Railtown 1897 State Historic Park facts for kids

Railtown 1897 State Historic Park is also known as "The Movie Railroad." It is a special place that keeps old trains and railway buildings safe. This park is part of the California State Park System. You can find it in Jamestown, California.

The park protects the main parts of the original Sierra Railway. This railway's workshops in Jamestown are still mostly the same. They have worked for over 100 years. These old buildings are so important they are listed as the Sierra Railway Shops Historic District.

The Story of Railtown 1897

Early Days of the Sierra Railway

The Sierra Railway helped move lumber from big forests. It served the West Side Lumber Company and the Standard Lumber Company. These companies had many trees in the Sierra Nevada mountains.

The West Side Lumber Company used a special type of train. It was a narrow gauge railway, meaning its tracks were closer together. This railway worked until the 1960s. It was one of the last logging railways in the American West.

"The Movie Railroad"

The Sierra Railway #28 steam locomotive at Railtown 1897, in 2006.

Railtown 1897 is famous for its role in movies and TV shows. Since 1929, its trains have been used in over 200 films and commercials. This is why it's called "The Movie Railroad."

Many famous movies have featured these trains. These include Go West with the Marx Brothers and High Noon. The famous Sierra No. 3 locomotive was in Back to the Future Part III.

Television shows also loved Railtown's trains. You might have seen them in Wild, Wild West or Little House on the Prairie. The Sierra No. 3 and coach number 5 even played the Hooterville Cannonball!

Keeping the Park Open

Sierra Railway machine shop. Old machines are driven by belts from above.

In 2008, there was a plan to close Railtown 1897. But the park stayed open thanks to many people. Then, in 2011, another plan to close it came up.

Again, local people and train fans worked hard. They helped keep Railtown 1897 open. They even helped get money to fix the Sierra No. 28. This steam locomotive is very important to the park.

Since 1992, the California State Railroad Museum has helped manage Railtown 1897. They work to keep this historic park running.

What You Can Do at Railtown

Train Rides and Tours

At Railtown 1897, you can ride old trains. They use both steam and diesel engines. You can also take tours of the old roundhouse. This is where trains are stored and fixed.

You can see the machine shop and other exhibits. There are even props from movies that were filmed here! It's a great way to see how trains worked long ago.

How You Can Help

People can volunteer at Railtown 1897. Volunteers help teach visitors about the park. They give tours of the roundhouse. They also share stories about the locomotives during train rides. It's a fun way to learn and help preserve history.

The Trains of Railtown

Railtown 1897 has many different trains. Some are old steam engines, and some are diesel. Here are a few of them:

Locomotive details

Number	Images	Type	Builder	Built	Status
Unknown		Diesel	Plymouth Locomotive Works	1930s	Operational
2		Steam	Lima Locomotive Works	1922	Awaiting restoration
3		Steam	Rogers Locomotive and Machine Works	1891	Operational
7		Steam	Lima Locomotive Works	1925	Out of service
28		Steam	Baldwin Locomotive Works	1922	Operational
34		Steam	Baldwin Locomotive Works	1925	Out of service
612		Diesel	American Locomotive Company	1953	Awaiting repairs
613		Diesel	American Locomotive Company	1953	Awaiting repairs
546		Diesel	American Locomotive Company	1953	Used for parts
1265		Diesel	Baldwin Locomotive Works	1953	Operational
7417		Diesel	GE Transportation	1942	Awaiting repairs
52280		Diesel	GE Transportation	1952	Operational

More to Explore

• Heritage Railroads in California
• List of museums in California
• Locomotive