San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE SAN LUIS OBISPO RAILROAD MUSEUM IS A NON-PROFIT EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION FOUNDED TO PRESERVE AND PRESENT THE RAILROAD HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA AND SPECIFICALLY THE CENTRAL COAST. COLLECTING, RESTORING, AND DISPLAYING RELEVANT RAILROAD ARTIFICATS, PHOTOGRAPHS AND DOCUMENTS ARE ITS GOALS. THIS EFFORT IS SUPPLEMENTED BY CREATING MODELS, DISPLAYS AND GRAPHICS AS WELL AS OPERATING HISTORIC RAILROAD EQUIPMENT TO FACILITATE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW RAILROADS HAVE AFFECTED OUR AREA'S SOCIAL CULTURAL AND ECOMONIC HISTORY.
- Income
- $80,752
- Spending
- $64,700
- Spent on programs
- 99%
- Reserves
- Over 10 years of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 64%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 0
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 85 out of 100.
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover more than ten years of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 20% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 30% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1599% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Fair: 69 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $48,422 spent. THE MUSEUM IS OPEN EVERY SATURDAY FOR THE EDUCATION AND BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNTIY. THE MUSEUM HAS DISPLAYS OF CENTRAL COAST RAILROADING AND A MODEL RAILROAD DEPICTING THE AREA AROUND THE MIDDLE OF THE 20TH CENTURY. THERE ALSO IS OUT PULLMAN DINING CAR AND SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD CABOOSE OPEN EVEREY SATURDAY. THE MUSEUM ALSO PUBLISHES A NEWLETTER CALLED THE "COAST MAIL" , QUARTERLY ON LINE NEWS UPDATES CALLED "FROM THE FREIGHT HOUSE" TWITTER, FACEBOOK AND A WEBSITE.
- $4,144 spent. THE MUSEUM HOST MANY EVENTS THROUGHTOUT THE YEAR. THE BIGGES EVENT AT THE MUSEUM IS THE CENTRAL COAST RAILROAD FESTIVAL IN OCTOBER. THERE ARE ALSO LECTURES ON RAILROAD SUBJECTS, TRIPS ON AND ABOUT RAILROADS ON THE CENTRAL COAST, AND A BOY SCOUT MERIT BADGE PROGRAM,. THE MUSEUM IS ALSO USED FOR FAMILY EVENTS AND VARIOUS GROUP MEETINGS.
- $10,947 spent. THE MUSEUM HAS A GROUP OF MODELERS WHO ARE MODELING IN HO SCALE THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD COAST LINE FROM SURF(LOMPOC) TO PASO ROBLES WITH THE MAJOR YARD AT SAN LUIS OBISPO. ALSO INCLUDED IS THE PACIFIC COAST RAILROAD, THE FIRST RAILROAD IN SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY THAT RAN FROM SAN LUIS OBISPO TO PORT HARFORD AND SAN LUIS OBISPO TO LOS OLIVOS. THE MODEL RAILROAD IS CALLED CENTRAL COAST MODEL RAILROAD.
- $339 spent. THE MUSEUM IS ACTIVE IN RESTEORING AND ADDING TO OUR COLLECTION. THIS YEAR SEMIFOMRS SIGNAL, TRAIN ORDER SIGNAL, A 1953 SOUTHERN PACIFIC PICKUP TRUCK, A BOILER FROM A 15 INCH STEAM LOCOMOTIVE TO NAME A FEW. REVEUE IS FROM DONATIONS FOR SPACIFIC PROJECTS AND GENERAL DONATIONS FOR USE AT THE MUSEUM'S DISCRETION.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since February 1996.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.