Pacific Coast Railroad

Two engines, countless opportunities in California at Santa Margarita Ranch.

Part of our 2025 California Steam Charter

Hosted in collaboration between Dak Dillon Photography and SLORailfanning

Winding through the historic Santa Margarita Ranch, the privately-owned Pacific Coast Railroad may not be widely known—yet it offers an incredible array of photo opportunities for train enthusiasts.

Founded in 2000 by Rob Rossi and lovingly built as part of a heritage revitalization project, this 3 foot narrow gauge scenic railroad features vintage steam locomotives, a picturesque loop of rolling hills and meadows, and a one-of-a-kind fleet of passenger coaches originally from Disneyland plus Rio Grande era freight.

If you’re looking to capture the spirit of California’s Central Coast—complete with billowing steam, historic charm, and wide-open vistas—then the Pacific Coast Railroad promises an unforgettable photography experience.

For our event, our trains will alternate between passenger and freight consists.

  • The passenger cars include three of the original Santa Fe & Disneyland Railroad Retlaw 1 passenger cars that are original to the theme park’s opening.
  • The freight includes boxcars, gondolas and caboose.

For our event, two steam engines will be active including:

No. 2 “Roger Linn”
Built by the Vulcan Iron Works in 1922, “Roger Linn” is at 2-4-0 that began its life as a humble tank engine in a Lehigh, Illinois quarry. Despite its unassuming origins, this locomotive eventually found stardom decades later when it was featured in the hit television series Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. Today, “Roger Linn” is celebrated as one of the Pacific Coast Railroad’s most iconic steam locomotives.

No. 3 “Melodia”
Originally constructed by H.K. Porter in 1897 as an 0-6-2T for the Barker & LePine Sugar Cane Company in Louisiana, “Melodia” spent over half a century hauling cane before being retired in 1953. In the mid-1960s, Crown Metal Products rebuilt her into a 2-6-2 for amusement park service, refitting her with a new boiler and modified running gear. Known in various chapters of her life simply as “Melodia B.,” this locomotive has journeyed through multiple owners—from sugar plantations to theme parks—before arriving at the Pacific Coast Railroad.

The property includes numerous photo opportunities including a small bridge, Wig-Wag and, of course, unique vistas of California.

Photos courtesy of SLORailfanning

Event Details

Further details will be provided after registration.

Questions in the meantime? Please email Dak at: dak@steamcharters.com

Event Expectations

Difficulty Level: Easy

The event will include a good deal of walking over the course of a long day.

No meals are included with the ticket price, but there will be breaks for meals.

Recommended Gear: 

  • DSLR, Mirrorless Camera or Video Camera
  • Wide range of lenses to capture wide, mid and telephoto opportunities
  • CPL or ND filters
  • Protection for gear in case of changing weather

Photo charters offer a distinctive experience compared to traditional photo workshops. While workshops are typically hands-on and intimate, photo charters provide a unique group adventure.

Participants ride a train to carefully selected locations, disembark, and then photograph the train as it performs staged runbys against stunning natural backdrops.

The train is expertly positioned to take advantage of the best lighting conditions, often including golden hour lighting.

Each location offers multiple opportunities to photograph the train from different angles as it backs up and proceeds forward, simulating genuine railroad operations. This immersive experience allows photographers to create a diverse portfolio of images that showcase the romance and nostalgia of steam railroading, all while enjoying the camaraderie of fellow enthusiasts.

During the event, the property is also closed to the public to limit potential obstacles.

Pacific Coast Railroad is located in Santa Margarita, near Santa Maria and San Luis Obispo.

The nearest airport with regular service is Bakersfield. Los Angeles is about 3:30 hours drive, with Fresno about 2:40 away.

For the California events, a hotel around San Luis Obispo would make sense as it’s located between the two railroads.

If you prefer to pay via check, please mail a check or money order made payable to Dakota Group LLC to:

Dakota Group LLC
PO Box 35
Wildwood, Missouri 63040

Checks are not subject to the credit card processing fee. Checks will be cashed upon receipt by Dakota Group LLC.

Please include your name, email and phone number with your check and we will email confirmation upon receipt.

  • This charter has a go/no go date of March 17, 2025.
  • In the event the charter is canceled, a full refund (minus any credit card processing fees) will be refunded within 30 days of cancelation.
  • All reservations are non-refundable after the go/no go date for the charter.
  • If an engine is not operational for the event date, the event may continue with different motive power at the discretion of Dakota Group and the host railroad.
  • We reserve the right to modify the event schedule, event dates or event offering at any time.
  • Riders may be required by the host railroad and/or Dakota Group LLC to sign a liability waiver to participate in the event.
  • We are not responsible for bad weather, delays or cancelations. We are not responsible for lost or stolen items, injuries, sickness or damages to personal equipment and loss of personal travel expenses.
  • Due to the duration of this event, we do not recommend this experience for young children.
  • Participants must be prepared to disembark and reboard train multiple times throughout the day. Participants should be prepared for rough terrain or uneven footing. Please wear sturdy shoes; hiking boots are recommended.

Photos shown above represent the railroad and may not be the exact photography location or motive power included in the charter. 

Railroad photo charters allow unique access and photographic opportunities that recreate a bygone era on railroads across the country.

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