Year-End Appeal: In these uncertain times, the Museum needs your help and support.

As we navigate this ever-changing pandemic, we are reminded about what is important. This has not been the year we expected; it has been a year to adapt and appreciate our members and guests even more.  This pandemic has created a number of financial impacts including lost event revenue, additional health and safety purchases, lost retail revenue and supply challenges.  We had our popular family events such as Day out with Thomas and Polar Express planned.  These two branded events alone bring over 80,000 people to our campus and provide more than $700,000 annually, keeping our trains rolling, trolleys moving, and doors open. With COVID-19 restrictions remaining in place, large scale events are simply not possible.

We need your financial assistance.  As you consider year-end donations, or monthly reoccurring contributions, please remember Southern California Railway Museum.  Your tax-deductible gift makes a difference, and here’s how:

  • One Month of Operations………………………………………………. $51,327
  • Quarterly Restoration Budget ……………………………….………. $29,406
  • Monthly Utilities ……………………………………………………..……..$12,532
  • Monthly Maintenance………………………………………..…………… $2,388
  • COVID-19 Health & Safety Supplies …………….………………….. $149
  • Every Dollar Counts …….…………………………..……………………. $__________

There are three ways to give.  You can make a one-time or re-occurring on-line donate Online below, donate via Facebook Fundraiser, or send a check to:

Southern California Railway Museum
ATTN: Year-End Appeal
PO Box 548
Perris, CA 92572-0548


You can still help if you can’t donate at this time. Advocate for us by sharing our mission with family members and friends. A quick mention on your social media would mean the world to us.

In times like this, we’re reminded of how interconnected we all are. Thank you for being part of our community. Without you, none of what we do would be possible.

Stay safe and well.

Give

You can make a difference at the Museum by contributing to its projects and ongoing needs. Our collection restoration, maintenance, and expansion would not be possible without your generous support. We have capital campaign projects to improve our facility—track to operate our trains over and buildings to protect our equipment.

You can give now to a project that interests you or to an endowment fund for future use. You can make the Museum part of your legacy by including it in your will. Your support is greatly appreciated.

The Museum is a non-profit 501(c)(3) educational organization; your contributions are tax deductible. To learn more, contact us at (951) 943-3020 or by email at info@socalrailway.org.

Prefer to print the form? PDF Version

Capital Campaigns
The Perris Connection

The Museum has long sought to create a meaningful visitor experience Recently, the City of Perris beautifully restored the Perris Depot (Depot).  Inside, visitors can explore the wonderful Perris Valley Museum. We currently are unable to provide service from the Museum to the Depot.   With the expansion of Metrolink’s services, we are no longer able to share tracks, we need our own. The Perris Connection will fulfill the dream of providing direct connection to the Perris Depot and to Metrolink’s service adjacent Ward Kimball transit center. This will pave the way for our planned daily operations to and from this classic train station. The commuter rail extension project has been completed and is operating. Now it’s time for us to move quickly and fund the completion of our track, signals, and overhead line. Your support will get the trains rolling into town once again.

After years of engineering drawings and legal paperwork, the Perris Station track construction has begun. The stem wall for the platform at the Depot site has been constructed, the trench has been graded, and the platform pocket for our track is complete.

Legacy Giving

As part of your estate planning, your legacy gift to the Museum provides a way to honor you or a loved one for future generations. Legacy gifts are designations in you will or other financial planning documents.  For more information on how you can leave a Legacy Gift, contact our Museum Manager at (951) 943‑3020 or by e‑mail info@socalrailway.org.  Thank you for your consideration.

Endowments

Money is often donated to the Museum for its ongoing support. Frequently, the donation is spent quickly for a specific purpose but sometimes it’s placed in an endowment fund where it’s invested, and the earnings are used by the Museum. Most endowments are structured so that the principal amount is kept intact while the investment income is available for use. They can be set up to release part of the principal each year, allowing the donation to have a larger impact than using only investment earnings. Endowments often come with restrictions on their use.

