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Posted August 25, 2021

2021 CCRRF Schedule Posted

A preliminary schedule has been posted, here. It is subject to change, so check in often. All the details for any Festival activities noted below can be found on the CCRRF Schedule page.

It's not too late to be a Participant or Sponsor in 2021. Just contact us through the CCRRF Contacts page.

Goodie Bags at the SLO Library Branches

Beginning in September, Grab-n-Go Goodie Bags will be available for free at the SLO County Library locations. Included is an Amtrak Junior Conductor Activity Book, an Amtrak paper conductor hat, a picture postcard, a coloring contest sheet (see next article) with crayons, and a free child's admission to the Museum.

Win a Pacific Surfliner Train Trip

Another part of the Goodie Bag (see paragraph above) is a Coloring Contest. Return your completed artwork to the Library by the September 25th deadline and you'll be entered in a drawing to win a round trip from San Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara on the Pacific Surfliner for five people. The drawing will be held at the SLO Railroad Museum on October 2, 2021 at 2:15pm. In the meantime, the artwork will be displayed at the Library branches. Most of the trip hugs the Pacific Ocean for some beautiful scenery. A rail-guide for the trip is here. The train tickets are sponsored by To Shiny Rails.

Featured Hotel: Lamplighter Inn

The Lamplighter Inn & Suites of San Luis Obispo is once again offering special rates for Railroad Festival attendees. Details are here. Must call to get the special Festival rates.

SLO Railroad Museum's Festival Schedule

The San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum has also posted its schedule for October 2, 2021: here. This year, the Museum offers a large HO model railroad with much added since the last Festival, railroad vendors and displays, a newly renovated exhibit area, food and beverage at lunch time (via Railroad BBQ Co), and special presentations throughout the day. The Museum will have overflow parking available just 4 blocks away at the Unitarian Church, 2201 Lawton Avenue. It's a 10-minute walk.

Orange County 'N' Gineers Have a Place

The Orange County 'N' Gineers will have N-scale layouts on display for the Railroad Festival, Friday through Sunday, in the Community Room of the downtown SLO Library (right where they've been the last few Festivals).

New: Garden Railroad Display at SLORRM

The Central California Coast Garden Railroad Society will have a garden railroad display at the SLO Railroad Museum on Saturday (10am-4pm), outside, on the platform.

Lots Happening at the Oceano Depot

1650 Front Street, Oceano.

• Oceano Depot activities
  • Saturday and Sunday, 11am-4pm, including tours
  • OceanoDepot.org (on Facebook while website is being revamped)
  • Relocated and restored 1904 Southern Pacific Depot
  • Displays, SP boxcar
  • SMV Caboose #170 with HO model railroad inside
  • Depot Office and Living Quarters
  • For-Sale model railroad items from a large collection
  • Hot dogs, popcorn sold
  • Free, donations gratefully accepted
• SLO Model Railroading Association Layouts
  • Friday through Sunday, 10am-4pm
  • HO and N gauge railroads filling the Depot Freighthouse
  • SLOMRA.org
  • HO and N scale items for sale
  • Free, donations gratefully accepted

South Street Roundhouse Returns

South Street Roundhouse returns to the SLO Railroad Museum to provide great music all day Saturday on the platform (with a few breaks thrown in there, of course).

Presentations at the SLO Railroad Museum

All on Saturday at the Museum, included with Museum admission:
10am: "Open Car Loads" by Bob Chaparro. A look at loads modelers can duplicate with an emphasis on general service flat cars and gondolas in the steam and transition eras.
11am: "Operations of the Santa Maria Valley Railroad during COVID" by Rob Himoto, President, SMVRR
1pm: Video Presentation: The Circus Train. The greatest video on earth... Don't miss this! Kelly Ballagh brings a jam-packed talk about everything you were curious about regarding circus trains.
2:30pm: Swanton Pacific Railroad Review and Update, by Charlie Crabb.

SMV Historical Museum is Open

The Santa Maria Valley Historical Society Museum at 616 S. Broadway, Santa Maria will be open during the Railroad Festival. Drop by to enjoy their Captain Hancock and SMV Railroad history displays. Tuesday-Saturday, 11am-4pm. Free. While you're in Santa Maria, swing by the Transit Center at 708 S. Miller St. to see a static display of three full-scale pieces: Union Sugar #1 locomotive, a 1930s Sacramento Northern boxcar, and SMVRR Caboose #180. The Museum and the Transit Center are a 10-minute walk from each other.

Map View of the Railroad Festival

We're working on a map view of the Central Coast Railroad Festival (CCRRF). Check it out here.

Area Railroading Opportunities

There's a plethora of railroading going on in our area (broadly speaking, in some cases). Check out this Index of Area Railroading. Be sure to check with any of interest to you to verify their COVID-19 status.

Do you have a Central Coast railroad event to add to our next broadcast email? Email it to: addevent@ccrrf.com.

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