Santiam Excursion Trains in Lebanon, Oregon

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Lebanon, Oregon · Updated October 19, 2026 · 11 min read

Heritage railroad with a museumTrain ridesRides scheduled through the year; see upcoming rides

Santiam Excursion Trains carries riders through the Willamette Valley from Lebanon on the Albany and Eastern Railroad, with brunch and dinner trains, family holiday rides and trips behind a 1924 Baldwin steam locomotive.

  • 1924 Baldwin steam engine 205
  • SP 5399 in Black Widow paint
  • Sunday Brunch train, 2.5 hours
  • Open-top flat car and caboose
  • Holiday rides for families

Santiam Excursion Trains at a glance

Hours
Scheduled rides through the year; see the upcoming rides page
Admission
Varies by ride and service class; Sunday Brunch is $52 per person
Train rides
Brunch, lunch, dinner, steam, family, holiday and 21+ rides; 1.5 to 3 hours
Seasonal events
Christmas Eve Pajama Train, Candy Cane Express, Halloween Runaway Pumpkin Express, Hippity Hop Easter ride, Little Loves Valentines Rides, Lunch Box Express
Plan for
1.5 to 3 hours depending on the ride
Best for
Families, couples and groups celebrating something
Best ages
All ages on family rides

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

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Santiam Excursion Trains? 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 Lebanon.

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.

How Porky the Baldwin came to Lebanon

Santiam Excursion Trains is the passenger side of the Albany and Eastern Railroad, running out of Lebanon on a line that dates to the early 1900s. Those tracks once carried timber, crops, mail and passengers through the Santiam Valley, long before highways reached every small town, and today the trains head west toward Sweet Home on a route of more than 17 miles.

The star of the roster has a long story. Engine 205 was built in 1924 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia for California's San Joaquin and Eastern Railroad, which used it until the line shut down in 1933. The Santa Maria Valley Railroad bought it next and ran it until 1950, when it was donated to the city of Santa Maria and put on display.

In 1983 George Lavacot bought the 205 and moved it to Independence, Oregon. George and a group of friends then met regularly for 38 years to bring it back to life. Along the way a friend who worked on the famous SP 4449 teased that 205 was nothing but a Baldwin pig of a locomotive, and the nickname Porky stuck; a pig mascot still sometimes rides on the headlight.

In 2021, with the restoration finished, George sold the engine to the Albany and Eastern so the public could see it run. It now pulls excursions on select weekends through the year.

Pick your car: open flat car, bar car or caboose

Each car offers a different ride. You can sit in the open-top flat car for fresh air, settle into a dining car for brunch, lunch or dinner, visit the bar car on adult rides, or rent the caboose for a private party. On steam days an open car is placed right behind the 205 so riders can watch and hear the engine up close.

Most excursions are pulled by Albany and Eastern diesels, including former Southern Pacific 5399, an EMD SD9 built in 1955 that ran for SP until the 1990s and was later repainted in SP's famous Black Widow scheme. Riders often mention how locals wave and honk as the train passes through the valley.

Don’t miss

  1. Santa Maria Valley 205A 1924 Baldwin steam engine restored over 38 years by George Lavacot and friends, now running on select weekends.
  2. Southern Pacific 5399A 1955 EMD SD9 wearing the Black Widow paint scheme SP once made famous.
  3. The open car behind the steam engineOn steam rides it sits right behind the 205, the closest you can get to a working steam locomotive.
  4. The Sunday Brunch trainOne of the most popular rides, running twice a month with a brunch buffet and coffee.
  5. The cabooseAvailable for private parties, it makes a fun spot for a birthday on the rails.

Pajama trains, pumpkin rides and Santa aboard

The family ride calendar is full: the Hippity Hop Easter ride, the Halloween Runaway Pumpkin Express, Little Loves Valentines rides, the Lunch Box Express, the Candy Cane Express and the Christmas Eve Pajama Train. One grandparent who rode with kids aged 6, 3 and 1 described Santa and Mrs. Claus greeting riders while student elves handed out free popcorn and hot cocoa.

