WaaTeeKaa Train

It’s just fun finding a train nestled amongst the tall building in the middle of downtown.

If you’re into local history then it’s worth stopping by if you’re in the area. Not really worth it for tourists. This tiny train car covers the history of Bechtel (the company) which started in Oakland. They helped build the California railroads, Hoover Dam and BART. Less interesting is their more recent forays into nuclear facilities, pipelines and offshore oil rigs — unless you’re really into construction. The old photos were cool. Wish they had put some more historical context around it — like what was going on in the world while they were building railroads — was it the gold rush?
This will only take you 10 – 30 minutes depending on how much you want to read and how fast you read.
You have to really look for this train on Beale St. You can’t see it from Market St as it’s set back in the plaza.
Bechtel Plaza, between 50 Beale St. and 333 Market St.
Hours: M-​F 11 am — 2 pm.
Admission: Free
More info

These are the little treasures people like me strive to find everywhere they go. Some people have no idea this museum exists. I, personally, have been looking at it from my office window for more than a year now, not being able to find time to peep inside. Today I did.
WaaTeeKaa is the cutest (and probably the smallest) museum I have ever been to. It is located at the Bechtel Plaza — small courtyard between 50 Beale and 333 Market. The train car is a replica of actual train car used to move the Bechtel family between construction sites in 1920s. The Bechtel Co history museum is inside with a photographic historic timeline, project descriptions, blueprints, and artifacts. It might not be very exciting, but Bechtel built the freaking Hoover Dam. That ought to count for something…
What’s so cute about this rail car, is that it was a gift to the retired Bechtel President Steve Bechtel and his wife Laura (who actually named it WaaTeeKaa), when they were in their 80s. The car was dedicated at a special ceremony in 1988 attended by them, their son Steve, who had lived on car as a child, and other family members. Bechtel Co. is supporting the museum to this day. I believe it’s nice to see corporate support of local communities once in awhile. And because I spend exactly ¹⁄₃ of my life looking out at this courtyard at work, I consider this community partly mine.
This museum may not be as exciting as the Wells Fargo History Museum at 420 Montgomery (I am not joking, there is one), but it is unique and brings some good-​old-​times peace, if you like, to the hustle and bustle of today’s downtown.