Roaring Camp and Big Trees Narrow Gauge Railroad, Steam railway heritage attraction in Felton, California, United States
Roaring Camp and Big Trees Narrow Gauge Railroad is a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow-gauge tourist line running 3.25 miles (5.23 km) from the Roaring Camp depot in Felton up steep grades through redwood forest to the top of Bear Mountain. Most trains are pulled by steam locomotives, several built in the 1890s. At the depot a black locomotive with a smokestack, headlight and red star stands before yellow open-sided wooden passenger cars lettered "ROARING CAMP AND BIG TREES NARROW GAUGE RAILROAD".
The railroad was founded in 1963 and uses locomotives from the 1890s that were originally built for hauling timber across California. These machines come from an era when steam power drove the state's economy and forests were opened up for logging.
The place preserves lumber industry heritage by operating steam locomotives that carry visitors through the same forests once crossed by loggers and railway workers.
The line climbs 3.25 miles from the Felton depot to the top of Bear Mountain on grades up to about 10.5%. Trains are limited to six cars because of the short tail tracks at the switchback; longer ones need a diesel switcher at the rear. The open-sided wooden cars leave riders exposed to smoke and cinders, so dress accordingly.
The switchback that replaced the Spring Canyon loop after the 1976 fire has a grade estimated at 10.5%, and its tail tracks limit trains to six cars; longer trains need a diesel switcher to bring the extra cars up separately.
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