The Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum is a transport museum and heritage railroad located in Nevada City, California.
The museum was founded in 1983. It is owned by the City of Nevada City and operated by the Nevada County Historical Society.
It offers a collection of railroad artifacts, photographs, and documents related to the Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad, the narrow-gauge railroad that operated in Nevada and Placer Counties from 1876 until 1942. Exhibits include Engine No. 5, which appeared in many movies, and various pieces of restored rolling stock.
In 1875, the Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia made two identical 26 ton 2-6-0 Mogul locomotives for the Carson and Tahoe Lumber and Fluming Company in Carson City, Nevada which was then developing the Lake Tahoe Railroad to haul lumber. One of those locomotives is The Glenbrook, currently operating at the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City. The other is Engine #5, called "The Tahoe" which was later sold to the Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad in June, 1899. The locomotive was damaged in a fire in Grass Valley, California on August 30, 1915, losing its wooden cab and running boards.
When the railroad shut down in 1942, Engine #5 was sold to Frank Lloyd Productions in Hollywood. It appeared in movies such as The Spoilers and Rails Into Laramie. The locomotive later was owned by Universal Studios in Hollywood before being returned to Nevada County, renovated, and being put back into service at the museum.
The museum also has the Antelope & Western Porter #1 locomotive in its collection. This small industrial steam 0-4-0 tank locomotive was built by H.K. Porter, Inc. in 1889 for the Sacramento Brick Company.
The museum operates its own renovation shop which rebuilds historic equipment.
Short excursions on board a variety of railroad equipment including a railbus are offered in the museum's rail yard.
The county's first steam automobile and displays of local aviation history are also presented.