Poway–Midland Railroad facts for kids
The Poway–Midland Railroad is a special train line located in Old Poway Park in Poway, California. It's like a living museum where you can ride old trains! A group called "Poway–Midland Railroad Volunteers, Inc." runs the railroad. They started in 1991 as a non-profit organization. This means they are a group that works to help the community, not to make money. Their goal is to fix, run, and take care of old railroad equipment.
You can ride these historic trains almost every weekend! On the first and third weekends of each month, they use a 1907 Baldwin steam locomotive. This is a very old train that runs on steam, like the ones from classic movies! The railroad has 11 pieces of train equipment in total. What's cool is that their tracks are a special size called "narrow gauge," which is 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) wide. This is different from most train tracks you see today. The City of Poway owns the railroad, but the volunteers keep it running and in great shape.
Contents
What Trains Can You See?
The Poway–Midland Railroad has some amazing old trains and cars that they have saved and fixed up. You can often see these special pieces of history:
- An 1894 Los Angeles Trolley Car: This is an old electric streetcar that used to carry people around Los Angeles.
- A 1907 Baldwin Steam Locomotive: This is the powerful steam engine that pulls the trains on special weekends.
- A 1956 Fairmont Speeder: This is a small, fast vehicle used by railroad workers to inspect tracks.
- A 1906 San Francisco Cable Car: This is a famous type of streetcar that runs on cables under the street, just like the ones in San Francisco!
A Look Back: The Railroad's History
The Poway–Midland Railroad has a rich history, built by many dedicated volunteers. Here are some important moments:
- May 1991: The first meeting to start the organization happened.
- September 1991: An old box car, used for carrying goods, arrived at the site.
- November 1991: The Poway–Midland Railroad Volunteers officially became a non-profit group.
- April 1993: The historic trolley car arrived.
- June 1993: All the train tracks were finished.
- July 4, 1993: Old Poway Park was officially opened.
- July 4, 1993: The very first passenger rode behind the speeder train.
- September 1994: The first time a locomotive carried passengers on a run.
- July 1996: They carried a record number of passengers in one day – 2,500 people!
- January 1997: The first woman became qualified to be a "fireman" on the steam locomotive, helping to keep the fire going.
- October 1997: The San Francisco Cable Car arrived.
- July 4, 2002: A special spinning platform for turning trains, called a turntable, was officially opened.
- October 2004: The train barn, where trains are stored and fixed, was made bigger.
- October 2009: A new depot was opened. This building has a ticket office, a train shop, and a museum!
Fun Facts and Safety
The Poway–Midland Railroad is a very busy place, thanks to all the volunteers!
- Over 425,000 passengers have ridden the trains by November 2006.
- Volunteers have given more than 74,000 hours of their time by August 2006.
- The railroad also helps teach people about train safety through a program called Operation Lifesaver. They have taught over 20,000 people about how to stay safe around trains!
- They give about 40 to 50 safety presentations every year.
- The group has almost 400 active members who help keep everything running.
Images for kids
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A speeder train, used for checking tracks.
