Train Mountain Railroad facts for kids

Central Station

Train Mountain Railroad is an amazing place in Chiloquin, Oregon, where you can find the world's largest miniature hobby railroad. It's located in Klamath County, in the south-central part of Oregon. This special railroad is about 26 miles (42 km) north of Klamath Falls, Oregon and south of Crater Lake National Park. It's a huge area dedicated to tiny trains!

Exploring Train Mountain's Location

Train Mountain covers a massive 2,205 acres (892 hectares) of land. It's bordered by Highway 97 on the east, Highway 62 (also called Crater Lake Highway) on the west, and Highway 422 on the north. You can even see parts of the tracks and buildings on satellite maps!

The land at Train Mountain has different heights. South Meadow is about 4,200 feet (1,280 meters) high. Central Station is a bit higher at 4,293 feet (1,308 meters). The highest point you can reach by train is Ward Passing Track, at 4,406 feet (1,343 meters). The very highest spot on the property is Steiger Butte, which is 4,780 feet (1,457 meters) tall.

World's Biggest Miniature Railroad

Train Mountain holds a special spot in the 2004 Guinness World Records as the "Longest Miniature Hobby Railroad." Back then, it had about 69,900 feet (21.3 km) of main track for 7.5-inch (190 mm) gauge trains. When you add all the extra tracks like those in yards and sidings, it had a total of 133,250 feet (40.6 km) of track! Since then, they've added about 10 more miles (16 km) of new track.

Understanding Train Sizes and Tracks

At Train Mountain, the miniature railway tracks are usually 7.5 inches (190 mm) wide. These tracks are perfect for trains that are 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) for every 12 inches (30 cm) of a real train, which is about 1/8th scale. You'll also see larger trains that are 2.5 inches (6.4 cm) for every 12 inches (30 cm) of a real train, or about 1/5th scale. Some of these bigger steam locomotives can weigh over 3,500 pounds (1,588 kg) when they're full of water and fuel!

Experience Live Steam Trains

Train Mountain is very popular with people who love "live steam" trains. These are miniature trains that actually run on steam, just like old full-sized locomotives! Hobbyists from all over the world come to visit and operate their amazing steam engines here.

Train Mountain in the Media

Train Mountain has been featured on TV! In 2005, it appeared on the Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) show Oregon Field Guide in an episode called "The Dream." This episode talked about the founder, Quentin Breen, and his dream to build this incredible railroad. Train Mountain was featured again on Oregon Field Guide in 2017.

The Garden Railway Project

A special "garden railway" is being built at Train Mountain. This is a smaller model railway, using G Scale trains, set up in a garden. It's located on about 4 acres (1.6 hectares) in the middle of a large 7.5-inch (190 mm) gauge track circle called Midway Circle. These circles are like roundabouts for trains!

Train Mountain Railroad Museum

There's also a museum on the Train Mountain property! The Train Mountain Railroad Museum displays old, full-sized railroad equipment and other cool items. One of the most impressive pieces is a 100-ton (90,718 kg) antique diesel-electric rotary snowplow. This snowplow, called Southern Pacific MW206, was built in 1923. It was used to clear snow from tracks between Klamath Falls and Eugene, Oregon. It arrived at Train Mountain in 2008.

In August 2024, the museum welcomed another important piece: Weyerhaeuser Timber Company #101. This locomotive was built in 1950 and was one of only two demonstration units for the Baldwin Locomotive Works. It later worked for Weyerhaeuser and the Oregon, California and Eastern Railway until 1990. It's special because it's Train Mountain's first full-sized display locomotive!

Exciting Train Meets and Events

Train Mountain celebrates its founding with special events called "Triennials" every three years. The 25th anniversary was celebrated in 2012. The 2018 Triennial was huge, with trains that stretched over 10,000 feet (3,048 meters) long! The 2022 Triennial had about 888 participants and even more trains than in 2018. A highlight of the Triennial is the "Big Toot," where all the trains gather on the last Saturday and blow their whistles for one minute. People from Australia, Switzerland, Canada, Germany, the UK, and the US attend these events. The next Triennial is planned for June 14 to 29, 2025, with the main operating days from the 21st to the 29th. Visitors are asked for a donation during this special week.

Other train meets for members and people interested in 7.5-inch (190 mm) gauge railroading happen seven times a year. These events bring people from all over the US and Canada. They are very popular with live steam fans because of the unique track layout and the chance to run heavy steam locomotives that might not be allowed elsewhere.

Visiting Train Mountain

Train Mountain is a club and a museum, not an amusement park, so it doesn't offer regular "rides." However, volunteer members do offer "tours" which are train rides! These tours can last from 30 minutes to eight hours. Even on the longest tours, you won't see all of Train Mountain's tracks.

During the summer, 30-minute tours are often available on weekdays from 10 AM to 3 PM (the gate opens at 9 AM). In the off-season, tours are usually from 11 AM to 2 PM. For longer tours, you can ask a train operator or schedule one with the Train Mountain Office. Tours might be on trains owned by Train Mountain or by its members. You can also ask for a guide to walk around and see the historic full-sized museum equipment. There's no charge to get in, but donations are always welcome to help with maintenance and expansion.

Klamath & Western Railroad

Right next to Train Mountain, you'll find the Klamath & Western Railroad (K&WRR). This is a non-profit organization that offers free public train rides on Saturdays from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The train ride covers about 1.6 miles (2.6 km) of track and takes about 15 to 20 minutes.

The K&WRR existed even before Train Mountain was founded. It was first known as "Over The Hill Live Steamers" because it was "over the hill" from the Medford Live Steamers.

Klamath & Western Railroad also has some cool old railroad items on display. One notable piece is an antique Train Order Semaphore Signal, which was originally used at the Southern Pacific Station in Junction City, Oregon.

Smart Train Technology

Train Mountain uses a special computer system called Central Train Control (CTC). This system helps manage the switches and signals on the tracks. You can even see the status of this system online on the Friends of Train Mountain website!