Railtown 1897 State Historic Park in Jamestown, California

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Jamestown, California · Updated October 19, 2026 · 12 min read

Heritage railroad with a museumTrain ridesPark open daily; excursion trains April to October

Railtown 1897 State Historic Park preserves the Sierra Railway's shops and roundhouse in Jamestown, a working steam-era railroad that hauled for Gold Country logging and mining and later starred in hundreds of films and TV shows.

  • Known as The Movie Railroad
  • Working steam-era roundhouse
  • Sierra Railway Shops historical landmark
  • 26-acre state historic park
  • 6-mile, 45-minute train rides
  • Steam locomotive No. 3

Railtown 1897 State Historic Park at a glance

Hours
Park open daily; check the State Parks site for hours
Admission
Train tickets include park admission: adults $23, ages 6 to 17 $18, 5 and under free
Train rides
April to October, Saturdays and Sundays at 10:30 am, noon, 1:30 pm and 3 pm; Wednesday trains in summer
Seasonal events
Excursion train season, Sierra Railway No. 3 steam weekends
Plan for
About 2 to 3 hours with a train ride
Best for
Families, film fans and steam lovers
Best ages
Ages 3 to 12
Accessibility
The caboose has no wheelchair or accessible seating; call (209) 984-3953 about other access needs

Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Railtown 1897 State Historic Park? 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 Jamestown.

Page 1 of 8

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

Like it so far? See the full book

25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.

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Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.

The Sierra Railway, Gold Country's working railroad and Hollywood's favorite

Railtown 1897 is built around the shops and roundhouse of the Sierra Railway, a short line with deep ties to the logging and mining industries of the Mother Lode. The railroad played a part in building some of California's important infrastructure, including the dam at Hetch Hetchy, and its Jamestown roundhouse was the kind of industrial workplace that once sat at the heart of many medium-sized American towns, keeping farms and industries connected to the rest of the country.

The Sierra Railway Shops are a designated California Historical Landmark, and the grounds now form a 26-acre unit of the California State Park System. California State Parks describes it as a working steam-era railroad, with its historic trains, maintenance shops and roundhouse still in use.

The railroad also has a second career. Its trains and scenery have appeared in hundreds of movies and TV shows, which is why Railtown is known as The Movie Railroad. Caboose No. 7, which joined the Sierra in the mid-1950s from the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern in Illinois and Indiana, alone turns up in Little House on the Prairie, Back to the Future III and The Long Riders.

The park is supported by the California State Railroad Museum Foundation, a nonprofit cooperating association with State Parks that funds educational and interpretive programs, and by volunteers who explain steam locomotives, the turntable and blacksmithing to visitors and school groups.

Roundhouse, turntable and a ride into the Mother Lode

The park is open daily, and a visit centers on the roundhouse and shops, where operable steam and diesel locomotives are kept. Daily interpretive programs include roundhouse tours and movie prop tours, and volunteers talk about steam locomotives, the turntable, blacksmithing and the specialty tools of a railroad shop. There is a gift shop, and the grounds have room for a picnic.

On excursion days, a 6-mile, 45-minute round trip heads out behind a historic diesel or steam locomotive, past the water tower from Petticoat Junction and from the backyards of Jamestown up into the rough hillsides of Mother Lode country. Sierra Railway steam locomotive No. 3 is scheduled to pull trains about every other weekend, and riders can choose a seat in authentic Caboose No. 7.

Don’t miss

  1. The roundhouse and Sierra Railway ShopsA designated California Historical Landmark and still a working shop for operable steam and diesel locomotives.
  2. The turntableVolunteers explain how it turned locomotives in and out of the roundhouse, a highlight of the park tour.
  3. Sierra Railway steam locomotive No. 3The park's steam engine is scheduled to pull excursions roughly every other weekend; check its schedule before you go.
  4. Caboose No. 7A former Elgin, Joliet & Eastern caboose that riders can sit in, and a film veteran of Little House on the Prairie and Back to the Future III.
  5. The Petticoat Junction water towerThe excursion passes this famous TV landmark on the way out of Jamestown.

