2009 Schedule

2009 Schedule

Go to Current Schedule.

The 2009 Central Coast Railroad Festival started on Thursday, October 8th and run through Monday, October 12th. This is Columbus Day Weekend and, therefore, a three day weekend for many participants and attendees.

Index to Photographed Events 2009

| Ongoing | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | Mon | Year-round |

Downloadable PDF Schedule Handout (765kb).

Here's a Central Coast Railroad Festival Venues (Google) Map. Click on the placemarks for name, address, and web site addresses if available.

Ongoing Displays/Information, October 8-12, 2009

Festival Information and Family Activity Center sponsored by Amtrak California
SLO Library Community Room (995 Palm St. @ Osos St.)
Thursday: 4pm to 9pm
Friday & Saturday: 10am to 9pm
Sunday: 10am to 6pm
Monday: 10am to 4pm
  • Festival Information booth
  • Mary Rossi's Scrapbook from the 1994 San Luis Obispo Railroad Centennial Celebration
  • Dennis Pearson's running N-Scale layout modeling various locations along the historic Pacific Coast Railway
  • Michael Micken's color and black & white photographs featuring many that have appeared in railroad related magazines
  • Jamie Foster's photos from area railroading activities.
 

SLO Library Main Floor Reception Area (October 3-31)
  • Dennis Pearson's collection of classic rail lanterns
  • SLO Model Railroad Association display of model trains showing the numerous gauges and sizes
  • Classic Railroad Watches from the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, Chapter 52
 

Oceano Depot, 1650 Front St, Oceano (Fri & Sat 11-3, Sun 11-4): rail memorabilia, rail cars, photos, historic Southern Pacific station house

South County Historical Society - IOOF Hall,128 Bridge St., Arroyo Grande (Fri - Sat 1-5): rail memorabilia and rail photos from Oceano and the surrounding area. Books on the topic of regional rail history will be on sale, including: "Rails Across the Ranchos," "Rails of California's Central Coast" and "The Pacific Coast Railway: Southbound to Los Alamos." Pictures...

Central Coast Trains, 7600 El Camino Real, Ste. 3, Atascadero (Thur & Fri 10-6, Sat 10-5, Sun & Mon by appointment). Three running layouts: N scale 3-track layout, HO layout, and an overhead O Gauge track. Also, there will be special Festival pricing on many store items. Pictures...

The Village Railroad is on display daily at Doc Burnstein's Ice Cream Lab in the Village of Arroyo Grande (114 W. Branch Street) A new Pacific Coast Railway engine has just been added to the Railroad! Pictures...

Daily: Regularly scheduled Amtrak service on the Coast Starlight (San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles) and Pacific Surfliner (San Luis Obispo, Grover Beach, Guadalupe/Santa Maria)

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Thursday, October 8, 2009

San Luis Obispo
  • 4pm-9pm: Festival Information and Family Activity Center
    SLO Library Community Room (995 Palm St. @ Osos St.):

    • 6pm - Central Coast Railroad History, "Modeling the Pacific Coast Railway" Speaker: Dennis Pearson
    • 7pm - Today's Santa Maria Valley Railroad: "Getting the Job Done". The SMVRR connects its valley customers to the world by rail in a cost effective, efficient, and environmentally friendly manner. A slideshow presentation of how and with whom the SMVRR accomplishes that.
    • Ongoing: Viewings of Huell Howser's 1994 Feature on the SLO Railroad Centennial and various railroad videos (before and after presentations)
    • Pictures from the Community Room tonight

  • 6pm-9pm: Farmers' Market on Higuera Street. Central Coast Railroad Festival's Big Booth including information & representatives from several CCRRF Participating Organizations:
 

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Friday, October 9, 2009

San Luis Obispo
  • SLO Library Community Room
Port San Luis
  • 4pm-5:30pm - Historic Harford Pier history walk and presentation by Brian Craig Kreowski, President of the San Luis Obispo County Historical Society. Craig will discuss the history of Harford Pier, the Pacific Coast Railway operations on the Pier and the Pier's creator John Harford. Attendees will walk down the Pier and complete their experience by viewing rare historical photos at the Olde Port Inn. Meet at the foot of the Pier - Free event - no host refreshments and food at Olde Port Inn - The Pier is located west of Avila Beach at the end of Avila Beach Drive. Port San Luis Harbor District. Pictures...

