Byways Great American Railroads 2022

Reflection in the water of the Niles Canyon Railroad

Photos courtesy Niles Canyon Railroad

Skookum Steam engine at the Sunol station

Photos courtesy Niles Canyon Railroad

The Niles Canyon Transcontinental Railroad Historic District is made up of the 11 mile-long section of the First Transcontinental Railroad that passes through Niles Canyon between the towns of Sunol and Fremont, north of San Jose, California.

The rail line through Niles Canyon to San Francisco was the final segment of the First Transcontinental Railroad and was completed in 1870, providing the first rail connection between the San Francisco Bay area and the rest of the United States.

In 1987, the Pacific Locomotive Association entered into an agreement with Alameda County and in 1988, began operating passenger cars along the Niles Canyon Railway. Today, the Pacific Locomotive Association operates the historic Niles Canyon Railway as a living history museum and runs both diesel and steam locomotives through the canyon on Sundays from February through October.

The Niles Canyon Railway operates along a portion of the First Transcontinental Railroad constructed in the 1860s. The rail line through Niles Canyon was amongst the earliest to be built in California.

When built, the rail line through Niles Canyon was the primary route for overland traffic to and from the San Francisco Bay. A shorter rail line between

Tickets Please!

Oakland and Sacramento was established via the California Pacific Railroad and a train ferry at Benicia by 1879. As a result, the original line became less used due to its longer route and its steep grade over the Altamont Pass. Passenger and freight trains on the line were reduced to local service only.

Steam locomotives pulled trains through Niles Canyon for eighty years before diesels took over in the 1950s. In 1984, after twelve decades of railroading in the canyon, the Southern Pacific ceased operating trains on the right-of-way, pulled up the tracks, and deeded the land to Alameda County.

Today, the Niles Canyon Railway provides train rides to the public year-round between Sunol, California and Niles in Fremont, California.

The railway’s regular scheduled excursions run on the first and third Sundays each month in January– March and September–October; first and third

The Dome Car

Saturday and Sunday each month, April–August. Several trips are run, generally alternating between steam locomotives and diesel locomotives, with both open and enclosed passenger cars. See the railway’s website for exact schedules and for special trains.

Western Pacific 918D

Steam Engine #3.

Group charters are also available, from a single caboose to an entire train. During the Christmas period, special “Train of Lights” trips run.

Passengers may board at the western end of the line in Fremont, at the Niles station site adjacent to the Union Pacific Coast Line on which Amtrak operates their Capitol Corridor service.

The Pacific Locomotive Association has, as of 2022, 9 steam and 13 diesel locomotives, and over 40 pieces of rolling stock.

Note. Schedules have been disrupted due to Covid-19. Check on-line updates for latest information.

Diesel Engine 9010

First Class Dome Enjoy swivel seats in the upper level glass dome during part of your ride for an unparalleled canyon view and a cozy lounge with attendant, and during the rest of your ride, enjoy the lower part of the dome car in the lounge, bar, or dining area.

First Class Parlor First Class Parlor tickets include a reserved seat in the Southern Pacific 10040 Dining Car. Enjoy the ride from some of the best seats on the train, in a car appointed with the original Cuban Mahogany interior. Private Caboose Reserve an entire caboose just for your group, and climb up into the cupola for a bird’s eye view of the train with a docent aboard to tell you about the railroad. The Santa Fe cabooses provide a special ride for groups of up to 24 people (depending on whether they are adult-sized or child-sized), and tables are available on-board for serving refreshments. There are windows on the main floor, but the best view of the train is from the seats high up in the cupola.

The Entire Train Tickets are available online for all departures, and your ticket includes a round trip on your selected departure. These trains are very popular and often sell out well in advance, so purchase tickets as early as possible.

The Niles Canyon Transcontinental Railroad is one of the best preserved segments of the First Transcontinental Railroad in the western U.S. and is one of the only examples of a mainline railroad in the West to retain most of its features from the 19th and early 20th centuries. For more information and schedules, go to: https://www.ncry.org