Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad

The Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad operates through one of the most historically significant industrial landscapes in American history — the Oil Creek Valley of northwestern Pennsylvania, birthplace of the commercial petroleum industry and the site of Edwin Drake’s legendary 1859 oil well that launched the modern age of oil. The railroad follows a 13-mile route through Oil Creek State Park, passing by the sites of Pithole City, Petroleum Centre, and other boomtowns that erupted overnight during the great Pennsylvania oil rush of the 1860s and vanished nearly as quickly. Vintage diesel locomotives haul historic passenger coaches through the lush forest-covered valley, with the interpretive narrator bringing to life the extraordinary story of the men and women who built an industry that transformed the entire world. The Drake Well Museum, located adjacent to the Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad route, offers a world-class interpretive experience on the history of the oil industry and can be combined with a train ride for a comprehensive oil country experience. The railroad operates weekend excursion trains through the summer and fall seasons, with special events including murder mystery trains and fall foliage excursions. The oil valley landscape has changed remarkably little since the boom era, giving the journey an atmosphere of genuine historical immersion.