 on that subject, why not, why don't we get into the special events 373 00:26:02.839 --> 00:26:07.079 and museum has annually? That way it's gonna come down. You know you're 374 00:26:07.079 --> 00:26:10.759 playing a special trip down to Paris. You know you might maybe you should 375 00:26:10.799 --> 00:26:12.480 come out down us down on a special event where you can only partake and 376 00:26:12.559 --> 00:26:18.559 everything I've I've already explained, but also kind of see what else they have 377 00:26:18.640 --> 00:26:22.400 to offer. Um, you know, Um, what other additional activities, 378 00:26:22.440 --> 00:26:26.839 maybe your special treats, they have in store for you. And I think 379 00:26:26.880 --> 00:26:32.839 the largest, even, uh, the largest event the museum sponsors is a 380 00:26:33.000 --> 00:26:37.359 day out with Thomas. This year's event, I believes, currying in November. 381 00:26:38.480 --> 00:26:41.319 Let me just triple yeah, November, five, six, eleventh, 382 00:26:41.400 --> 00:26:48.119 twelve and Um, so a day with Thomas. That's when Thomas the tank 383 00:26:48.119 --> 00:26:53.480 engine himself comes down to the museum and gives kids of all ages rides. 384 00:26:55.160 --> 00:26:57.640 But he doesn't come alone. Percy and Sir pop Sir Topham hat come along 385 00:26:57.680 --> 00:27:02.640 too. And Thomas is the real deal. His eyes and mouth move and 386 00:27:02.640 --> 00:27:07.319 he pulls passengers cars with smoke out of his stack and it's pretty amazing to 387 00:27:07.359 --> 00:27:11.119 see it and you and the kids will feel like you've been transported to the 388 00:27:11.119 --> 00:27:15.119 actual island of sodor. I think. Um, it's pretty like it's like 389 00:27:15.200 --> 00:27:18.799 it's like Thomas is really there. He just comes and he's there Um and 390 00:27:19.039 --> 00:27:22.880 toots and everything else, and not farts, but Um, he whistles and 391 00:27:22.920 --> 00:27:26.119 everything else, not the girls. Um, I think you know what I 392 00:27:26.160 --> 00:27:30.119 mean. Honestly, folks, uh, I used to absolutely love Thomas tank 393 00:27:30.160 --> 00:27:36.160 engine as a kid and if your children are interested in Thomas, this is 394 00:27:36.200 --> 00:27:41.000 a can't miss opportunity. You'll have the opportunity to take photos with Thomas Percy's 395 00:27:41.000 --> 00:27:47.319 to talking hat. There's live music, costume contests, balloons, a petting 396 00:27:47.400 --> 00:27:51.599 zoo, a railroad, a model railroad set up, Um, food vendors 397 00:27:51.599 --> 00:27:55.839 will come, a Hay mays and just more on top of the you know, 398 00:27:56.000 --> 00:27:59.359 everything else in the museum has to offer. Um, as mentioned above, 399 00:27:59.400 --> 00:28:00.200 a day with am. This is one of the few days of the 400 00:28:00.240 --> 00:28:03.519 year you actually have to pay to answer the museum grounds and obviously you know 401 00:28:03.519 --> 00:28:07.400 there's royalties that have to be paid and everything else. And it's a it's 402 00:28:07.400 --> 00:28:11.640 an outside vendor that, you know, escorts Thomas Down from the island of 403 00:28:11.680 --> 00:28:15.440 sodor. So tickets are nineteen dollars each of your reserve online and I believe 404 00:28:15.440 --> 00:28:19.559 they're more at the gates. It could be wrong, but Um, any 405 00:28:19.559 --> 00:28:22.960 case, the museum also offers a lot of other events out of the year. 406 00:28:22.960 --> 00:28:26.200 In the fall they have railroad Donnya Swat meat, where you can buy 407 00:28:26.240 --> 00:28:30.000 and sell, I said that right, Rodania, Roadania, where you can 408 00:28:30.079 --> 00:28:33.880 buy and sell unique railroad antiques, collectibles, models and toys. Um. 409 00:28:33.960 --> 00:28:42.240 This next event is in September. T Paris appreciation day of Septembo and offers 410 00:28:42.279 --> 00:28:48.000 free train rides and trolley rides for residents of Paris. In December, there's 411 00:28:48.039 --> 00:28:52.400 something pretty cool. It's called the polar express and the train rides into town. 412 00:28:52.440 --> 00:28:55.119 When I was a kid, it was the Santa Train. Um, 413 00:28:55.200 --> 