Ever wonder what it takes to build, maintain, and operate a miniature railroad? Our Behind-the-Scenes Tour gives your group an up-close look at the trains, tracks, equipment, and people that keep Goathill Junction Railroad running.
Perfect for Scouts, school groups, homeschool groups, hobby organizations, families, and railroad enthusiasts of all ages, tours typically last 1½ to 2 hours and combine railroad history, hands-on learning, engineering — and, of course, a train ride!
Your tour begins inside our working railroad compound, where you’ll learn about the history of Orange County Model Engineers and the development of our railroad. Along the way, we’ll talk about railroad history, how real railroads inspire what we build, and how our volunteers construct and maintain the track, locomotives, and equipment used throughout the railroad.
You’ll get a peek inside the areas where our members store an incredible variety of equipment, including steam and electric locomotives, passenger cars, freight cars, and other specialized railroad equipment. We’ll talk about how these miniature trains are built, what they cost, the time and craftsmanship that go into them, and what it takes to keep them operating safely.
We’ll also show you some of the specialized equipment we use to move locomotives and cars around the compound and get them from storage onto the railroad. It’s a side of Goathill Junction that most visitors never get to see!
Then It’s Time to Ride!
For the second half of the experience, everyone climbs aboard one of our trains for one or two trips around our railroad. It’s a chance to see the layout from a completely different perspective and experience firsthand the railroad you’ve just spent time learning about.
Our Behind-the-Scenes Tours are designed to be educational, interactive, and fun. Whether your group is interested in trains, history, engineering, mechanics, transportation, or simply looking for a memorable group outing, there’s something here for everyone.
Scheduling Your Tour
Behind-the-Scenes Tours are typically offered on weekends when our volunteer members and railroad operations can best accommodate visiting groups. We understand that this may not work for every organization, particularly schools and other educational groups, so special requests for weekday tours can sometimes be accommodated. Please contact us with your group’s needs and we’ll see what we can arrange.
Help Keep the Railroad Running
There is no set admission charge for our Behind-the-Scenes Tours, but donations are greatly appreciated. Orange County Model Engineers is a volunteer organization, and 100% of tour donations go directly to the club to help maintain and operate Goathill Junction Railroad. With your donations, the railroad would simply disappear.
Your group’s donation helps us maintain our locomotives and passenger cars, care for our track and facilities, and continue sharing the railroad with the community. Every donation, large or small, helps keep the trains rolling!
Important Safety Information
All train passengers must be at least 31 inches tall. Guests must be able to safely walk through our working railroad compound, which includes uneven and rocky surfaces, and closed-toe shoes are required. Groups with younger participants must provide enough adults to actively supervise children throughout the tour and while aboard the trains.
Bring your group beyond the station and discover what it really takes to run a railroad!
