The Pacific Railroad Society collections are open to the public during business hours or by appointment. Books, documents and photos do not circulate. However, patrons may use their devices to document information or copies can be provided. Our archive is used by authors, enthusiasts, modeler builders, hobbyists, railroad and other historians. Television producers conduct research for documentaries, and railfans mine the archives for newsletter articles. The Library currently hosts a researcher working on a book about Southern Pacific Railroad.

The focus of the library is on the Santa Fe, Southern Pacific, Union Pacific, Pacific Electric and Los Angeles Railway. Many other railroads are covered. The library is a major archive of railroad photographs and negatives of trains from the transition from steam to diesel. Our photographic collections include images by Ralph Melching, Chard Walker, Harold H. Stewart, Fletcher Swan, Vitaly "Victor" Uzoff and many others.

The library houses collections of old and current topographic maps, old and current timetables from all railroads, and a complete set of Calif PUC rulings since 1900. The Society also has a collection of company and public railroad ephemera.  

The library indexes its own material as well as that of the Electric Railway Historical Society of Los Angeles and will cross index with the Orange Empire Railway Museum (OERM) as time permits. 

Materials do not circulate but comfortable facilities are available for study or leisure reading. Hours vary with volunteer staffing availability -- please call to confirm at (909) 394-0616.