California Scenic Railroads
Explore each ride's route, operating season, and how to book.
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Angels Flight›A historic short funicular climbing Bunker Hill between Hill Street and California Plaza in downtown Los Angeles.
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Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad›A miniature train ride through Oak Meadow Park alongside a vintage carousel in Los Gatos.
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Calico and Odessa Railroad›A short narrated loop around the hill at Calico Ghost Town passing old mining sites and equipment.
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California State Railroad Museum / Sacramento Southern Railroad›A 6-mile round trip from the Old Sacramento waterfront along the levee beside the Sacramento River in vintage cars.
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🚂California Trolley & Railroad Corporation (History San Jose)›
Restored historic streetcars run on the grounds of History San Jose and Kelly Park with stops at nearby attractions.
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California Western Railroad (Skunk Train) / Mendocino Railway›A round trip through the Pudding Creek estuary and redwood country out of Fort Bragg on the historic Skunk Train line.
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Disneyland Railroad›A 1.2-mile narrow-gauge steam loop encircling Disneyland Park with stops in four themed lands and dioramas in a tunnel.
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🚂El Dorado Western Railroad (Placerville & Sacramento Valley)›
Short living-history rides on vintage inspection cars over the historic Placerville Branch in El Dorado County.
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🚂Ghost Town & Calico Railroad›
A vintage narrow-gauge train loops around the Ghost Town area of the amusement park, passing several attractions before returning.
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Napa Valley Wine Train›A restored early-1900s train carries diners on a round trip up the valley through vineyards between Napa and St. Helena.
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🚂Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad & Transportation Museum›
Short rides and steam-up days run through wooded grounds at the museum site near Nevada City.
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Nevada-California-Oregon Railway›A preserved historical site in Alturas with depots and shops of the former narrow-gauge line; primarily a preservation society.
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🚂Niles Canyon Railway (Pacific Locomotive Association)›
A round-trip excursion winds through wooded Niles Canyon between Sunol and Niles alongside a creek.
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🚂Norgrove Railway›
A private heritage line near Arroyo Grande runs restored plantation steam locomotives through vineyards and oak-studded ranch land.
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🚂Nut Tree Railroad›
A small two-foot-gauge train circles the shopping plaza grounds in Vacaville.
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🚂Pacific Coast Railroad›
A narrow-gauge steam train makes a short loop around the historic Santa Margarita Ranch with open meadow and mountain views.
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🚂Pacific Southwest Railway Museum›
Weekend excursion trains depart the historic Campo depot for a ride through the backcountry east of San Diego.
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Poway–Midland Railroad›Heritage steam, cable car, and speeder rides operate within Old Poway Park on a short loop.
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Railtown 1897 State Historic Park (Sierra Railway)›A six-mile round trip rolls from Jamestown through the foothills of the Mother Lode country, passing a famous movie water tower.
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🚂Redwood Valley Railway›
A scaled-down steam train runs along a scenic ridge through a regional park in the Berkeley hills.
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🚂Roaring Camp & Big Trees Narrow Gauge Railroad›
A steam train climbs through towering redwood forest up steep grades to the top of Bear Mountain near Felton.
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Sacramento RiverTrain›Round-trip excursions run along a ten-mile stretch of track through the rural Yolo County countryside near the Sacramento River.
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🚂San Bernardino Railroad Historical Society›
Owns and operates historic Santa Fe steam locomotive No. 3751, the oldest surviving 4-8-4, for excursions leased to outside operators.
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🚂San Diego Vintage Trolley (Silver Line)›
Restored vintage PCC streetcars run a downtown loop on the Silver Line on select holidays.
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🚂San Francisco cable car system›
Historic cable cars climb the steep hills of San Francisco between downtown and the Fisherman's Wharf area, with bay and city views.
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🚂San Francisco Municipal Railway F Market & Wharves line›
Vintage streetcars from cities worldwide run along Market Street and the Embarcadero between the Castro and Fisherman's Wharf.
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San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum›A museum in a historic freighthouse with outdoor rolling stock and a large operating model railroad; static display rather than rides.
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🚂Sonoma TrainTown Railroad›
A quarter-scale train takes riders through tunnels, over bridges and around a lake to a miniature town and petting zoo.
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🚂Southern California Railway Museum›
Visitors ride a vintage trolley or train behind a locomotive on the museum's demonstration railway in Perris.
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Timber Heritage Association›Volunteers run historic crew speeder cars along the Humboldt Bay rail corridor, crossing a slough bridge with bay scenery.
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🚂Western Pacific Railroad Museum (Feather River Rail Society)›
A museum near Portola with a large collection of diesel locomotives offering caboose rides, cab rides and a hands-on locomotive program.
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Western Railway Museum›Vintage interurban cars roll along the former Sacramento Northern line past Solano County grasslands and marshes with distant Mount Diablo views.
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Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad›A historic three-foot gauge logging line winds through Sierra National Forest pines near the southern gateway to Yosemite.