Live Steam Train rides San Diego area. Any offered in my area?

Question

My 5 year old is NUTS about trains, especially steam trains. The san diego rr mus. in campo used to have steam rides, but thay are special trips out of our budget. are there other sights in san diego area that offer steam train rides and if so where and how much. my husband is handicapped and we live on a fixed budget. our little guy will be 6 next week and a train ride would make his day. if you know of steam sights in our area please let me know? God bless & thank you.

Answer 1

There's a live steam train that operates in east Poway. Also, in Bonita, in the park east of town, the model live steamers operate trains one day a month where the public rides for a donation. Do  a search. It's been a few years since I saw these in operation.

Don't forget the SP diesel train in Balboa Park, by the merry-go-round. Take your 5 yr old to the Railroad museum @ Balboa Park too. It's the largest train set in the US.

Answer 2

I don't know of any in the San Diego area, but, if it is still running, there useed to be a narrow gage rail road at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park.

The power was supplied by an ex-DRGW "Mud Hen".  Don't know how much the fare is, or, as I said, if it is still running.  It was a fun trip, complete with an old fashioned train "robbery."  This not a model railroad, but rather a full scale train.

Good luck and I hope it goes well for you!

Answer 3

The Chula Vista Live Steamers operate their models in Rohr Park, which is in the north-east corner of Bonita valley. The track guage is 7.5 inches, so most of their equipment is one eighth scale; this is large enough to ride on, by putting a cushion in a gondola-car or on a boxcar. The clubs arrangement for using part of the park area includes giving rides to the public, especially the children.

Some of the trains are diesel or gas-electric, but usually there are some actual miniature steam engines. ((It is a great deal of work to put together a completely working model like this, where nearly every part must be made from scratch ))

The run weekends are usually the second full week end of each month. Next runs on August 12, 13. Coming up is the Labor day weekend which will have more to look at and ride on, and four days of events like pot-luck barbeque etc.

Check at <www.trainweb.org/cvls/calendar.html>