Central Coast Railroad Festival Press Release

[Thecitrusbelt]

Here is the latest press release from the Central Coast Railroad Festival, which will take place in the greater San Luis Obispo County (CA) area on October 6-10.

Bob Chaparro
Hemet, CA
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August 13, 2011

Contact:
Curtis Reinhardt, Director
Central Coast Railroad Festival
805-773-4173
director@ccrrf.com

For updated Festival information see: http://www.ccrrf.com

The Third Annual Central Coast Railroad Festival, set for October 6-10th in the heart of the California Central Coast, will focus on rail excursions, modeling of all types and historical programs. Activities will take place at numerous railroad, historical and educational locations throughout San Luis Obispo and northern Santa Barbara Counties. The Central Coast Railroad Festival is designed to please casual train buffs and avid rail fans as well as delight tourists and locals of all ages. Attendees will be able to celebrate rail's history and future while experiencing all types of modeling, rail excursions, concerts, films, exhibits, ceremonies, rail organization meetings, historical presentations and special programs. Most Festival events will be free and all will be fun and very family friendly. Special hotel packages will be available for visitors who wish to spend several days on the Central Coast attending the Railroad Festival and exploring the area’s beaches, wineries and other special attractions.

New this year will be a focus on the historical Pacific Coast Railway on Friday, October 7th. The Pacific Coast Railway programs will take place in Avila Beach, on the historical Harford Pier and in the pier’s Olde Port Inn. Also new this year will be featured Festival Hotels. The Quality Suites in San Luis Obispo will be the Festival Headquarters Hotel and will offer room specials as well as Festival displays and programs. The Sea Venture Resort in Pismo Beach will be the Festival Beach Hotel and will also offer room specials and a railroad themed musical concert and reception. A Festival Wine Country Hotel in the Paso Robles area will be announced soon.

Popular activities from the first two Festivals will also be included. Festival activities will kick off at the popular San Luis Obispo Farmers’ Market on Thursday night. The century old Freight House in San Luis Obispo’s Historic Railroad District will be the center of activities on Saturday, October 8th. On Sunday, October 9th, model railroad layout tours will featured throughout SLO County including a special SLO Railroad Museum fundraiser at Bittercreek Western Railroad just south of Arroyo Grande which will showcase live miniature steamers. Layout tours are being arranged by the Model Railroads of Southern California organization.

The Cities of San Luis Obispo and Pismo Beach are promotional sponsors for the 2011 Festival. KCOY 12 and FOX 11 are the Festival’s exclusive television media partners. Additional sponsors, promotional partners and event volunteers are now being sought.
Further information on the Central Coast Railroad Festival, including the developing schedule of events, a list of participating organizations and an email notification sign up, can be found at http://www.ccrrf.com or by calling the Festival office at 805-773-4173.

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By the way, as last year, there will be a free self-guided tour of area model railroads and garden railroads.

[SLOCONDR]

What the press release neglects to mention is the Bitter Creek Western RR portion of this statement is that it is a fundraiser for the San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum, and that tickets are necessary for admittance. Tickets may be purchased at http://www.slorrm.com and be advised that tickets are limited.

V

SLOCONDR

[Thecitrusbelt]

We need a little more info. The SLORM website does not mention what you said and does not have an obvious place for purchasing tickets. What is the sublink?

(08-24-2011 03:32 PM)SLOCONDR Wrote:  What the press release neglects to mention is the Bitter Creek Western RR portion of this statement is that it is a fundraiser for the San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum, and that tickets are necessary for admittance. Tickets may be purchased at http://www.slorrm.com and be advised that tickets are limited.

V

SLOCONDR

[SLOCONDR]

(08-26-2011 07:55 AM)Thecitrusbelt Wrote:  We need a little more info. The SLORM website does not mention what you said and does not have an obvious place for purchasing tickets. What is the sublink?

(08-24-2011 03:32 PM)SLOCONDR Wrote:  What the press release neglects to mention is the Bitter Creek Western RR portion of this statement is that it is a fundraiser for the San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum, and that tickets are necessary for admittance. Tickets may be purchased at http://www.slorrm.com and be advised that tickets are limited for the museum folks.

V

SLOCONDR

The ticket sales are still being worked out, and is not listed on the website, http://www.slorrm.com, yet. For further info, I would advise you to contact Curtis Rienhardt and talk to him. But, he is going to tell you the same thing about the ticket sales. We hold this fund raiser every year at Bitter Creek Western RR.

Virlon

SLOCONDR

[Thecitrusbelt]

Here is the final press release and detailed schedule for the Central Cost Railroad Festival.

Bob Chaparro
Moderator
Model Railroads Of Southern California
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Model_Rail...alifornia/

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The Central Coast Railroad Festival has announced its final programs for the 2011 Festival set for October 6th to 10th. Lectures, a family train party and ride and additional musicians have been added to the full schedule of concerts, family events, excursions and model layouts. The Festival’s 2011 Major Sponsors are Amtrak California, Rabobank and the San Luis Obispo Model Railroad Association. The Cities of San Luis Obispo and Pismo Beach are major promotional sponsors for the 2011 Festival. KCOY 12 and FOX 11 are the Festival’s television media partners. Univision-Entravision TV is assisting with the Saturday Family Train Party and Ride.