Junior Rangers, scavenger hunts and a caboose seat

Kids can watch the turntable, look into the roundhouse and ride a real train through Gold Country, with children 5 and under riding free. The park offers a Junior Ranger booklet, a scavenger hunt and a kids book, all handy for keeping young visitors busy between the shops and the platform. Riding in the cupola caboose is a special treat, though seating and outdoor views there are limited.

School groups get a 45-minute train ride with costumed car hosts plus a guided tour geared to the fourth-grade California history curriculum, and the museum says this is free for California schools with an advance reservation.

Plan your visit: tips for Railtown 1897 State Historic Park

  • Check the No. 3 schedule if you want a steam-pulled train, since motive power can change on short notice.
  • Pack a picnic and stay to explore the grounds after your ride.
  • Pick up the Junior Ranger booklet or scavenger hunt for kids.
  • School groups must reserve ahead by calling (209) 984-4408.

State Parks, a foundation and the volunteers in the shop

Railtown 1897 is a unit of the California State Park System. The California State Railroad Museum Foundation, a nonprofit cooperating association, supports its educational and interpretive programs and offers memberships that include free or reduced train rides depending on level. Volunteers lead much of the interpretation in the park. Visitors can help by joining, buying a train ticket or shopping in the gift shop.

More Gold Country and valley rail trips

The Sierra Railroad historic operations are about 27 miles away, and the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad is about 54 miles south near Fish Camp. The California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento is roughly 74 miles away. See all of California's train museums for more.

Every train museum in California

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of a conductor in a blue suit shaking Rally's paw on the train
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

Costumed car hosts ride along on the trains at Railtown, explaining the sights as the cars roll out of Jamestown. That makes me think of Mr. Conductor in our book, in his blue uniform, holding out a hand to welcome Rally aboard. A kind grown-up on a train can turn a nervous little traveler into a brave one. My mom understood that, and it is a big part of our story.

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
Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

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

Work or volunteer at Railtown 1897 State Historic Park?

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

Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.

Railtown 1897: 20 questions before your Gold Country train ride

Where is Railtown 1897 State Historic Park?

Railtown 1897 State Historic Park is at 10501 Reservoir Rd, Jamestown, CA 95327, in Tuolumne County in the heart of California's Gold Country. The excursion trains leave from the park itself. For directions or questions before you go, call the park at (209) 984-3953.

What are Railtown 1897 hours?

Railtown 1897 says the park is open daily. Exact daily opening and closing times are listed on the park's General Information page and the California State Parks site, so check there before you visit. Train rides run on a separate seasonal schedule, mostly on weekends from April through October.

How much are Railtown 1897 train tickets?

As of October 2026, excursion tickets are $23 for adults, $18 for youth ages 6 to 17, and free for children 5 and under. Tickets are sold per person and include park admission. Foundation members ride free or at a reduced price depending on their membership level. Buy through railtown1897.org.

Does it cost money to visit Railtown 1897 without riding the train?

The information we reviewed lists train ticket prices, which include park admission, but does not post a separate entry fee for visiting the grounds alone. Check the General Information page at railtown1897.org or call (209) 984-3953 to confirm current park admission before you go.

When do the Railtown 1897 excursion trains run?

As of October 2026, trains run April through October on Saturdays and Sundays at 10:30 am, noon, 1:30 pm and 3 pm. In summer, Wednesday trains are added: 10:30 am, noon and 1:30 pm in June, and 10:30 am and noon in July and August. Check the website for the current year's dates.

How long is the Railtown 1897 train ride?

The excursion is a 6-mile round trip that takes about 45 minutes. It runs from the backyards of Jamestown out into the rugged hillsides of the Mother Lode and passes the water tower made famous by Petticoat Junction. After the ride, you can explore the park and have a picnic.

Is the Railtown 1897 train pulled by a steam locomotive?

Sometimes. Trains may be pulled by steam or diesel locomotives. Sierra Railway steam locomotive No. 3 is scheduled to run roughly every other weekend, and the park posts its schedule online. Motive power can change on short notice because of weather, mechanical or staffing issues, so check before you go if steam matters to you.

