Tour Schedule:
Year - 2027
Departure Date - oct 1
Return Date - oct 3
This Tour Is - open
Tour Type - Railfan Tour
Tour Pricing:
$1,095 - Double Room Occupancy
$295 - Single Room Supplement
$895 - no lodging option
$300 - Deposit To Hold Space
confirmed
-$100 - Early Bird Discount
book by: oct 15, 2026
Final Payment Due By - jul 1, 2027
The Pacific Coast Railroad In Santa Margarita
Central California in and around San Luis Obispo has many railroad related attractions besides the popular vineyards and wineries. There is a long list of attractions that will be of interest to the railfans and model railroaders. These attractions include live steam railroads, vineyard railroads, museums and model railroads.
During the first weekend of October the annual Central Coast Railroad Festival takes place with three days of railroad related activities. This is the perfect time of the year for a visit to the San Luis Obispo area. On top of that Amtrak has good rail service in and out of San Luis Obispo from the Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay areas.
Our San Luis Obispo California Rail Adventure has made arrangements for our own private steam locomotive charters on two local railroads which are the Norgrove Railroad and the Pacific Coast Railroad. Also we have a special operating section on the Bittercreek Western Live Steam Railroad. Additionally we will join in on the Central Coast Railroad Festival and visit several model railroads.
Line Up Of Steam At The Bittercreek Western Live Steam Railroad
Today is a travel day from either Southern California or Northern California to San Luis Obispo by Amtrak passenger train or you can drive your car. (Note: Amtrak train tickets are not included in the tour price.) Our tour begins and ends at the Amtrak train station in San Luis Obispo.
Amtrak's southbound Coast Starlight departs Oakland at 9:09am and arrives in San Luis Obispo at 3:37pm. You can also board this train at Sacramento, Davis, Martinez, Emeryville, San Jose, or Salinas. If you are coming from Southern California you have the option of using the northbound Coast Starlight which departs Los Angeles at 9:51am and arrives in San Luis Obispo at 3:05pm. You can also board this train at Van Nuys, Simi Valley, Oxnard or Santa Barbara. Additionally Amtrak operates two daily Pacific Sufliner trains between San Diego and San Luis Obispo in each direction. You can board these trains at 29 different stations. Check with Amtrak for the details.
If you are onboard the Coast Starlight upon arrival in San Luis Obispo we will first visit the San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum which is located in the historic Southern Pacific Freighthouse next to the passenger depot. If both the northbound and southbound Coast Starlights are on-time they meet at San Luis Obispo.
After our museum visit we will transfer the group to a very interesting and fun restaurant located in the near-by town of Oceano for dinner. The restaurant is called the Rock & Roll Diner. This diner features a surreal 50's theme and is built upon two passenger train cars, creating the ultimate diner feel. With an ambiance filled with pictures and antique memorabilia, you are sure to be fascinated. The rear end observation car was operated on the Seaboard Air Line Railroad and was part of the "Silver Fleet" of streamliners bringing up the rear end of the The Silver Meteor, Silver Star, and Silver Comet.
After dinner we return to San Luis Obispo and check-in at the 3 star Sands Inn & Suites. Today kicks off the annual Central Coast Railroad Festival of which we will take part in the fun.
🍽 dinner
The San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum
San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum Ho Layout
We Invite You To Click On The 3 Links Below To Enjoy Some Information Videos Regarding The Central Coast Railroad Festival:
After breakfast we travel to the near-by town of Arroyo Grande. This is the home to the two foot gauge Norgrove Railroad that is located on the Norgrove Garden Vineyards and Orchards. On our visit today they will have two steam locomotives in operation on this 3 mile railroad. The star attraction is the former US Army No. 5240, a 2-6-T built by Davenport in 1918 and was to operate during World War I on the Trench Railways in Europe but never left the USA because of the Armistice and the end of the war. The 2nd steam locomotive that will be in operation for our visit is No. 6 “Buckeye” an 0-4-0T built by Orenstein & Koppel of Berlin, Germany in 1935. This locomotive worked a mine in the African country of Rhodesia before pulling tourist trains for children in Zimbabwe and then coming to Arroyo Grande. Additional steam and diesel power will be on display for our group at the workshop. We will spend the morning hours running the train around the 3 mile loop staging several scenic photo run-bys. On the first run we will use No. 5240 a 2-6-2T. Then on the next run we will have a different train consist pulled by No. 6 an 0-6-0T . Plenty of photo run-bys will be made with both trains.
🍽 breakfast, lunch
THE Next 8 PHOTOS ARE OF THE NORGROVE RAILROAD
You Are Invited To Click On The 3 Links Below To Enjoy The Operations Of The Norgrove Railway:
Our next attraction today is the Bittercreek Western live steam railroad also in Arroyo Grande and only a few minutes from the Norgrove Railway. We will arrive at this railroad just prior to noon. A special lunch will be served at the picnic area before we start running the trains. This 7.5 inch gauge railroad has 1.2 miles of mainline on a scenic 7-acre parcel. We will enjoy this wonderful railroad for a couple of hours.
THE next 12 PHOTOS ARE OF THE BITTERCREEK WESTERN 7.5 INCH RAILROAD
You Can Continue Viewing Videos If You Like By Clicking On The 2 Links Below For A Peek View Of The Bittercreek Western Live Steam Railroad:
Next we will then spend the rest of the afternoon visiting several model railroads located in the San Luis Obispo area that are open for the Central Coast Railroad Festival. Late afternoon we return to the Sands Inn & Suites for a 2nd nights lodging.
Next 4 PHOTOS ARE SOME OF THE SPECTACULAR MODEL RAILROADS THAT WE WILL VISIT
After breakfast at our hotel we check-out then travel north of San Luis Obispo to near-by Santa Margarita. We will enjoy the 3 foot gauge Pacific Coast Railroad located on the 14,000 acre Santa Margarita Ranch. Our visit is a private event by invitation only. This 3 foot gauge railroad makes a 3.2 mile loop around the ranch. The railroad has three steam locomotives, three diesels and one Ford Model A railcar. Their three steam locomotives include a 4-4-0, 2-8-0 and 2-6-2. For the first couple of hours we will have one steam locomotive pull our passenger train around the loop making several photo run-bys. The Ford Model A railcar will also be in operation and will follow our passenger train for photos. After making several photo run-bys our train will stop at the rail yards to do some switching and remake our charter train into a mixed with several freight cars, one coach and one caboose. Additionally a 2nd steam locomotive will be added to our train so that we will then be having several more photo run-bys with a doubleheaded train for the ultimate narrow gauge experience.
We are scheduled to play with this train until 1:00pm at which we will then have our picnic lunch at the ranch prior to returning to San Luis Obispo and the Amtrak train station. Our tour ends upon arrival at the train station. The northbound Coast Starlight will arrive at 3:05pm and departs 25 minutes later. The southbound Coast Starlight arrives at 3:37pm and departs 25 minutes later, if operating on-time.
🍽 breakfast, lunch
next 8 PHOTOS ARE OF THE PACIFIC COAST RAILROAD AT THE SANTA MARGARITA RANCH
The 5 Links Below Will Present To You Videos Of The Operations Of The Pacific Coast Railroad Located On The Santa Margarita Ranch:
TOUR CONDITIONS PRICING - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY
Tour Pricing:
All tour prices are subject to change without notice, at any time. All prices based on double room occupancy. We reserve the right to change tour prices if it becomes necessary and is beyond our control. If payments are made by credit card a 3% conveyance fee will be added.
