Niles Depot Museum Mission Statement

The Niles Depot Historical Foundation is dedicated to presenting the history of railroading in the Fremont area, with an emphasis on the Southern Pacific Railroad, the Western Pacific Railroad, and their contributions to local history in Niles.

The NDHF seeks to educate all ages and segments of the general public, provide family recreational opportunities that are consistent with and supportive of the museum's educational goals, provide a facility open for use by rail enthusiasts for meetings and special events, provide a facility for HO and N scale model railroad layouts, and to preserve items of historical and local significance. Foremost among these artifacts is the Niles Depot, a colonnade-styled 1901 Southern Pacific railroad station which also houses most of the collections and exhibits.

The museum endeavors to achieve its educational, recreational, and preservation goals through research, special events, a variety of exhibits and displays, collecting and conservation, and an ongoing building and grounds restoration program.  

The Niles Depot Historical Foundation attempts to complement, rather than duplicate, the programs of the larger rail museums within the state – most notably the California State Railroad Museum – which are built around collections of railroad locomotives and cars.

 The Goals

Our goal is to provide visitors with the history of the area through the museum exhibits and model railroads. With the Southern Pacific, the Western Pacific, the South Pacific Coast and the many industries they served, the choices of what to model are almost limitless. Consider that the area had everything from quarries to brick works to packing sheds to salt works to automobile manufacturing to steel production – to name only a few. The opportunity to model the prototypes is limited only by your interest in doing so.  

The Niles Depot Historical Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization; donations and membership dues are tax-deductible for federal and state purposes. We do not receive any monetary support for our organization. We rely on the generosity of visitors, businesses, and supporters. Monetary donations are accepted at the museum and freight house. Interested in making an on-line donation? Please check "Donate" on our menu bar.

Tri City Society of Model Engineers (TCSME)
Mission Statement

1. To promote the greater fellowship of model railroaders.  2. To provide the facilities for the more convenient participation of model railroaders in group activities of the  organization. 3. To promote and advance the hobby of model railroading whenever and whenever possible  and to do all things  incident to the purpose 4. To restore and preserve and maintain the historical landmark known and the Southern Pacific Railroad  passenger station located at Niles, California.