Railtown 1897 State Historic Park

Railtown 1897 State Historic Park in the Gold Country foothills town of Jamestown, California, is one of the most authentically preserved and historically significant railroad sites in the western United States. At the heart of the park are the original Sierra Railway shops — a working roundhouse, machine shop, and yard complex established in 1897 that remain in continuous operation to this day, making them the oldest continuously operating railroad shop complex in the Western United States. The roundhouse has served as a film and television location for over a century, hosting productions including the television series Petticoat Junction, High Noon, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Back to the Future Part III, and dozens more. Visitors can tour the historic shops and watch skilled craftspeople restore and maintain vintage steam and diesel locomotives using traditional techniques developed over 125 years. Seasonal excursion trains depart on 6-mile roundtrips through the scenic Gold Country foothills, powered by genuine historic steam or diesel locomotives. The park’s collection includes several remarkable steam locomotives, historic passenger and freight cars, and a wealth of original railroad infrastructure. Railtown 1897 is operated as part of the California State Railroad Museum system and is a California Historical Landmark.