Note: The following railroad event is SOLD OUT. Please do not come without a reservation. Our next steam locomotive event is in April 2016 (date TBD). The railroad is also open for railroad tours by appointment. Please phone the machine shop to schedule a tour: (831) 423-8204

Steam Train Event near Santa Cruz by Reservation Only: Re-live the history of the 1915 San Francisco Panama-Pacific International Exhibition Overfair Railway steam locomotives that ran along the Marina between Fort Mason and The Presidio during the fair. Enjoy steam train rides, BBQ lunch, railroad tours, ranch activities, music, and more at the Swanton Pacific Railroad. Period clothing is encouraged – we’re celebrating our locomotives’ centennial of after all! Be prepared for uneven terrain, cool weather, and very warm weather.

The Swanton Pacific Railroad Society is a volunteer organization that restores, maintains, and runs the steam locomotives from the PPIE (one locomotive is on display in the lobby of the California State Railroad Museum). The railroad and the 3200-acre Swanton Pacific Ranch in Davenport were donated to Cal Poly SLO in 1993, by Al Smith, second president of Orchard Supply Hardware. This event, called Cal Poly Day, is limited to 500 mail-in reservations and early reservations receive a discount: http://content-calpoly-edu.s3.amazonaws.com/sprr/1/documents/2015CalPoly%20DayInvite.pdf

Schedule for Day:
9:30 AM Locomotive is fired up
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM Train Rides
10:30 AM -11:30 AM Railroad Roundhouse & Car-barn visits
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM Santa Maria Style BBQ
1:30 PM – 4:00 PM more Train Rides
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM Ranch Activities

If you’d like to visit the railroad on another day when the locomotive is not operating, please call our machine shop: (831) 423-8204

For more information, please visit the Swanton Pacific Railroad Society website and Facebook page.

Pacific Ranch in Davenport (near Santa Cruz), and for opportunities to volunteer on the railroad, please visit the Swanton Pacific Railroad Society website.