The museum has four endowment funds:

  • The Richards-Smith Endowment, which is unrestricted and can be used to support any need that the board designates.
  • The Niedrich Endowment, which is restricted to support of museum rolling stock collection
  • The Kagy Endowment, which is restricted to support of the Red Car/PE collection.
  • The Gagnon Endowment, which is restricted to support of the operating steam program.

There is also a board-directed investment fund that is treated like an endowment. It is unrestricted; its earnings can be used as the board deems appropriate. For more information on how you can leave a Legacy Gift, contact our Museum Manager at (951) 943‑3020 or by e‑mail info@socalrailway.org.

Using your IRA RMD to donate to the Museum

If you are having to deal with a Required Minimum Distribution from your IRA and want to avoid some tax, here is way. If you are over 70 ½ and you have traditional IRA, you can direct all or part of the distribution be paid directly to the Museum in the form of a Qualified Charitable Distribution. This only applies to traditional IRAs, not Roth, Simple, or SEP.

The maximum allowed each year is $100,000.00 per taxpayer. The mechanics of the transaction is you direct the IRA custodian to issue and mail a check to the Museum. You cannot receive the funds. You must get an acknowledgement or receipt for tax purposes.

The acknowledgment or receipt must meet these tests:

  1. It must be written.
  2. It must include the amount of cash you contributed and whether the Museum gave you any goods or services as a result of your contribution (other than certain token items and membership benefits.)

The 1099 will be issued under your social security number by your IRA custodian. You will have to note on your tax return that you made a Qualified Charitable Distribution and match the dollar figure to the receipt.

As in any tax transaction, please consult your tax adviser first.

Monthly Giving

Need to spread out your financial gift? The Museum is able accept recurring donations. Simply let us know the amount and frequency. Whether the amount is $5 or $5,000, every dollar is put to work.

DONATION FORM (PDF)

In-Kind

We welcome in-kind donations including much needed materials as well as professional services.  Although the Museum is expansive, we very little coverer storage space.   To coordinate in-kind donations, please contact our Museum Manager at (951) 943‑3020 or by e‑mail info@socalrailway.org.

Wish List – Items

Palletainers (wire baskets)
We could use ten wire basket (stackable) palletainers or something similar in the 1,000-4,000 lb. capacity range. They will help us organize parts and better utilize space inside storage containers and car barns. If you are able to donate, please contact us.

Storage Containers
We could use more 20-foot or 40-foot containers in reasonable condition. Containers with roll-up doors would be particularly useful.

Self-Dumping Hopper
We need a new self-dumping hopper for trash collection. These hoppers are lifted by a forklift and tilt forward to dump their load into our large roll-off dumpsters when their locking pin is pulled by a person on the ground. The Stor-Quip Premium Series 2,000 lb. capacity hopper would be a good choice.

Golf Carts
At the Museum, electric golf carts and utility vehicles are very useful. Docents use them for giving guided tours, special event volunteers move supplies through a crowded venue, and maintenance volunteers transport their tools and material throughout the grounds.

Wish List – Professional Services

Surveyor
The Museum grounds and buildings are constantly being changed and improved. We could use someone to survey our property and update our AutoCAD database.

Transportation Services
The Museum is regularly offered valuable material donations from around the country. Small items are easy to ship, but for larger items, we need trucking services. We also have an ongoing need to move railcars and materials on the Museum property.

Electric Vehicle Maintenance
We could use someone to assist with the maintenance and repair of our electric vehicles.

Picture Framing Services
Our exhibit development programs can always use professional framing services.

Tax Information

The Museum is a 501(c)(3) registered non-profit organization and donations are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

You may download a copy of the IRS Letter confirming the Museum’s non-profit status.

There are two IRS publications that may be useful:

The Form 990s that the Museum files with the IRS every year are available on Guidestar. For more information or questions, please contact our Museum Manager at (951) 943‑3020 or by e‑mail info@socalrailway.org.