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Redwood Valley Railway
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Redwood Valley Railway
The Redwood Valley Railway is a 15 in (381 mm) gauge miniature railway at Tilden Regional Park near Berkeley, California, United States.
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+1⁄4 miles (2 km) of track and carries over 160,000 passengers yearly. 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. In 1968, the railroad was re-gauged to 15 in (381 mm), or ~1:3.8 scale. The new 15" gauge equipment allowed two adults to ride side by side and is representative of American narrow gauge railroads. Two of Redwood Valley's locomotives have made trips to England, run on several English 15 in gauge railways, including the Ravenglass and Eskdale. After Thomsen died in 1995, his daughter Ellen Thomsen assumed operations of the Redwood Valley Railway, which included the planting of 900 redwood trees on the property by 2019.
The railway's 10-year lease with the East Bay Regional Park District expired in 2019, and Thomsen and the district have not been able to agree on terms for a long-term lease. The railway does not receive any financial contribution from the district, and operations, maintenance, landscaping, and fire hazard abatement are paid for with private funds. She told SFGate in October 2025 that the lease dispute is preventing the railway from getting county permits to make capital improvements to the site, and said that "with no legal protection, we may have to pick up everything and leave". A statement by the district called the Redwood Valley Railway "a cherished and valued resource".
Rides last approximately 12-15 minutes along the 1.25 mile track. As of October 2024, a ticket for adults and children over 2 are $4, or $16 for five rides. Dogs are allowed on the train but are required to be on a leash at all times.
The Redwood Valley Railway (RVRy) operates Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 6pm year-round (11am to sundown in winter - weather permitting).
During the summer (from mid June to Labor Day) the railway operates 7 days a week from 11am to 5pm weekdays and 11am to 6pm weekends.
The first full weekend in June is the Anniversary Meet, which is open to the public from 11am to 6pm. Most of the RVRy's locomotives are under steam, and often visiting locomotives and rolling stock appear for the occasion.
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Redwood Valley Railway
The Redwood Valley Railway is a 15 in (381 mm) gauge miniature railway at Tilden Regional Park near Berkeley, California, United States.
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+1⁄4 miles (2 km) of track and carries over 160,000 passengers yearly. 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. In 1968, the railroad was re-gauged to 15 in (381 mm), or ~1:3.8 scale. The new 15" gauge equipment allowed two adults to ride side by side and is representative of American narrow gauge railroads. Two of Redwood Valley's locomotives have made trips to England, run on several English 15 in gauge railways, including the Ravenglass and Eskdale. After Thomsen died in 1995, his daughter Ellen Thomsen assumed operations of the Redwood Valley Railway, which included the planting of 900 redwood trees on the property by 2019.
The railway's 10-year lease with the East Bay Regional Park District expired in 2019, and Thomsen and the district have not been able to agree on terms for a long-term lease. The railway does not receive any financial contribution from the district, and operations, maintenance, landscaping, and fire hazard abatement are paid for with private funds. She told SFGate in October 2025 that the lease dispute is preventing the railway from getting county permits to make capital improvements to the site, and said that "with no legal protection, we may have to pick up everything and leave". A statement by the district called the Redwood Valley Railway "a cherished and valued resource".
Rides last approximately 12-15 minutes along the 1.25 mile track. As of October 2024, a ticket for adults and children over 2 are $4, or $16 for five rides. Dogs are allowed on the train but are required to be on a leash at all times.
The Redwood Valley Railway (RVRy) operates Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 6pm year-round (11am to sundown in winter - weather permitting).
During the summer (from mid June to Labor Day) the railway operates 7 days a week from 11am to 5pm weekdays and 11am to 6pm weekends.
The first full weekend in June is the Anniversary Meet, which is open to the public from 11am to 6pm. Most of the RVRy's locomotives are under steam, and often visiting locomotives and rolling stock appear for the occasion.
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