Pacific Northwest Live Steamers in Molalla, Oregon
Outdoor rail parkTrain ridesFreeSundays, May to October
Pacific Northwest Live Steamers is a volunteer-run miniature train park in Molalla where families ride 7.5-inch gauge trains free of charge, on grounds Harry Harvey founded in 1954.
- Free train rides
- Founded in 1954
- 7.5-inch gauge track
- Picnic area and pavilions
- Run by member volunteers
Pacific Northwest Live Steamers at a glance
- Hours
- Sundays, May to October; listed as 11 am to 4 pm by the Molalla chamber and noon to 5 pm elsewhere
- Admission
- Free; donations welcome
- Train rides
- Free miniature train rides on 7.5-inch gauge track
- Plan for
- About 1 to 2 hours
- Best for
- Families with young kids
- Best ages
- Toddlers to age 10
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Contact and directions
- Address31803 S Shady Dell Rd, Molalla, OR 97038(opens in a new tab)
- Phone(503) 829-6866
- Emailevents@pnls.org
- Websiteshadydell.org(opens in a new tab)
Follow Pacific Northwest Live Steamers
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to Pacific Northwest Live Steamers? Bring Rally along.
In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Molalla.
Rally Takes the Train
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Harry Harvey's dream in Shady Dell
The train park was founded in 1954 by Harry Harvey, who wanted a place where families could come to ride trains and learn about them. When he died, he left the park to the Pacific Northwest Live Steamers, and the club later bought three more acres to grow.
Today the park, known locally as Shady Dell Train Park and the Molalla Train Park, has several thousand feet of 7.5-inch gauge track looping around a picnic area; the club's listings give figures from 4,200 to over 4,500 feet. It is a nonprofit run entirely by member volunteers and supported by donations from guests and members. Rides are free. Hours have been listed differently in different places, so check the club's website or Facebook page before you go.
Small trains, big loop
Visitors ride behind miniature locomotives on a loop of 7.5-inch gauge track that circles a park with picnic tables, which are first come, first served. Reviewers mention two pavilions and park-like grounds.
Don’t miss
- The track loopSeveral thousand feet of 7.5-inch gauge track circling the picnic grounds.
- The picnic areaTables inside the loop make it easy to eat while trains roll past.
A picnic and a free ride
Free rides on small trains and a picnic area inside the loop make this an easy Sunday outing with young kids. The club takes party bookings by phone. The club does not post accessibility or stroller details, so call ahead with questions.
Plan your visit: tips for Pacific Northwest Live Steamers
- Confirm Sunday hours before you go; sources disagree.
- Picnic tables are first come, first served.
- Bring cash for a donation; rides are free.
Run by member volunteers
The Pacific Northwest Live Steamers is a nonprofit run entirely by member volunteers and dependent on donations from guests and members. Dropping a donation in the box, booking a party, or joining as a member all help keep the trains running.
More rail fun near Molalla
The Willamette Shore Trolley is about 20 miles away. The Oregon Electric Railway Museum and Willow Creek Railroad Museum are about 22 miles away in Brooks. See all of Oregon's train museums.
- Willamette Shore TrolleyLake Oswego / Portland, OR · about 20 mi
- Oregon Electric Railway MuseumBrooks, OR · about 22 mi
- Powerland Heritage Park railway collectionsBrooks, OR · about 22 mi
- Willow Creek Railroad MuseumBrooks, OR · about 22 mi
- Oregon Rail Heritage CenterPortland, OR · about 26 mi
- Washington Park & Zoo Railway historic collectionPortland, Oregon, OR · about 27 mi
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
A free train ride and a picnic table sounds like a Sunday Rally would plan for. In our book he packs his suitcase with his turtle toy, green bone and yellow ball before the big trip, and I imagine families here packing a cooler with the same care. My mom loved simple days like that. If you want a story for the car ride over, our train books for toddlers list is a good start.
Free for train families
Print the Rally coloring pages before you go
Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.
Get the free coloring pages
A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)More for train families
- Train museums in Oregon: every museum by town, with a map
- Train museums in every state: search by town or near you
- Christmas train rides in Oregon
- Halloween train rides in Oregon
- Every Amtrak route with kids
Work or volunteer at Pacific Northwest Live Steamers?
We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.
Sources
- Pacific Northwest Live Steamers official website(opens in a new tab)
- Pacific Northwest Live Steamers on Facebook(opens in a new tab)
Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.
Pacific Northwest Live Steamers: 20 questions families ask
Where is Pacific Northwest Live Steamers in Molalla, Oregon?
Pacific Northwest Live Steamers is at 31803 S Shady Dell Road, Molalla, Oregon 97038. The park is also known as Shady Dell Train Park and the Molalla Train Park. For directions, call (503) 829-6866 or check the club's website or Facebook page.
What is Pacific Northwest Live Steamers?
