-
October 2024 by Daniel Ranger
Grate place to see steam train in action
Staff is very friendly and helpful from conductor to engineer and service personnel. I had a grate time on the Moon let night train just recently. I would
Definitely recommend to friends and family when visiting the Oregon coast and they are even dog friendly.
The dinner train is also a nice scenic adventure that you don’t get very many chances to do nowadays.
One of the most spectacular coastal views on a Steam train adventure.
-
October 2024 by Frances “Fry” Sutton
This little excursion was found in one of those "Oregon Coast by the Mile” publications, I wasn't even looking for stuff to do, but they had an ad and my fiance was game for a trainride, so we used their website to grab some tickets.
Their website was a little hard to use but just go slow and make sure to read as you go, you have to book your return ticket at the same time as your departure. We were in Lincoln City so chose to go from Giabraldi to Rockaway Beach and back. You can schedule your layover for longer but we had a few other things planned, so only did the half hour. It was still long enough to see the huge rocks from Rockaway Beach, admire the really fat ground squirrels next to the creek at the park and go buy some postcards and fudge from a store across the highway.
We made sure to get there half an hour before our scheduled departure. I had read on a website somewhere to be sure to get there early, to ensure you get a seat on the "water side” of the train. Because we went in the morning on a weekday in early September we didn't have any issues getting a seat with a view. This is an in and out using one set of tracks and an hour and a half total commitment.
At either stop there are restrooms, and none on the train, so be sure to use them, if needed, before boarding. We were very fortunate when it came to the weather - that being said, be sure to prepare for rain, wind, etc. It is the coast after all! This website says you can bring blankets.
There were quite a few people in line when we pulled into Rockaway so looks like there could be a chance of loosing a good seat if you decide to get off (there is an option to stay on the train for the half hour layover).
I'd recommend this activity to anyone really - but especially for those who’ve never ridden the rails, its a really cool opportunity! Don't pass this up! You will not regret it!
-
September 2024 by Nishanth K
Great ride on the coast and super friendly staff. I’d recommend people to purchase their departure from Garibaldi and get off at Rockaway beach to spend 30mins in that small town which has decent local shops. Garibaldi has absolutely nothing to visit so it’s waste of time to take a 30min break there. Also, you can purchase the tickets there(will be given by conductor once the train arrives at Garibaldi as there is no token/ticket issuance counter) if you don’t want to book it online.
-
September 2024 by Ryan Fuller
A great place to enjoy your favorite edibles
-
September 2024 by Mack Pines
The best train ride in Oregon!
It’s the only scenic railroad in the Northwest that runs every day during the summer months.
Daily rides are the five mile trip from Garibaldi to Rockaway Beach. Along the way, there’s fantastic views of Tillamook Bay and the Pacific Ocean.
The train travels at a leisurely 10 mph allowing you to take it all in. Especially if you’re seated in the open air cars on a warm sunny day.
At other times of the year, excursions go up to Wheeler or Batterson.
The tracks were originally a Southern Pacific line from Portland to Tillamook. The Port of Tillamook Bay purchased the line in the 1990s and ran freight trains mostly carrying lumber and feed until the great gale of December, 2007 which washed out several miles of the line through the rugged and remote Salmonberry River Canyon and has been officially abandoned.
The section from Garibaldi to Salmonberry is the only area trains run.
Most days, McCloud steam engine #25 will pull the train.
If you love trains like me or if you have kids that love trains, definitely climb aboard!
-
September 2024 by Moronie Fall
This was a great lil adventure. It’s a 30 minute ride with a 30 minute layover in the other town. The only problem is that this town are really small so there isn’t much to do or see in those 30 minutes. The train runs ever 2 hours
-
September 2024 by Dara Lang
A fun & relaxing experience of the coastal area. Lots of sights and the staff were fun & full of history to share. We stayed in the covered car which was nice when it started to rain. The outdoor car was easier to sight see when it dried out for half the trip. Bring a blanket or light coat if it's not fully sunny as our weather changes fast.
-
August 2024 by Alan ISHAM
The round trip from Garibaldi was a pleasant experience. The staff was courteous and pleasant in every regard. The return to Garibaldi was a treat as a staff member took to the microphone to share with us history and attractions along the route. We saw the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad in our Instagram feed many months ago and finally found the free Sunday morning for a relaxing ride along the coast. This is a one and done experience for us.
-
August 2024 by Sue Gary
I always love taking the Oregon Coast Railroad. We usually board in Rockaway and just go down to Garibaldi and back. But if you want to make a day of it, board the early train in Garibaldi, spend a few hours getting lunch, and walking the shops in Rockaway. Then, take the later train back to Garibaldi. Tickets available online, which will speed your boarding and give you earlier options for seating.
-
August 2024 by Ognjen Stajic (Ozzy)
It's a great little train ride, albeit a bit expensive for a short and slow ride.
The staff is wonderful.
-
August 2024 by Sab Liath
A slow, relaxing excursion along the Pacific Coast, the basic round trip to Rockaway Beach and back is roughly 90 minutes. Staff/Voulenteers are friendly and helpful and provide interesting narration during the trip. Type of motive power varies between steam and diesel (I got the diesel). Definitely worth a stop if you're in the area. If you don't feel like making a reservation, the 10 AM train out of Garibaldi, OR, seems to be the least busy.
-
August 2024 by Rachel Keller
Fantastic and worth the price of the ticket! We chose to go down to Garibaldi from Rockaway in the Wilson car and come back in the covered open air car. What a delight! The views were breathtaking this time of year, as well as the smells in the air from the Seay and the berries and evergreens. We would definitely make this ride multiple times in different seasons and just for the sheer pleasure of the ride.
-
July 2024 by Eva
Had a great time taking the train to Rockaway. Spent 2.5 hours there, then came back. Some of the ride was quite scenic, other was very green. (In the trees). We booked the open car because we had our dog with us. Yes, they allow dogs, but only in the open, uncovered car. For our return trip at 5:00 pm, we waited around and finally boarded around 6:00. The train was stopped down the tracks about 4 blocks away because a car parked on the tracks. We could see it, but v it wasn't moving. They had to get a tow truck out to haul it off. Nothing was communicated to the staff that was there, and some of the passengers found out what the delay was. Very poor communication that way.
-
May 2024 by Jason Reis
Thank you for keeping the history alive. My son and I had a excellent visit. We had bough cab rides (recommend). The power for the day was the GN 274. While cosmetically it needs a restoration, it seemed to start nicely and ran quietly (compared to other F-units I have been in) The parlor car staff was very kind and had a great selection of merch. Then we made our way to the cab with Trevor, our engineer. He was very knowledgeable. We had a fantastic ride chatting on our ride up to Rockaway Beach and back.
We will be back. Hopefully to see the new station that will be built soon. And ride #25 (steam) as she comes out from being shopped.
-
May 2024 by Stephanie M
My husband and I took our 9 year old daughter on a round trip. We had such a great time. I would recommend arriving early to get seats on the water side for the best view. Also recommend layers. Even the enclosed cars are drafty and chilly! We sat in the Historic Wilson River car traveling to Rockaway Beach and got to hear all the history and fun stories. I booked the Neahkahnie car for the return trip, just with the intention of experiencing two different cars, and I'm so glad I did. The table made it much easier to enjoy the snacks we picked up in Rockaway Beach! We really had so much fun, we'll definitely do this again next time we visit, and maybe leave longer than a half hour inbetween rides for some beach time!
