• A group opportunity. Invite your friends.
  • 11 people are interested
 

Build a Railroad - Get Exercise, Be Outside, Have your Lunch in a Roundhouse

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ORGANIZATION: Swanton Pacific Railroad Society

  • A group opportunity. Invite your friends.
  • 11 people are interested

The Swanton Pacific Railroad Society steam railroad is looking for volunteers who have an interest in any aspect of railroading. Our steam locomotives are over 100 years old - they ran in San Francisco at the 1915 world's fair called the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. While the railroad is only 1/3 scale (the tracks are 19 inches apart), everything else about it is the same as the big railroads. We do locomotive maintenance, passenger car restoration, track work, gardening and care of our Christmas Tree farm. In addition, we learn railroad operations for safety, conductor, locomotive engineer etc...

You will enjoy being in the great outdoors and getting exercise. We work from 9am until Noon and then we head to the roundhouse for lunch (bring your own), where you'll have the camaraderie of experienced railroad enthusiasts and the company of century-old steam locomotives and a pot-belly stove. At 1pm, we head back to work. You're also welcome to visit on volunteer days or by appointment and go for a tour. If you plan to work, wear pants, sunscreen, hat, gloves, heavy shoes, and gloves.

The railroad is located in Davenport, near Santa Cruz, at Swanton Pacific Ranch. The ranch was donated by the late Al Smith, president of Orchard Supply Hardware, in 1993 to Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. The University has a number of operations at the ranch including agriculture, beef, logging, and environmental studies.

Click on the calendar here for dates: http://sprr.calpoly.edu/calendar-and-events

Typically second and fourth full weekend April through September and second weekend other months. One full week typcially in late July/early August. Weekday volunteer opportunities by prior arrangement.

Please respond to confirm you're coming.

Youth age 18 and under must be accompanied by parent until the youth's level of responsibility has been affirmed by the railroad.

Learn more about Swanton Pacific Railroad on the web . . .
Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Swanton-Pacific-Railroad/133931676657214?ref=hl
Website:
http://www.sprr.calpoly.edu/
OPEN HOUSE - JULY 30 - FREE BY RESERVATION
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/steam-railroad-open-house-at-swanton-pacific-railroad-tickets-26268821753

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About Swanton Pacific Railroad Society

Location:

299 Swanton Road, Davenport, CA 95017, US

Mission Statement

The "Cal Poly" Swanton Pacific Historical Railroad Society is dedicated to those who: Are nuts about trains Have a love for history Like to be working on a fun project outdoors Want live steam maintenance or operating experience Have/Want machine shop, welding, or foundry experience The railroad is located on the beautiful 3200-acre Swanton Pacific Ranch in Santa Cruz County. The rolling stock consists of three one-third scale Pacific-type steam locomotives built for the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition and a diesel switcher.

Description

The Swanton Pacific Railroad Society operates an historic one-third scale, 19-inch gauge railroad at Swanton Pacific Ranch, 15 miles north of Santa Cruz. The scenic mile-long railroad runs through a valley in the coastal mountains, crosses a creek, passes a Christmas Tree farm, and ends at a large field where the locomotive turns around for the return trip.

The equipment and facilities include:
-four steam locomotives and one original passennger car from the 1915 San Francisco Panama Pacific International Exposition (PPIE) Overfair Railway.
-GE U25B diesel locomotive built in 1963
- round house, turntable, car barn, machine ship, and workshop
- four full-size cabooses, one of which was our founder Al Smith's office at Orchard Supply Hardware

The society operates in partnership with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

We host several events anually.

CAUSE AREAS

Arts & Culture
Community
Sports & Recreation
Arts & Culture, Community, Sports & Recreation

WHEN

We'll work with your schedule.

WHERE

299 Swanton RoadDavenport, CA 95017

(37.062767,-122.22643)
 

SKILLS

  • Welding
  • Renovation
  • Landscaping
  • Construction
  • Civil Engineering
  • Gardening

GOOD FOR

  • Kids
  • Teens
  • People 55+
  • Group

REQUIREMENTS

  • 9 am to Noon and/or 1 pm to 4 pm
  • wear clothes that can get permanently stained, bring a lunch

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