Los Angeles Day Trip: LA Live Steamers Train Rides Griffith Park

No matter your age or whether or not you have children, visiting the Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad and Museum is always enjoyable. Situated in the scenic hills of Griffith Park, this museum has been entertaining visitors since 1956 with its charming steam train rides.

Local train enthusiasts founded LSRM to educate people about railroad history and technology. It is a real-life working example of live steam, gas-mechanical, and electronic railroad technology in California today.

Miniature Train Rides

At Los Angeles Live Steamers, visitors can hop on board 7½” gauge beautifully built and well-maintained model trains. These trains come with pocket-sized passenger cars and take riders on a 15-minute ride over two miles of track. Traveling through a miniature world, you’ll see tiny towns, low-hanging tunnels, and charming bridges.

LSRM offers extensive model train layouts for kids, including 4¾” and 3½” gauge trains that are very low to the ground at around 3 inches. These layouts are very popular among children, but please note that a minimum height requirement is 34″ and a weight limit.

Walt Disney’s Carolwood Barn

In 1950, Walt Disney built a small-scale railroad called the “Carolwood Pacific Railroad” in his backyard. He used to operate this railroad for his friends and family to enjoy. A few years after the barn was built, Walt turned his attention to building his theme park in Anaheim. In 1999, the Walt Disney family donated the barn to the Los Angeles Live Steamers to share it with the public. Today, the barn is open to the public on the third Sunday of every month, from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The barn houses old photographs, train memorabilia, Some of Walt’s personal belongings, and a model train.

LA Live Steamers Railroad Displays

The grounds adjacent to the railroad house various historical (full-size) rail cars on display, including several retired cabooses dating back to 1929, a Union Pacific baggage and dorm car, and a Pullman sleeper car.

But perhaps the most intriguing exhibit is the stationary steam plant, fired up on the third Sunday of the month. Here, visitors get a glimpse of what the machinery behind the Industrial Revolution may have looked like from about the turn of the century until the early 1930s, as a ten-horsepower boiler fired by diesel fuel operated seven individual and unique steam engines.

Live Steamers Events

Once a year, Live Steamers Railroad undergoes a spooky transformation as riders embark on the annual Ghost Train. With over 30 elaborately designed scenes, riders have a creepy and thrilling experience. The scenes are filled with Jack O’ Lanterns, skeletons, giant spiders, colorful lights, and various monsters. One of the most terrifying scenes is a tunnel filled with scary clowns. The Ghost Train will not be missed if you want a spine-chilling adventure.

Inexpensive Family Day Trip

Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum is a non-profit public benefit corporation founded in 1956 by live steam enthusiasts to educate the public about railroad history and lore and promote the hobby of live steam and scale model railroad technology.

Los Angeles Live Steamers is a great place for inexpensive family fun. Both adults and children will enjoy the ride around the park. Nearby is the Travel Town Museum, which has even more trains. Many Los Angeles Live Steamers train enthusiasts are real-life ex-railroaders and are happy to answer questions and provide plenty of fun train facts to add to the experience.

Where are Los Angeles Live Steamers

Los Angeles Live Steamers opens every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and offers train rides in exchange for a three-dollar donation. These train rides usually last around 15 minutes and take you through small towns, tunnels, and even a large bridge as you ride around the park. Both adults and children are guaranteed to have a great time while sitting atop the railroad cars and enjoying the beautiful scenery of Griffith Park.

Walt Disney Barn is open on the third Sunday of each month from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Parking and admission are free. A $4.00 donation is suggested for each ride, but it is not mandatory. Live Streamers Railroad and Museum is a must-see (must-ride) attraction located at 5202 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles, California. Website.

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Griffith Park Train Rides

Travel Town Train Museum

At Travel Town, visitors can view a fascinating collection of locomotives, cabooses, passenger cars, and motor cars dating back to the 1880s and 1930s. Children can climb aboard and experience what it would be like to be an engineer on one of the massive train engines. Travel Town also features a miniature train ride that visitors can enjoy.

Griffith Park & Southern Railroad 

Another fun place to ride a train in Griffith Pak is the Griffith Park & Southern Railroad. The trip aboard the miniature train is about a mile long and takes 15 minutes to complete. The train ride takes you over a fifty-year-old creaking bridge and into the woods of Griffith Park. Sights you will see include an old western town and an Indian village.

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Griffith Park Observatory

Hollywood Day Trip

Sunset Ranch Griffith Park

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