Photo: The Roaring Camp Railroad
Steam trains, 19th century railways, and majestic redwood forests are all part of America’s unique national treasure. What better way to celebrate each of them than by bringing them together in one memorable ride with a vintage flair?
Trains and railways are an intrinsic part of America’s history – they basically grew together. But as the United States grew stronger and more diverse, the old locomotives and train cars started to become obsolete, replaced by modern progress.
Luckily, many of them survived to this day, and are either still on the move (as part of historic train rides for tourists) or have settled down as quirky and adorable tiny homes.
Train cars from each time period have their unique charm that makes them stand out, but there’s nothing like steam trains. They seem as wise and kind as great-grandfathers would be, and their incredible resilience (with loving help from restoration experts) is a continuous source of inspiration.
Steam locomotives, old diesel engines, and original train cars – they’ve all gone through so many changes over the decades, yet here they are, still ready to make their way through the same places they once worked in.
The unique status of American steam trains can only be matched by the nation’s ancient redwood forests – another important piece of heritage. At first, however, steam trains were the “enemy” of coastal redwoods, carrying the trees that had been chopped down. Fortunately, California’s Redwood forest became one of the first in the country to be protected from logging, and is now respected as a national treasure.
Thanks to the Roaring Camp Railroad, a steam train now travels through the same Redwood forest, but with a noble purpose this time – it takes people on a wonderful historic and environmental ride, where they can learn more about the trees and the steam train, while taking in the views.
The company is proud to operate five diesel engines plus steam engines from 1890, with some still undergoing restoration. Its locomotives include ones from Shay, Heisler, and Climax, which were the main players in the logging business back in the 19th and 20th centuries.
The Shay steam locomotive is particularly famous for being the invention of one man who single-handedly revolutionized the timber industry in the 1880s. Ephraim Shay designed the new locomotive using a flatcar, to which he added a boiler, vertical cylinders, and two-axle trucks. His prototypes continued to evolve, eventually becoming the Shay steam locomotive that could carry logs on almost any type of track, and that would be heavily used until the 20th century.
The Redwood Forest Steam Train is back on track after winter storms caused it to halt its magical rides temporarily. A mobile piece of history and an engineering marvel, it should be on the bucket list of any train enthusiast.
Luckily, many of them survived to this day, and are either still on the move (as part of historic train rides for tourists) or have settled down as quirky and adorable tiny homes.
Train cars from each time period have their unique charm that makes them stand out, but there’s nothing like steam trains. They seem as wise and kind as great-grandfathers would be, and their incredible resilience (with loving help from restoration experts) is a continuous source of inspiration.
Steam locomotives, old diesel engines, and original train cars – they’ve all gone through so many changes over the decades, yet here they are, still ready to make their way through the same places they once worked in.
The unique status of American steam trains can only be matched by the nation’s ancient redwood forests – another important piece of heritage. At first, however, steam trains were the “enemy” of coastal redwoods, carrying the trees that had been chopped down. Fortunately, California’s Redwood forest became one of the first in the country to be protected from logging, and is now respected as a national treasure.
Thanks to the Roaring Camp Railroad, a steam train now travels through the same Redwood forest, but with a noble purpose this time – it takes people on a wonderful historic and environmental ride, where they can learn more about the trees and the steam train, while taking in the views.
The company is proud to operate five diesel engines plus steam engines from 1890, with some still undergoing restoration. Its locomotives include ones from Shay, Heisler, and Climax, which were the main players in the logging business back in the 19th and 20th centuries.
The Shay steam locomotive is particularly famous for being the invention of one man who single-handedly revolutionized the timber industry in the 1880s. Ephraim Shay designed the new locomotive using a flatcar, to which he added a boiler, vertical cylinders, and two-axle trucks. His prototypes continued to evolve, eventually becoming the Shay steam locomotive that could carry logs on almost any type of track, and that would be heavily used until the 20th century.
The Redwood Forest Steam Train is back on track after winter storms caused it to halt its magical rides temporarily. A mobile piece of history and an engineering marvel, it should be on the bucket list of any train enthusiast.
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