00:28:56.599 where it was just the train in Santa Claus was in one car and he 414 00:28:56.680 --> 00:28:59.799 sat on his lap. And told him what you wanted for Christmas, and 415 00:29:00.119 --> 00:29:04.640 I remember asking them for a Harley Davidson Bicycle. But Um, basically, 416 00:29:04.680 --> 00:29:08.319 now not only is Santa here, but so is conductor Hobo and crew to 417 00:29:08.359 --> 00:29:12.160 whiskey away and get you ready for the holidays. Um, they'll be able 418 00:29:12.160 --> 00:29:17.000 to relive the magic of the polar express with your kids, complete with meat 419 00:29:17.039 --> 00:29:21.000 and greed of Santa. With Santa, you'll be served hot chocolate and cookies 420 00:29:21.039 --> 00:29:23.759 by dancing chefts, you get to read along with the Polar Express Book and 421 00:29:23.799 --> 00:29:29.400 your children will even be given their first Christmas present from Santa himself. There's 422 00:29:29.400 --> 00:29:33.680 a whole theatrical entertainment set up to this and, just like in the movie, 423 00:29:33.720 --> 00:29:37.920 everyone will take home with keeps sake. Um, you know, sleigh 424 00:29:37.920 --> 00:29:41.240 Bell Um. Prices. Of date for this, for this event this year, 425 00:29:41.319 --> 00:29:42.839 is to be determined. So keep an eyeut on the museum's website, 426 00:29:42.880 --> 00:29:48.920 so Calle Railway Dot Org, for upcoming details. UH, like the false 427 00:29:48.920 --> 00:29:53.480 Swat, the museum also offers a spring Swat Meat Barbecue, boots and bruise 428 00:29:53.759 --> 00:29:57.400 event, which is what exactly what it sounds like. Behind the scenes tour 429 00:29:57.440 --> 00:30:03.640 where you can actually take and explore the mysterious carbarn ten that I explained earlier. 430 00:30:03.480 --> 00:30:07.640 Um, I got to do that earlier this year. A night photo 431 00:30:07.680 --> 00:30:11.880 shoot for the photographer in your life. Antique truck show, rods and rels, 432 00:30:11.880 --> 00:30:15.839 where the museum combines classical cars and classical trains for one, you know, 433 00:30:15.160 --> 00:30:21.960 incredibly historical event. Talk about history overload there. Um. Finally, 434 00:30:22.000 --> 00:30:25.279 and again for the kids, there is the dino train event, typically taking 435 00:30:25.279 --> 00:30:29.759 place in March. The Dino train event features buddy from that show PBS. 436 00:30:29.839 --> 00:30:33.319 Uh, UH, dinosaur train, to believe it's called. The museum invites 437 00:30:33.359 --> 00:30:38.640 Buddy and friends to come and share his favorite topics of Paleontology, science, 438 00:30:38.680 --> 00:30:42.640 technology, engineering, art, math, basically all the stem degree stuff, 439 00:30:42.720 --> 00:30:49.400 Um and UH and UH. Why not get your children interested? Yeah, 440 00:30:49.440 --> 00:30:55.680 and in Uh Stam early with buddy. At this event you'll have, you 441 00:30:55.759 --> 00:30:57.960 have and basically have a meat and greet photo opportunity with buddy himself all day. 442 00:30:57.960 --> 00:31:02.680 Train Rides, Al Drey Charlie rides hands on with Dina lawva lamps and 443 00:31:02.720 --> 00:31:06.799 Dino Slime. You'll build and launch Straw rockets if you actual fossils from the 444 00:31:07.000 --> 00:31:10.599 a empire you pop up. Natural History Museum will be present, along with 445 00:31:10.720 --> 00:31:15.400 educational boost boosts on topic like honey bees, you know, among other activities 446 00:31:15.599 --> 00:31:21.839 in the Stam area Um, science, technology, engineering and math. Um. 447 00:31:21.880 --> 00:31:25.440 So I think that about covers the events and who what a lot of 448 00:31:25.519 --> 00:31:27.960 unique events this museum. As I think most places I'll be going to you 449 00:31:27.960 --> 00:31:33.279 won't have this many events, but I I definitely wanted to highlight them in 450 00:31:33.319 --> 00:31:36.599 case any of these kind of interested you. You know, maybe you're maybe 451 00:31:36.680 --> 00:31:37.599 trying to get your kid to be a doctor and you want to take it 452 00:31:37.680 --> 00:31:41.039 to the dinal train event, or maybe you and the life. Just love 453 00:31:41.400 --> 00:31:45.119 