Downtown Sacramento railyard plans move ahead | News

SACRAMENTO, CA - If you drive by the Sacramento railyards, you'll see a lot of construction equipment, a lot of work happening without any plans for a new arena. That's because there are other projects moving forward without it.

All the land north of what could be an arena is owned by Inland American. It's planned for mixed use: Homes, shopping complexes, you name it.

PHOTOS: Sacramento railyard relics

There's also the relocation of the AMTRAK tracks and two bridges for 5th and 6th streets to make that happen.

Still, for many, the biggest mystery of all is what's to become of the historic railyard buildings. Most don't even know what's inside.

That mystery is over.

While giving News10 an exclusive tour, Paul Hammond, director of the California Railroad Museum, said what's planned there is like nothing else in the world.

The building furthest west is an active machine shop, still working on engines and all the parts and pieces that make up the railroad system. Most of the work is to repair infrastructure at the museum.

To the east, a dream come true for railroading buffs.

"Some of them are in great state to be turned into exhibits," Hammond said, pointing to an old locomotive.

The depot will eventually become a hands-on railroad history experience.

"We'll have some of the trains, but we're going to be adding interactive exhibits and an orientation gallery," Hammond said. "It's going to look a little different, because certainly we want to clean it up, and get it safe for the public, but part of goal is going to be not to change more than we have to."

PHOTOS: Sacramento railyard relics