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For those seeking something to do that is a little different why not try some scenic train riding through El Dorado County?
The El Dorado Western Railroad offers train rides through the back country of the county every Sunday and the rides are growing in popularity.
“The train rides that we are offering every Sunday are part of the El Dorado Western Railroad which is a program sponsored by the El Dorado County Museum,” said Mary Cory, El Dorado County Museum, director.
“The train rides alternate between El Dorado and Shingle Springs. They are about 30 minute rides and take place on what we call inspection cars.”
The inspection cars are small eight seat cars that the railroads would use to send crews out to inspect the condition of the rail.
“We’re using those to offer rides while work on the track and bigger equipment is ongoing. It is being done by volunteers,” she said.
Cory said El Dorado County has a long railroad history and the county museum has always collected and been interested in preserving the county’s railroad history. This seemed like a very reasonable outcome for the volunteers who have spent a lot of time preserving the railroad and are interested in communicating that back to the public.
“We currently have two of those inspection cars in service and they run on the hour and half hour,” Cory said. “We have pretty much been giving rides continuously for the four hours that we give rides every Sunday.”
For those interested in going, there is a $5 donation for adults and a $3 donation for children and the trains run from noon to 4 p.m.
“They can catch the train in El Dorado at the El Dorado station right next to the El Dorado Community Hall or if it’s a Shingle Springs run, it leaves from 4241 Mother Lode Drive,” she said.
But riders beware and be sure to check schedules as Shingle Springs is the second and fourth Sunday of each month and El Dorado is the first and third. The trips run all year.
“It’s really a pretty view of El Dorado County,” she said. “The tracks go through very rural countryside and so it’s a little bit of a different view that when speeding up Highway 50. You actually are seeing horse country and there’s livestock and farm houses. It’s a really pretty rural view of the county.”
Cory added it’s an opportunity to see a slice of history that you can’t really find anywhere else. It’s a behind the scenes view of what El Dorado County used to look like.
For more information call 530-621-5865.
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