Steam rides are another good pick for kids who want to see a real engine working. Adult-only 21 and over rides are marked on the schedule, so check the ride description before booking with children.

Plan your visit: tips for Santiam Excursion Trains

  • Book online and choose your service class when you add tickets to your cart.
  • Arrive a little early so you can settle in before departure.
  • The Sunday Brunch train runs rain or shine.
  • Riders mention veterans discounts; ask when you book.
  • The caboose can be booked for birthdays and private parties.

Holidays are a big part of the calendar here. Families can ride the Halloween Runaway Pumpkin Express in October, then come back in December for the Candy Cane Express or the Christmas Eve Pajama Train, where Santa and Mrs. Claus have greeted riders. Easter, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day and the Fourth of July get rides of their own too. See our roundups of Halloween train rides in Oregon and Christmas train rides in Oregon for more.

The crew behind the rides

Santiam Excursion Trains operates on the Albany and Eastern Railroad, whose locomotives pull most trips, and the steam engine owes its second life to George Lavacot and the friends who restored it. Local students have helped as elves on holiday rides. You can support the railroad by riding, booking the train for a birthday, wedding or corporate event, or giving a train ride as a gift.

Pair a ride with a nearby museum

The Albany Historic Carousel and Museum is only about 12 miles away. In Brooks, about 35 miles north, Powerland Heritage Park and the Oregon Electric Railway Museum make a full day. For more ideas, see our guide to Oregon train museums.

Every train museum in Oregon

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of a dad lifting Rally the corgi up the big stairs of a red train car
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

I think about little ones in pajamas climbing onto the Christmas Eve train here, reaching for that first tall step. Rally has the same trouble in our book: his corgi legs are just too short for the train stairs, so Dad scoops him up and gives him a boost. My mom gave that moment to Dad on purpose, and it still makes my kids giggle. Free coloring pages of Rally are ready to print.

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 Santiam Excursion Trains?

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.

Santiam Excursion Trains: 20 questions before you ride

How do I buy Santiam Excursion Trains tickets?

Tickets are sold online through santiamexcursions.com. Pick your ride, choose your service class, add tickets to your cart and check out. If you have questions or want to book a private event, call (541) 619-0342 or send a message through the website's contact page.

How much are Santiam Excursion Trains tickets?

Prices depend on the ride and the service class you choose. As of October 2026, the Sunday Brunch ride is listed at $52 per person for a 2.5-hour trip. Check each ride's description on santiamexcursions.com for current prices before you book.

Where are Santiam Excursion Trains in Lebanon, Oregon?

Santiam Excursion Trains lists its location as 750 S 3rd Street, Lebanon, Oregon 97355, and one rail guide says trips depart from the historic Lebanon depot. Arrive a little early so you can park and settle in before departure. Call (541) 619-0342 with directions questions.

What is the Santiam Excursion Trains schedule?

Rides are scheduled throughout the year, with brunch trains twice a month, steam rides on select weekends and holiday rides in season. The current list is on the Upcoming Rides page at santiamexcursions.com, which is the best place to check dates and availability.

How long is the Santiam Excursion Train ride?

It depends on the ride. The Sunday Brunch train lasts about 2.5 hours, 21 and over rides about 2 hours, and Santa Maria steam rides range from 1.5 to 3 hours. Each ride description on the website lists its length.

What is the Santiam Excursion Trains route?

The trains run on the Albany and Eastern Railroad out of Lebanon through the Willamette Valley, heading west toward Sweet Home on longer trips along a line of more than 17 miles. A route map is linked from the railroad's home page under View Route.

What is the Santiam Excursion brunch train?

