Redwood Valley Railway

Redwood Valley Railway
No. 7 engine and passengers.
Overview
Website	Official website
Technical
Track gauge	15 in (381 mm)

The Redwood Valley Railway is a 15 in (381 mm) gauge miniature railway in Tilden Regional Park near Berkeley, California.

It was established in 1952 by Erich Thomsen as the Tilden South Gate and Pacific Railway, on a 12 in (305 mm) gauge, and has since expanded to 1.25 miles (2.01 km) of track and over 160,000 passengers a year. Thomsen worked in the engineering department for the Western Pacific Railroad and received at least three patents for his work. The railway occupies land near the base of Vollmer Peak that was previously used as an anti-aircraft gun emplacement.

800 now-mature redwood trees were planted when the railroad was initially laid out. Thomsen expanded the track gauge to 15 in (381 mm) in 1968 to accommodate rising passenger counts, as the wider gauge would allow two adults seated side by side. After Thomsen died in 1995, his daughter Ellen assumed operations of the Redwood Valley Railway.

Rides last approximately 12 minutes. As of September 2011, tickets for adults and children are $3 (children under 2 years old ride free). A five-ride ticket costs $12.

The Redwood Valley Railway operates Saturday and Sunday from 11 am to 6 pm year-round (5pm in winter - weather permitting).

During the summer (from mid June to Labor Day) the railway operates 7 days a week from 11 am to 5 pm weekdays and 11 am to 6 pm weekends.

The first full weekend in June is the Anniversary Meet, which is open to the public from 11 to 6. Most of the RVRY's locomotives are under steam, and often visiting locomotives and rolling stock appear for the occasion.

The railroad uses 5-inch scale model live steam locomotives, meaning dimensions are scaled from actual designs, with 5 inches (130 mm) on the model corresponding to 12 inches (300 mm) on the plans. The locomotives are modeled from plans for Baldwin steam locomotives built between 1875 and 1910.

The Redwood Valley Railway maintains a dozen or so wooden gondolas, built similar to those found on 36" narrow-gauge lines in the American West. The gondolas, equipped with seating for up to eight adults, are the mainstay passenger rolling stock for this operation. The RVRY also owns three stock cars which have been specifically built to carry passengers as well. These are often favorites with small children, although a full-sized adult can comfortably fit inside.