Tourist Railways of Northern California: Four Historic Attractions of the Golden State

by Mark Klingel

Overview

In Northern California, there are four tourist railroads that have established themselves as go-to destinations for railroad enthusiasts and tourists alike: Niles Canyon Railway, Napa Valley Wine Train, California State Railroad Museum, and the Western Railway Museum. All four of these tourist attractions opened in the 1980s and have had over four decades to leave their mark on the local and state economies. This book showcases fire breathing steam locomotives, classic diesel locomotives, and silent but impressive electrically powered interurbans contributing to the economy even after their revenue service lives came to an end many years ago. From a narrow canyon that is home to a working remnant of America’s transcontinental railroad to the endless vineyards and wineries of California’s world-famous wine country, the role that these tourist railroads play remains the same: keeping history alive.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781634993937
Publisher:	Fonthill Media
Publication date:	04/25/2022
Series:	America Through Time
Pages:	96
Product dimensions:	6.50(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Mark Klingel is a 26-year-old native of Southeastern Michigan who grew up in the quiet suburbs outside of Detroit, Michigan. His passion for the railroad started at the age of three, watching the Henry Ford Museum’s steam locomotive, the Edison, in action. After becoming an active duty member in the United States Coast Guard, Mark moved to Buffalo, New York, to photograph and document the railroad industry that serves America’s Great Lakes and Northeastern regions.

Table of Contents

Introduction 7

1 The Niles Canyon Railway 9

2 Napa Valley Wine Train 31

3 The Sacramento Southern and the California State Railroad Museum 53

4 The Western Railway Museum 74

Bibliography 96