It is a nonprofit miniature train park run entirely by member volunteers. The club gives families free rides on 7.5-inch gauge trains on a track that loops around a picnic area. It operates on donations from guests and members, and has done so since Harry Harvey founded the park in 1954.
Are the train rides at Pacific Northwest Live Steamers free?
Yes. There is no entrance fee and no charge to ride the trains, according to the club and the Molalla Area Chamber of Commerce, as of October 2026. The park runs solely on donations, so a few dollars in the donation box helps keep the trains running.
What are the Pacific Northwest Live Steamers hours?
The park is open on Sundays during the season, May through October. The Molalla chamber lists 11 am to 4 pm, while another club listing says noon to 5 pm. Check shadydell.org or the Facebook page, or call (503) 829-6866, before you go.
Is Pacific Northwest Live Steamers open in winter?
Published listings describe a May to October season on Sundays, and no winter rides or holiday events are posted. Check the club's Facebook page or call (503) 829-6866 if you are hoping to visit outside the summer season.
When was Pacific Northwest Live Steamers founded?
The train park was founded in 1954 by Harry Harvey, who dreamed of a place where families could ride and learn about trains. When he died he left the park to the Pacific Northwest Live Steamers, and the club later acquired three more acres for expansion.
How much track does Pacific Northwest Live Steamers have?
Club listings describe 4,200 feet of 7.5-inch gauge track, and the club's Facebook group says over 4,500 feet, so the layout may have grown. The track loops around the park's picnic area, giving riders a good long trip on the small trains.
What does 7.5-inch gauge mean at Pacific Northwest Live Steamers?
It means the rails are 7.5 inches apart. Trains this size are large enough for people to sit on and ride, which is why the park can give rides to families. The club describes it as a live steam park, the hobby of building and running small working locomotives.
Is Pacific Northwest Live Steamers good for toddlers?
It is a relaxed fit for young kids: free short rides, outdoor space and a picnic area inside the loop. The club does not post age limits or seating rules, so ask the volunteer crew how small riders should sit, and keep little ones close.
Can you have a picnic at Pacific Northwest Live Steamers?
Yes. The track loops around a picnic area, and tables are available on a first come, first served basis. Reviewers mention two pavilions and park-like grounds, so bringing lunch and making an afternoon of it is easy.
Can you have a birthday party at Pacific Northwest Live Steamers?
The Molalla chamber lists a separate party phone line, (503) 949-3513, and the email events@pnls.org, which suggests parties can be arranged. Details and costs are not posted online, so call or email to ask about dates and what is included.
Where do you park at Pacific Northwest Live Steamers?
The club does not post parking details for the Shady Dell Road park. Call (503) 829-6866 to ask, especially if you are bringing a group or a party. Arriving early on a busy summer Sunday is a good idea.
Is Pacific Northwest Live Steamers wheelchair accessible?
The club does not describe accessibility for the grounds or the trains online. Because riders sit on low miniature cars, call (503) 829-6866 before your visit to ask what help the volunteer crew can offer and how the paths are surfaced.
Who runs Pacific Northwest Live Steamers?
The park is run by the Pacific Northwest Live Steamers, a nonprofit operated entirely by member volunteers. Founder Harry Harvey left the park to the club, which keeps it going with donations from guests and members.
How can I join or volunteer with Pacific Northwest Live Steamers?
Since the club is run entirely by member volunteers, membership is the way in. Membership details are not posted online, so ask a volunteer at the park, call (503) 829-6866, or reach out through the club's website or Facebook page.
What do Pacific Northwest Live Steamers reviews say?
Reviews on Yelp are mixed but mostly warm. One grandparent described friendly, welcoming staff on a rainy last day of the season, lovely grounds, generous track and two pavilions, while noting another reviewer had complained about rudeness. Photos are posted on the club's Facebook page.
Is Pacific Northwest Live Steamers the same as the Molalla Train Park?
Yes. The Facebook group calls it Pacific Northwest Live Steamers (Molalla Train Park), the club's website calls it Shady Dell Train Park, and the chamber lists it as Molalla Train Company and Pacific Northwest Live Steamers. All refer to the park on S Shady Dell Road.
How long should I plan at Pacific Northwest Live Steamers?
Plan on an hour or two, enough for a few rides and a picnic. Because rides are free and the park is open only a few hours on Sundays, arrive near opening time to make the most of the day.
Does Pacific Northwest Live Steamers have steam engines?
The club is a live steam group and calls its home a live steam park. It does not post which engines pull rides on a given day, so ask the volunteer crew when you arrive; they are usually glad to talk about their locomotives.
What other train attractions are near Molalla?
The Willamette Shore Trolley is about 20 miles away. The Oregon Electric Railway Museum, Willow Creek Railroad Museum and Powerland Heritage Park collections are about 22 miles away in Brooks, and the Oregon Rail Heritage Center in Portland is about 26 miles.
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