Friday, November 28, 2008

California State Railroad Museum, Sacramento, CA

Friday, after a day of Thanksgiving feasting with family, the kids are ready for an outing to the California State Railroad Museum in downtown Sacramento.

Nephew so wants to play with the toy trains! They move, which is better than can be said for the big ones standing around the museum. Those are only good for climbing on.
After a lot of running around and looking at stuff, it was time for a break.
I love this picture!
Interest in exhibits wanes, but play never ceases: Are you ready for some football?!!!
Maybe a future quarterback!
Look what I caught!
Maybe a future train engineer!
Niece tries out my funky reading glasses, the better to inspect the Golden Spike. This is a copy of the one used on May 10, 1869 at Promontory Summit in the Utah Territory to connect the Central Pacific Railroad and Union Pacific Railroad, creating the first transcontinental railway.

Turns out, the jeweler who made the original also fabricated this one. His descendants held it in secret until 2005, when they sold it to the railroad museum. Interestingly, the "original" spike used in the ceremony is engraved with "May 8", planned date of the ceremony. Due to delay, the ceremony occurred on May 10, and the jeweler engraved the correct date on this copy.

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