Central Coast Railroad Festival to Feature Family Outings and Historical Presentations First Annual Festival to kick off on October 8th and Continue Throughout the Weekend | October 8-12, 2009

September 29, 2009 Family outings, children?s activities and historical presentations have been finalized for the Central Coast Railroad Festival. Most Festival events are free and all are fun and very family friendly. All activities will offer various historical or educational elements for children and/or adults. The Festival is set for October 8-12, 2009, in the heart of the California Central Coast. Activities will take place at numerous railroad, historical and educational locations throughout San Luis Obispo and northern Santa Barbara Counties. The Central Coast Railroad Festival was designed to please both the casual train buff and the avid rail fan. Attendees will be able to celebrate rail's history and future while participating in all types of modeling, various train rides, exhibits, ceremonies, dedications, historical presentations and special programs. Amtrak?s Pacific Surfliner and Coast Starlight run daily along the beautiful Central Coast beaches and through its spacious hillsides and attendees are encouraged to take advantage of this service.


Historic Harford Wharf in Port San Luis (credit San Luis Obispo County Historical Society)

Family events are numerous throughout the Festival and will available throughout San Luis Obispo County. The Festival Information and Family Activity Center sponsored by Amtrak California will be located in the San Luis Obispo Library Community Room in downtown San Luis Obispo. The Family Activity Center?s ongoing displays will include running models, movies, photos, scrapbooks and special giveaways for kids of all ages! Models, photos and historical artifacts will be on display inside the Library as well.


Children viewing a San Luis Obispo Model Railroad Association N-Scale layout.

Special family events at the SLO Library: (October 8th ? 12th)

• Friday, 7pm - concert featuring railroad songs by Steve Key
• Saturday 11am - a hands on model railroad car construction class (donation requested- sign up at Library)
• Saturday, 2:00pm - Train Party! featuring demonstrations, fun facts, crafts and refreshments for the kiddies
• Monday, 3:00pm - ?Alvin All-Star Railroad? slide show and educational experience

Other family outings during the Festival: (October 8th ? 12th)

• Thursday, 6pm-9pm ? the Festival?s Big Booth at the San Luis Obispo Farmer?s Market with running models. (at Higuera and Broad)
• Saturday, 10am-4pm - Rail Celebration and Open House at the Freight House in SLO?s Historic Railroad District with rolling rail equipment and music
• Saturday, 10am-4pm - San Luis Obispo County Historical Society Railroad-Themed Open House ? (includes hands on rail artifacts for kids)
• Sunday, 11am-4pm ? SLO Model Railroad Association giant model train run at the Ocean Depot
• Sunday, 10am-4pm ? Live miniature steamer rides at Bitter Creek Western Railroad in Arroyo Grande (advance tickets necessary- no walk ups! ? contact SLO Railroad Museum)
• Sunday, noon ? 3:00pm ? Family ride on the Pacific Surfliner from Grover Beach Amtrak Station to SLO and back ? includes a program at the SLO Amtrak Station and Amtrak giveaways for the kids (contact the Exploration Station or City Parks Dept. in Grover Beach for $7 advance tickets)
• Sunday, 1:30pm ? ?The First Great Train Robbery movie (1979) & silent short ?The Great Train Robbery? (1903) Palm Theatre in SLO ? ($5)

Amtrak?s Coast Starlight along the Central Coast (credit Amtrak)

Historical programs will be abundant during the Festival also. They will occur at the Festival Information and Family Activity Center in the SLO Library Community Room and at historical rail locations throughout San Luis Obispo County. Many of the talks and history walks will feature the history of the Pacific Coast Railway. Other presentations will feature the Southern Pacific Railroad?s local history, the Santa Maria Valley Railroad and the 1994 Centennial Rail Celebration in San Luis Obispo.

Historical presentations during the Festival: (October 8th ? 12th)

• Thursday, 6pm - Central Coast Railroad History, "Modeling the Pacific Coast Railway" - Speaker: Dennis Pearson ? SLO Library
• Thursday, 7pm - Today's Santa Maria Valley Railroad: ?Getting the Job Done? - SLO Library
• Friday, 2pm-3:30pm - Friends of the Price House President, Effie McDermott, will present a program on this historical Southern Pacific Railroad promotional book, "The Road of a Thousand Wonders: El Pizmo Inn & SPRR's Grand Promotion" - at the Price House in Pismo Beach
• Friday, 4pm-5:30pm - Historic Harford Pier history walk with Brian Craig Kreowski, President of the San Luis Obispo County Historical Society ? walk ends at Olde Port Inn to view rare photos - meet Craig at the foot of the Pier in Port San Luis (past Avila Beach)
• Saturday, 7pm - noted historian and author Loren Nicholson will discuss the history of rail in California, the history of the Southern Pacific Railroad on the Central Coast and focus on highlights from the 1994 San Luis Obispo Railroad Centennial ? SLO Library Community Room
• Sunday, noon ? 5pm ? Pacific Coast Railway display at 415 East Branch St. in Arroyo Grande. This is the location of the EC Loomis Grain Mill which had a PCR siding 100 years ago. It is the site where the PCR line crossed Branch St. and approached the Arroyo Grande Depot. Historical photos and a walking map of the area will be available. Chuck Fellows and the South County Historical Society are hosting this location.
• Sunday, noon - Sylvester Vineyard and Winery ? special CCRRF tour ? rail themed winery north of Paso Robles
• Sunday, 2:00pm ? Pomar Junction ? special CCRRF tour led by owner Dana Merrill ? rail themed winery south of Paso Robles
• Sunday, 2pm-4pm ? lecture and walking tour of the Arroyo Grande Village along the historic Pacific Coast Railway route and at the current Village Railroad. Lecture starts at the Historic IOOF Hall with presenters Norm Hammond and Gordon Bennett. Attendees take a history walk and end at Doc Burnstein's Ice Cream Lab and to hear owner Greg Steinberger talk about the shop's Village Railroad.

Amtrak California is the Central Coast Railroad Festival?s major sponsor. Joining Amtrak California are four featured sponsors: the WestPac Companies, the Hind Foundation, Rabobank and the City of San Luis Obispo. KCOY 12 and FOX 11 are the Festival?s exclusive television media partners.

Complete information for the Central Coast Railroad Festival, a full schedule of events and a list of participating organizations can be found at www.ccrrf.com or by calling the festival office at 805-773-4173.