Oceano Pismo Beach
  • 2pm-3:30pm - Ongoing powerpoint presentation, lecture and tours. Friends of the Price House President, Effie McDermott, will present a program on this historical Southern Pacific promotional book, "The Road of a Thousand Wonders: El Pizmo Inn & SPRR's Grand Promotion". Attendees will be treated to Doc Burnstein's ice cream. At the Price Historical Park (Friends of Price House), 100 Rancho Pismo Drive, Pismo Beach, CA, 805-773-4854. Map. Pictures...

 

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Saturday, October 10, 2009

San Luis Obispo
  • 10am-4pm The San Luis Obispo County Historical Society Railroad-Themed Open House, 10am-4pm. Special Railroad exhibits including touchable rail artifacts on tables in their front yard for the kids. Historical artifacts, photo and books will also be on display inside the museum. SLOCHS web site. A detailed three dimensional diorama of the Historical Harford Pier is on display on the main floor of the Museum. It details the wharf, ships, old hotel and trains.

  • Rail Celebration and Open House at the recently restored Railroad Freight House in San Luis Obispo's Historic Railroad District, 10am to 4pm. This will include:
    • Rolling and static displays from the SLO Railroad Museum Organization
    • Tours of the station area and Freight House (to officially open in 2010)
    • Booths and displays from rail advocacy and model groups
    • 11am to 3pm - The MudSkippers will provide Dixieland and jazz music during lunch provided by the Del Monte Cafe, By Scotti Italian Sandwiches & Cafe Roma
    • 12:10 Ceremonial driving of the Golden Spike to commemorate the completion of the SLORRM Display Track in front of the Freight House
    • 1:00 to 1:45 Public viewing of the Overland Trail private railcar (attached to the Pacific Surfliner)
    • 1:00 ­Dedication of "ICONS OF AN ERA", a public art commission completed by Jim Trask in 2006, which depicts several significant dates of influential railway history in San Luis Obispo. Speakers at this dedication will include SLO City Mayor Dave Romero, SLO City Parks & Recreation Director Betsy Kiser and the artist Jim Trask. The San Luis Obispo Art In Public Places program is proud that it is ranked in the top ten US cities having the best Public Art Program. Visual Arts in Public Places. Click here (PDF) for the invitation.
    • Rides in and out of the Amtrak station on the Pacific Surfliner and the Coast Starlight
    • Walk of History Self Guided Tour Brochure (PDF, 551kb), points of interest around the SLO Amtrak station and the freight depot (SLO Historic Railroad District).
    • Complete Rail Celebration schedule is here
    • Pictures...

  • SLO Library Community Room
    • 11am: SLO Library model RR program for kids to include: Hands On Model Railroad Car Construction For kids 8 years and up. Call Kristine at the SLO Library (781-5783) to make reservations or sign up at the Library. Limited to 30 children - call the SLO Library for reservations. Suggested donation for materials: $9 per child payable at the event. Kids keep the HO model railroad car. Pictures...
    • 2pm: Train Party at SLO Library. Program and hands on activity. Pictures...
    • 7pm: Free family presentation by noted historian and author Loren Nicholson. Loren will discuss the history of rail in California as described in his book "Rails Across the Ranchos." He will also talk about the history of the Southern Pacific Railroad on the Central Coast and discuss highlights from the 1994 San Luis Obispo Railroad Centennial. A 1994 Huell Howser California's Gold 30 minute television segment will be shown which features the 1994 SLO Railroad Centennial Celebration and the rail line which traverses the Cuesta Grade. Pictures...
 

Santa Maria
  • Noon-5pm O-Gauge Lionel Christmas Layout in the Santa Maria Town Center Mall (location, first floor south corridor) hosted by the Santa Maria Valley Railway Historical Museum, including railroad-themed items for sale. This display is scheduled to continue on Saturdays and Sundays through Christmas.

 

Oceano
  • 11am-3pm - The Oceano Depot will be open with its regular displays inside and outside the building.

 

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Sunday, October 11, 2009

Amtrak Pacific Surfliner Grover Beach to San Luis Obispo and back
  • 12 noon to 2:30pm - Family Fun run on the Pacific Surfliner. SOLD OUT. Meet at the Grover Beach Amtrak station and ride the Surfliner north to the SLO Amtrak Station. Take a tour of the Amtrak Station and the surrounding Historic Railroad District then return to Grover Beach on the southbound Surfliner. Will include Amtrak giveaways for the kids: cardboard conductor hats, cardboard fold together Pacific Surfliner model trains, Amtrak Children's Activity Books and Amtrak maps. All tickets are $7 for the round trip (kids and adults are the same price.) Tickets available at the Exploration Station, 867 Ramona Ave, Grover Beach (805) 473-1421 (Tues - Fri, 12 to 5). Attendees are also encouraged to visit the Oceano Depot (free) to see its railroad artifacts and all the SLO Model Railroad Assoc. model trains that will be running that day (10-4). SOLD OUT. Pictures...
 