The Sunday Brunch train is one of the most popular rides: a 2.5-hour trip with a brunch buffet, fresh coffee and tea, and optional mimosas or bloody marys from the bar car. It runs twice a month, rain or shine. A rider noted a 10 am departure on the trip they took.

Can you ride a steam train at Santiam Excursion Trains?

Yes. Santa Maria Steam Rides are pulled by Santa Maria Valley 205, a 1924 Baldwin steam locomotive, on select weekends. An open car is placed right behind the engine so riders can get close to it. Rides last 1.5 to 3 hours.

What is Santa Maria Valley 205?

Engine 205 is a steam locomotive built in 1924 by Baldwin for the San Joaquin and Eastern Railroad. It later ran on the Santa Maria Valley Railroad until 1950, was displayed in Santa Maria, then restored in Oregon by George Lavacot and friends over 38 years before joining the Albany and Eastern in 2021.

Why is the Santiam steam engine called Porky?

During its restoration, a friend of George Lavacot who worked on SP 4449 joked that the 205 was a Baldwin pig of a locomotive, poking fun at its humble short line past. The name Porky stuck, and a pig mascot sometimes rides on the locomotive's headlight.

Does Santiam Excursion Trains have Christmas rides?

Yes. Holiday rides include the Candy Cane Express and the Christmas Eve Pajama Train. Riders have described Santa and Mrs. Claus aboard with student elves handing out popcorn and hot cocoa. Holiday seats sell out, so check availability early on the website.

Does Santiam Excursion Trains have a Halloween train?

Yes. The Halloween Runaway Pumpkin Express is one of the family rides on the seasonal calendar. Dates and tickets are posted on the Upcoming Rides page, so check santiamexcursions.com or the railroad's Facebook page in early fall.

Are Santiam Excursion Trains good for kids?

Yes, on the family rides. The calendar includes Easter, Halloween, Valentine's, Lunch Box Express and Christmas rides built for children, and grandparents have brought kids as young as 1. Some rides are 21 and over only, so read each description before booking.

Does Santiam Excursion Trains have adults-only rides?

Yes. The 21 and over rides last about 2 hours and include beer, wine and handcrafted cocktails from the bar car, and some trips feature wine and beer tasting. They are a popular pick for girls' nights and happy hours.

What are Santiam Excursion Trains reviews like?

Riders quoted on the railroad's website praise the steam engine, the brunch, the bloody marys and the clean dining and bar cars, and enjoy locals waving as the train passes. One rider wished the steam ride were a bit longer. Facebook and Tripadvisor carry more reviews.

Can I rent the Santiam Excursion train for a party?

Yes. The railroad hosts birthday parties, corporate events, weddings and other gatherings, and you can book the caboose for a private party. Call (541) 619-0342 or use the contact form on santiamexcursions.com to plan an event.

What locomotives pull Santiam Excursion Trains?

Most trips use Albany and Eastern diesel electric locomotives, including former Southern Pacific 5399, a 1955 EMD SD9 painted in SP's Black Widow scheme. On steam days, Santa Maria Valley 205, a 1924 Baldwin, takes over.

Does Santiam Excursion Trains offer railbike rides?

Yes. Railbike Adventures are listed alongside the train rides on the home page, letting riders pedal along the rails through the valley. Check the website for current railbike dates, prices and age rules before you book.

Do Santiam Excursion Trains offer a veterans discount?

A rider review on the railroad's website mentions veterans discounts. The railroad does not list the details online, so ask about current discounts when you book by calling (541) 619-0342. Have your service information handy in case the railroad asks for it.

What train museums are near Santiam Excursion Trains?

The Albany Historic Carousel and Museum is about 12 miles away. Powerland Heritage Park and the Oregon Electric Railway Museum in Brooks are about 35 miles, the Willow Creek Railroad Museum about 36 miles, and the Yaquina Pacific Railroad Historical Society in Toledo about 51 miles.

Keep exploring

More family train guides from Rally

Kelsey Cecil
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