R&F Railroad rules the rails in Riverside, CA

Nestled into an elegant neighborhood in Riverside, California, Roger and Faith Clarkson have turned their private backyard into a train enthusiast oasis with RF Railroad. Up to seventeen G-Scale trains operate simultaneously on over 3000 feet of track over bridges, across water falls, through scenic towns and tunnels. The property is 1/3 acre and the gardens are meticulous. Several open houses for the public are offered on weekends throughout the year. No entrance fees are charged, but donations are welcome. Much better than any train museum we've visited, for train hobbyists -- and little boys and girls of all ages --  the ride to Riverside will "wow" the rail lovers. 

Hunter Hobby Park and the Riverside Live Steamers

The Riverside Live Steamers boosts to be the only all steam train club in the United States. They've laid almost two miles of narrow gauge railroad track around 40 acres of Hunter Hobby Park in Riverside, CA. On the second and fourth Sundays of every month, they offer free train rides hauling up-to-900 passengers with multiple engines. Alex and Serene cruised around the track for at least 15 minutes and they gave it four thumbs up for railway fun!

Riding the Rails in Los Angeles' Griffith Park

Serene and Alex at the Los Feliz Station in Griffith Park.

Steam Engines!

The Griffith Park Train Ride Station.

  

There are three ways to ride the rails at Griffith Park: The Griffith Park Train Rides, The Travel Town Museum and the Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum.  Each ride will cost you just a couple of bucks, but all of them are take you on more than enough track to make it a worthwhile ride. While Alex is a train expert, Serene is a novice. She loved the chuchu and was ready for more: "Again, again!"

Views of the Bay at Tilden Park

 

 

 

 

The view of the San Francisco Bay from the Berkeley Hills at Tilden Regional Park is breathtaking. The Golden Gate and Bay Bridges frame the city skyline just below trees rolling down swooping mountains. In park's forest, there is a Botanic Garden, carousel, steam train, pony rides and golf course.   

Serene and Alex rode the steam train on the narrow gauge railway that was built in 1952. In the crisp air, we took a 15 minute ride through the woods, catching glimpses of the beautiful Bay views. Alex is well past his train engineering years and Serene probably won't catch the Thomas the Train phenomena, but the pair (with cousins and aunties in tow) both enjoyed the ride.

178 visits to Travel Town

(All photos taken by Joanna S.)

Travel Town is one of the best places to take little boys who love trains. A free open-air museum it features retired full-size engines, as well as passenger and freight cars. Some are more than 100 years old. For a couple of bucks, a little train even loops passengers around the park for a 10 minute ride.

Alex's end-of-kindergarten school trip was held at Travel Town. As we pulled into the parking lot he announced it was his 178th visit. He may not have been that far off. When Alex was younger, we did visit Travel Town quite a lot. These days, Alex no longer lays out miles of track inside our house and guests no longer trip over Thomas, Percy, Henry and Gordon strewn across the floor. (We could even resist the gift shop at Travel Town that use to cost us a pretty penny.) But, when he saw the old trains he couldn't resist climbing on the engines -- with full steam -- and running along the tracks just like he did when he was little. 

Little Ninjas boarding Little Steamers

The Los Angeles Little Steamers Railroad Museum in Griffith Park in the center of Los Angeles is open for the public on Sundays only to ride narrow gauge model engines.There are steam, diesel and electric engines that pull three or four freight cars that guests climb aboard. The track is 1.5 miles taking visitors around a steam plant and several parked cabooses. Alex thought it would be more fun if he used his ninja skills while riding the train.

National Train Day

National Train Day celebrates the anniversary of the nation's transcontinental railway -- 143 years!

"On May 10, 1869, in Promontory Summit, Utah, the 'golden spike' was driven into the final tie that joined 1,776 miles of the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railways, forever transforming the face and character of America. National Train Day is an annual celebration of train travel and the ways trains touch the lives of people across America. Train stations and other venues across the country host activities and exhibits that highlight the past, present and future of trains and travel."

In cities across America, children drag their parents to long lines at train stations to celebrate trains. At Union Station in Los Angeles, Alex and Serene toured trains, played on interactive exhibits, gawked at model train displays.

At Santa Susana Depot the Past Meets Present

The Santa Susana Depot in Simi Valley, California is the perfect stop for train aficionados of all ages. The quaint, little museum offers a glimpse into train stations of the last century back when the telegraph alerted engineers of the next trains entering the station. The museum also features a miniature train set built by hobbyists who can tell you the history of California through trains. Be sure to stay to watch as today's modern trains speed by just a few feet from the station's platform at more than 100 mph.

Riding the Rails....

Roaring Camp outside of Santa Cruz, California offers two chances to catch trains in Northern California. The 90 minute steam train travels through narrow gauges into the Redwoods, while a Diesel takes 3 hours to make a roundtrip to the beach at Santa Cruz.

All Aboard!

Travel Town is like heaven for little boys who love trains. Founded in the 1950s, the outdoor museum is situated on the edge of Griffith Park in the center of Greater Los Angeles. It features retired locomotives, freight cars, cabooses, passenger cars, dining cars, and more. The grounds are shaded, easy to walk and you can climb on nearly every engine.

Alex was so overwhelmed with excitement that I prepared myself for the first case of a heart attack for a 2-year-old. Once he got onboard with the place, he was a true conductor testing his own toy trains on the real tracks.

A good place to begin the visit is on the miniature train that adults and children can ride together. Lapping the park twice, the ride is longer, faster and the train is bigger than most of the kiddie train rides elsewhere. While this rest of the park is free of charge, the ride will cost kids of all ages $2.50 per ride. The gift shop will set you back if you (or your child) is a Thomas the Tank enthusiast. It is fully stocked with party supplies, T-shirts, books, videos, and every possible character in the Thomas and Friends collection. We enjoyed a picnic and planned for future birthday parties, as there are plenty of places for pinatas, cake and the party treats will be great! While the museum is popular with little boys, this recommendation is for all the 21st century little girls too....All Aboard!