Can you ride in the caboose at Railtown 1897?

Yes. Railtown 1897 offers rides in authentic Caboose No. 7, which came to the Sierra in the mid-1950s from the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern. Seating and outdoor views in the caboose are limited, and it has no wheelchair or accessible seating, so choose a coach seat if anyone in your group needs that.

Why is Railtown 1897 called The Movie Railroad?

Railtown and its trains have been featured in hundreds of movies and TV shows. Caboose No. 7 alone has appeared in Little House on the Prairie, Back to the Future III, The Long Riders and an Aflac commercial, and the excursion passes the water tower from Petticoat Junction. The park also offers movie prop tours.

What is there to see at Railtown 1897 besides the train?

The park preserves the Sierra Railway Shops and roundhouse, a California Historical Landmark, along with operable steam and diesel locomotives and a working turntable. Daily interpretive programs include roundhouse and movie prop tours, and volunteers talk about blacksmithing and railroad tools. There is a gift shop and room for a picnic.

Are there roundhouse tours at Railtown 1897?

Yes. Local visitor guides describe daily roundhouse and movie prop tours at the park, and California State Parks lists daily interpretive programs. Volunteers explain steam locomotives, the turntable, blacksmithing and specialty tools. Check the park's General Information page for current tour times.

What is the history of the Sierra Railway at Railtown 1897?

The Sierra Railway is known for its ties to the logging and mining industries of the Gold Country, and it played a part in building the dam at Hetch Hetchy and other important structures. Its Jamestown shops and roundhouse are preserved today as a working steam-era railroad within the California State Park System.

Is Railtown 1897 good for kids?

Yes. Kids can ride a real train, watch the turntable and see the roundhouse, and children 5 and under ride free. The park offers a Junior Ranger booklet, a scavenger hunt and a kids book. The 45-minute ride is a manageable length for young children, and the grounds are good for a picnic afterward.

Does Railtown 1897 offer school field trips?

Yes. School groups get a 45-minute train ride with costumed car hosts and a roughly 45-minute volunteer-led tour aimed at the fourth-grade California history curriculum, though all grades are welcome. The park says admission, train ride and tour are free for California schools. Reservations are required; call (209) 984-4408.

Is Railtown 1897 wheelchair accessible?

The park notes that Caboose No. 7 has no wheelchair or accessible seating. Access details for the coaches, roundhouse and grounds are not spelled out in the information we reviewed, so call (209) 984-3953 before your visit to ask about the options that will work for your group.

Who runs Railtown 1897 State Historic Park?

Railtown 1897 is a unit of the California State Park System, and it is also part of the California State Railroad Museum family. The nonprofit California State Railroad Museum Foundation, an official cooperating association with State Parks, supports the park's educational and interpretive programs and runs the excursion train membership program.

How do I become a member or volunteer at Railtown 1897?

Memberships are offered through the California State Railroad Museum Foundation, and members ride Railtown trains free or at a reduced price depending on their level. Volunteers lead much of the park's interpretation. Email info@csrmf.org or call (209) 984-3953 to ask about membership and volunteer openings.

Does Railtown 1897 have a gift shop?

Yes, Railtown 1897 has a gift shop on the grounds, according to Tuolumne County's visitor guide. It is a good stop after your train ride or roundhouse tour. Purchases help support the park, which is run with help from the nonprofit California State Railroad Museum Foundation.

How long should we spend at Railtown 1897?

Plan on about two to three hours if you ride the train. The excursion itself takes 45 minutes, and the park suggests exploring the grounds and having a picnic afterward. If you also join a roundhouse or movie prop tour, give yourself a half day in Jamestown.

What train attractions are near Railtown 1897?

The Sierra Railroad historic operations are about 27 miles away, and the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad near Fish Camp is about 54 miles. The Folsom area rail sites and the Placerville & Sacramento Valley Railroad are about 65 miles away, and the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento is about 74 miles.

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Kelsey Cecil
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