All across America, thousands and thousands of people have found a love of old machines. Tractors, trains, ships, factory assembly lines — they just are fascinated with the way old stuff worked. And the more noise they make, the better. Before electricity and gas powered engines and motors, the old gear ran first on water power, and later used steam. So with that combination of big equipment, lots of noise and all that steam, well… grownups can become kids in just minutes. And in Willits, California you can see it all up close.

At the Roots Of Motive Power Museum, you can see old railroad, construction and forestry gear still using steam. On key days each year, they power everything up and let the public in. But all year, hundreds of volunteers keep this old gear working — to remind us of the “Days of Steam.”