I actually get a lot of good travel ideas watching Good Day Sacramento. Each morning, the local TV station has a general interest program that travels throughout the Sacramento region highlighting new and interesting things. It is a nice addition to a weekend coffee, and this time they had a story about the California State Railroad Museum finishing the restoration of their steam-powered switcher locomotive and placing it back into service. Live steam in Old Sacramento, I am there!
The museum runs the Sacramento Southern Railroad - which is a real railroad - on an excursion train from the old Central Pacific Freight Depot down the Sacramento River for a couple miles. They have been using diesel locomotives for several years, but the steam is back and is expected to be around for a while. Interestingly, the locomotive uses recycled motor oil from local oil change facilities.
Video is the best way to capture the beauty and allure of steam locomotives, and I was able to capture several good videos of the newly restored No. 10 locomotive with Granite Rock Company livery. The locomotive runs backwards on the return journey since there is no roundhouse at the destination. This allows the train to leave Old Sacramento in a normal orientation. The video shows it chugging along just like thousands of trains since the Gold Rush. I posted several additional videos on my YouTube page. You can check them out here. I am also on Yelp.
Of course after a $12 round-trip fare, you should still be able to spend the rest of your budget walking the streets - or more accurately wooden sidewalks - of Old Sacramento. The historic downtown district still attracts many tourists and local families looking for a fun afternoon. The area still has a quirky vibe and it a unique destination, especially during special events. I enjoy just walking around watching the people and maybe stopping for a sweet treat in on of the dozens of candy and ice cream shops!
Sacramento was built in part by trains, and the region continues to embrace its railroad heritage. We have a light rail system, one of the largest freight rail yards, the second-busiest commuter rail system in the United States, and are building High Speed Rail connections to Southern California and beyond. Old Sacramento and the steam train are a great fit, especially for someone who enjoys them as much as me. Please enjoy the rest of my pictures (and videos!) below.
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