San Luis Obispo
  • 10am-6pm Model trains, movies, and photo displays at the Festival Information and Family Activity Center sponsored by Amtrak (San Luis Obispo Library Community Room)

  • 1:30pm - Showing of "The First Great Train Robbery" (1979), starring Sean Connery and Donald Sutherland, directed by Dino De Laurentis. At the Palm Theatre. Never have so few taken so much from so many! Based on Michael Crichton's novel, this action-packed film tells the tale of an elaborate plan to steal of shipment of gold from a moving train in Victorian England. Sean Connery is perfect in the role of the mastermind with a diabolically clever plot, with Donald Sutherland and Lesley-Ann Downs as his co-conspirators. This is arguably the best film based on the true story of the robbery, and is full of suspense, excellent performances and of course, great steam train scenes! To open the show we will present the historical silent short "The Great Train Robbery" (1903). Matinees (All ages): $5. Sorry, No Advance Ticket Sales Available. Box Office opens 30 minutes before showtime. A portion of the proceeds for this screening will benefit the 2010 San Luis Obispo International Film Festival. For more information about the SLOIFF: www.slofilmfest.org.

 

Arroyo Grande
  • 10am-4pm: Bitter Creek Western Railroad (BCWRR) Open House and Live Steam Run benefiting the San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum (SLORRM). This is a ticketed event. Tickets will be available late Summer through the SLORRM. Event limited to 225 attendees. Tickets will sell out in advance. 805-544-6531. SLORRM web site. SOLD OUT. Pictures...

  • 12pm-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 will be displayed under the tent and a walking map of the area will be available. Chuck Fellows and the South County Historical Society are hosting this location. Pacific Coast Railway: Points of Interest in Arroyo Grande (PDF, 272kb). Pictures...

  • 2pm-4pm Lecture and walking tour of the Arroyo Grande Village to visit various points of interest along the historic Pacific Coast Railway route and at the current Village Railroad. Lecture starts at the Historic IOOF Hall (128 Bridge St.) where Norm Hammond will talk about the railroad elements of the current exhibit at the Hall and Gordon Bennett will speak about rail history in the Arroyo Grande area. Attendees can then take a walk around the Village to view important Pacific Coast Railway locations before ending at Doc Burnstein's for ice cream and to hear owner Greg Steinberger talk about the shop's Village Railroad (G scale). Pictures...

 

Oceano North San Luis Obispo County
  • 11am-5pm Wine tasting and self guided tours of this rail-themed winery: Sylvester Vineyards & Winery. 12:00 noon, special tour for Railroad Festival attendees to talk about the Winery's rolling stock and rail history Winery discount coupons will be available at the Festival Information Center in San Luis Obispo.

  • 11am-6pm The Anglim Winery tasting room is located in the historic Paso Robles train depot at 8th and Pine streets. Take the depot tour, enjoy some wine, and pick up an Historic Walking Tour guide (that starts at this winery/depot location). Pictures...

  • 12pm-5pm - Open House at a private garden railroad (G scale) layout. To see a YouTube video, click here. Member of the Central California Coast Garden Railroad Society. Video (YouTube)...

  • 2pm Pomar Junction Vineyard & Winery: special CCRRF tour with owner Dana Merrill - rail-themed winery southeast of Paso Robles
 

North Santa Barbara County
 

Santa Maria
  • Noon-5pm O-Gauge Lionel Christmas Layout in the Santa Maria Town Center Mall (location, first floor south corridor) hosted by the Santa Maria Valley Railway Historical Museum, including railroad-themed items for sale. This display is scheduled to continue on Saturdays and Sundays through Christmas.

 

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Monday, October 12, 2009

San Luis Obispo
  • 10am-4pm Model trains, movies, and photo displays at the Festival Information and Family Activity Center sponsored by Amtrak (San Luis Obispo Library Community Room)

  • 3:00pm Alvin All-Star Railroad. A slide show talk about an educational experience designed and implemented (2001-2003) to teach social studies, local history, and science content to a third (3rd) grade class under the umbrella of railroading. The activities included completing and operating an HO layout in the classroom. By Jamie Foster at the San Luis Obispo Library Community Room.

 

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Rail-related Organizations in the Area (Year-round)

Click here.

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Central Coast Railroad Festival
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