Christmas, you know, you don't want to miss out on the polar express, 454 00:31:45.720 --> 00:31:51.440 you know, with Conductor Hobo. Um. But the next topic is 455 00:31:51.680 --> 00:31:56.400 kids. Well, your kids have fun at this museum? I don't think 456 00:31:56.400 --> 00:32:00.400 I need to answer that question. Yes, what kids don't love tree and 457 00:32:00.480 --> 00:32:04.559 Events and the events that the museum in Paris these trains up with. You 458 00:32:04.599 --> 00:32:07.160 know, they really make for a once in a lifetime opportunity. In a 459 00:32:07.160 --> 00:32:08.799 lot of cases, you might as well bring them down. We all know 460 00:32:08.839 --> 00:32:13.079 they grew up so fast, right. So my last topic, you know, 461 00:32:13.160 --> 00:32:16.400 as I indicated at the beginning this podcast, is safety concerns and I 462 00:32:16.440 --> 00:32:20.960 want to make it clear that the Orange Empire Rowing Museum has nestled away from 463 00:32:20.960 --> 00:32:23.799 the hustle and bustle of the city. The small town of Paris is really 464 00:32:23.799 --> 00:32:28.599 relatively peaceful and when you drive through to get to the museum, you're gonna 465 00:32:28.640 --> 00:32:32.319 notice that the county has and the city has really invested a lot of money 466 00:32:32.319 --> 00:32:37.599 into the infrastructure. The roads are paved nice, Um, you know, 467 00:32:37.799 --> 00:32:42.400 Um, public safety, bike lanes, um. It's got that small town 468 00:32:42.640 --> 00:32:45.640 vibe and feel, you know, with a lot of mom and pop shops 469 00:32:45.640 --> 00:32:50.680 and restaurants in town and uh, you know, you'll run into a feed 470 00:32:50.759 --> 00:32:54.440 a few vagrants in town, but they mostly keep themselves like usual. Um. 471 00:32:55.440 --> 00:33:00.759 But the museum actually hires, uh, during special events, Riverside County 472 00:33:00.799 --> 00:33:04.480 Sheriff's Deputies, Um, such as it during the Taut toomas events. They 473 00:33:04.559 --> 00:33:08.799 usually have some. So and uh, it's the museum is relatively safe. 474 00:33:08.839 --> 00:33:14.240 It's gated and locked and they have a lot of volunteers, especially at events. 475 00:33:14.359 --> 00:33:19.240 And, believe it or not, the museum actually conducts its own basically 476 00:33:19.279 --> 00:33:22.480 has its own public safety department. Um, literally, the museum has its 477 00:33:22.480 --> 00:33:27.000 own fire department. And now that had me scratching my head and I was 478 00:33:27.039 --> 00:33:30.839 thinking, what does the museum need a Fire Department for? Until I realized, 479 00:33:31.200 --> 00:33:36.200 you know, all the diesel heavy powered equipment, electrical systems for the 480 00:33:36.200 --> 00:33:39.200 trolleys and the steam trains running around all day long. Yeah, this, 481 00:33:39.200 --> 00:33:43.240 this place needs a fire department. And I even had a chat with the 482 00:33:43.759 --> 00:33:45.920 you know, the head safety guy, and I was like why do you 483 00:33:45.960 --> 00:33:49.720 guys get a fire department? And basically, you know, I mean you 484 00:33:49.759 --> 00:33:52.519 know if the fire department comes, yeah, they'll come and they'll put it 485 00:33:52.559 --> 00:33:57.880 out, but they you know, they're not exactly concerned with preservation and and 486 00:33:57.920 --> 00:34:01.160 everything else, so they're just gonna probably destroy whatever they're trying to put out 487 00:34:01.160 --> 00:34:06.319 and fix, whereas we know we can put out the fire and and you 488 00:34:06.359 --> 00:34:07.320 know, they get here. You know, if they we need help, 489 00:34:07.440 --> 00:34:12.239 obviously they'll be there. But Um, I and I was saying shaking my 490 00:34:12.280 --> 00:34:14.679 head or up and down. Yeah, I get it and I can see 491 00:34:14.719 --> 00:34:19.000 that. You know, you got a priceless trolley that catches fire something crazy. 