Pacific Coast Railroad, Tourist railroad at Santa Margarita Ranch, California.
The Pacific Coast Railroad is a tourist railroad at Santa Margarita Ranch in California, running on a narrow gauge track with steam locomotives and vintage passenger cars. The route passes through the ranch property, giving riders a close look at how historical rail equipment moves and operates.
The railroad opened in 2004 and was built around locomotives and cars produced across several decades of American rail manufacturing, some dating to the late 1800s. The equipment was brought together and restored specifically to run on this line.
The choice of locomotives and passenger cars tells a story about how people valued rail travel across different time periods. Visitors riding the train experience a direct connection to the way Californians once moved through their landscape.
Arriving a little early gives you time to watch the locomotives being prepared before the ride departs, which is a worthwhile part of the visit. The ranch is located outside of town, so having your own transport makes getting there much easier.
One of the locomotives here appeared in the television series Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, and that exposure helped draw attention to it before it might have been scrapped. After filming, it was restored and put back into regular service on this line.
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