492 00:34:19.039 --> 00:34:22.280 You know you want to put out the fire with at least amount of 493 00:34:22.360 --> 00:34:25.840 damage possible. So you know, Um, I get it. The Public 494 00:34:25.880 --> 00:34:30.920 Safety Department really doubles as security and during special events volunteers are additionally task to 495 00:34:31.000 --> 00:34:37.039 security. And I've been informed also that the longest the kid has been lost 496 00:34:37.039 --> 00:34:39.639 at the museum is ten minutes before he was found and reunited with his family. 497 00:34:40.320 --> 00:34:45.480 Um, the museum is safe. Um, and, like I said, 498 00:34:45.480 --> 00:34:49.360 it's nestled away from a lot of the hustle and bustle and criminal problems 499 00:34:49.360 --> 00:34:53.360 of bigger urban areas. And Uh, you'll have a good time here feeling 500 00:34:53.400 --> 00:34:58.599 safe with your family and you're you know, you and your kids. The 501 00:34:58.679 --> 00:35:00.280 last topic I want to mention. I'm just gonna add this one at the 502 00:35:00.360 --> 00:35:07.880 end. Here is museum membership and volunteering. So I explained earlier that you 503 00:35:07.920 --> 00:35:13.599 know it costs to basically, uh, to run one basically to drive a 504 00:35:13.639 --> 00:35:15.920 train. Here, if you want to just get behind the wheels for an 505 00:35:15.920 --> 00:35:20.159 hour and get behind the throttle, I mean and run a diesel locomotive, 506 00:35:20.159 --> 00:35:23.119 you know you're gonna be paying three and fifty bucks up to for that opportunity. 507 00:35:23.880 --> 00:35:29.280 Um. But do you want to add a railroad operator to your resume 508 00:35:30.119 --> 00:35:32.800 without trying to get into an track and without paying for your fifty bucks? 509 00:35:35.159 --> 00:35:38.840 Well, if you do, you can also become a museum member and if 510 00:35:38.840 --> 00:35:42.760 you're willing to donate some time back. You don't have to come down every 511 00:35:42.800 --> 00:35:46.280 day or even every week, but if you're willing to donate some time back 512 00:35:46.280 --> 00:35:51.559 to the community and to the museum and your interests are trains, Um, 513 00:35:51.679 --> 00:35:55.679 you're the genuine article. They will actually teach you how to operate real trolleys 514 00:35:55.920 --> 00:36:00.639 and trains. Throughout the year, the museum him actually host classes taking you 515 00:36:00.719 --> 00:36:05.639 from dowset to mainline train operator. Yeah, of course you'RE gonna have to 516 00:36:05.679 --> 00:36:08.239 pay your dues like any other organization. Um, just like Disneyland. You 517 00:36:08.280 --> 00:36:10.920 know, everybody wants to be the train engineer. They're all the cast members. 518 00:36:10.920 --> 00:36:15.679 So there's probably a small line to get behind the throttle of the Ventura 519 00:36:15.760 --> 00:36:19.239 County steam train number two. But you'll start as a car attendant, moving 520 00:36:19.320 --> 00:36:22.079 up to Breakman, conductor, trolley operator. Eventually, you know, you'll 521 00:36:22.079 --> 00:36:25.559 make your way into the seat of a real diesel running a railroad. You'll 522 00:36:25.599 --> 00:36:30.480 be running a railroad. Um. And if that's not fun enough, you 523 00:36:30.480 --> 00:36:34.440 know the museum also offers unlimited two members they also offer in under to train 524 00:36:34.559 --> 00:36:37.800 rides on all operating Weeken the holidays free, are discounted admission to events, 525 00:36:38.000 --> 00:36:43.039 free, Dawson Tours, tempercon off at the museum store. Um a quarterly 526 00:36:43.079 --> 00:36:47.159 magazine on past, current and future museum projects, among other benefits. So 527 00:36:47.199 --> 00:36:52.519 individual membership start at forty dollars a year. Family membership is sixty, lifetime 528 00:36:52.559 --> 00:36:57.519 membership is eight hundred dollars and there's also options for associate memberships at thirty dollars 529 00:36:57.519 --> 00:37:00.960 per year. And if you're a corporate sponsor some type, you know they 530 00:37:00.000 --> 00:37:06.320 also offer corporate membership starting at a year. So that's the southern California Rawy 531 00:37:06.360 --> 00:37:10.280 Museum, and I hope this podcast was a little bit informative. Join me 532 00:37:10.360 --> 00:37:15.480 next time as we explore, one by one, everything southern California has to 533 00:37:15.519 --> 00:37:19.679 offer back the blue