A Train Party and Family Excursion on the Pacific Surfliner will take place on Saturday from Grover Beach to the SLO Rail Celebration and back. The Train Party starts at 11:00am at the Grover Beach Amtrak Platform (corner of Grand Ave. and Hwy 1). Entertainment will be provided by a live DJ and Ballooney the Clown. Also Amtrak gifts and snacks will be provided. The Surfliner departs Grover Beach at 12:26 pm and fans will be able to spend an hour at the SLO Amtrak Station and CCRRF Rail Celebration at the Freight House prior to boarding the 2:00 pm southbound Surfliner to return to Grover Beach.

Attendees must purchase train tickets directly from Amtrak in advance or at the Grover Beach platform that morning. CCRRF representatives will be on hand that morning to facilitate Amtrak Kiosk purchases. Amtrak offers various discounts including half price fares for kids up to 15 years old (half price round trip kid tickets are $8.50 and round trip adult tickets are $17 less discounts). This event is co-sponsored by Univision.

There will be numerous other family programs during the Festival. The SLO City-County Library will sponsor several events on Saturday: a model boxcar kit building class for youngsters at 11:00am; a 2:00pm kiddie and family train party with musician Andrew Beacock, running model trains and gifts from Amtrak; and a free 6:00pm viewing of the railroad film “Narrow Margin.” On Sunday the Friends of the Price House in Pismo Beach present their 14th Annual Ice Cream Social with kiddie train rides, railroad history presentations and more.

A full schedule of lectures and video presentations will be presented at the Festival Headquarters, the SLO Quality Suites. These programs will take place every morning from Friday through Monday as well as on Friday afternoon. Topics will include the Pacific Coast Railway, historic Southern Pacific and Western Pacific depots and stations, railroading on the California Central Coast, the Santa Maria Valley Railroad, railroad operations & the Southern California citrus industry, Oakland's 3rd Street Depot and the Southern Pacific’s Lompoc and White Hills Branches. Local musician, actor and TV host Dave Baumgarten will present his "Wanderers and Railroad Bums" program on Sunday morning which features railroad songs and storytelling. As an added treat attendees will be able to view Dennis Pearson's operating On30 Pacific Coast Railway layout and a diorama of Harford Pier which was created by SLO modelers Andrew Merriam and John Marchetti. Programs originally scheduled at Harford Pier on Friday have been moved to the Quality Suites.

Don Lampson, the Central Coast Railroad Festival's favorite balladeer, will perform with special guests at two of his four concerts during the Festival. He will take his crowds on a musical journey, filled with hoboes, rounders, and songs from the American railroad experience. Don’s solo performances during the Festival will be on Friday at 6:00pm at Paso Robles’ La Quinta Inn & Suites and on Saturday at 6:00pm at the SLO Quality Suites. These free hotel shows will be followed by informal circles of attendees swapping railroad and hobo stories. Don will play with special guests Peter Morin and Charlie Kleemann at his two Saturday afternoon SLO Freight House sets at noon and 2:00pm. Don’s Pismo Beach show at 4:00pm on Sunday at the Sea Venture Resort in Pismo Beach will feature Bob Liepman, Julie Beaver and Charlie Kleemann.

Model Railroads of Southern California has again scheduled a great CCRRF layout tour which features operating layouts in Lompoc, Santa Maria, Oceano, Avila Beach, San Luis Obispo, Atascadero, Morro Bay, Arroyo Grande and Paso Robles. Individual layouts, garden railroads and large club layouts will be included. Complete details can be found on the CCRRF website.

[Note: Also see: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Model_Rail...ssage/4645 ]

At the Third Annual Festival attendees will be able to celebrate rail's history and future while experiencing many special programs. Most Festival events will be free and all will be fun and very family friendly. Special hotel packages will be available for visitors who wish to spend several days on the Central Coast attending the Railroad Festival and exploring the area’s beaches, wineries and other special attractions. Further information on the Central Coast Railroad Festival, including the complete schedule of events, a list of participating organizations and an email notification sign up, can be found at http://www.ccrrf.com or by calling the Festival office at 805-773-4173.


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2011 FESTIVAL SCHEDULE of EVENTS

Festival Headquarters Open Daily at SLO’s Quality Suites

Thursday, October 6th

San Luis Obispo
* 6-9pm: Farmers' Market – CCRRF’s Big Booth with info and model trains
* 5-9pm: Dennis Pearson's operating On30 Pacific Coast Railway layout and a diorama of Harford Pier at Quality Suites

Santa Maria
* 4pm - dusk: The Santa Maria Valley Railway Historical Museum unveils its new three-car railroad display at its temporary location: Engel & Gray Trucking, 745 W Betteravia Rd.

Friday, October 7th

Paso Robles
* 6pm: Don Lampson, the Central Coast Railroad Festival's favorite balladeer, sings railroad and hobo songs at La Quinta Inn
Followed by an informal Railroad and Hobo story swapping session

San Luis Obispo – Programs at Quality Suites
* 9am: Author Stephen Hayes: Journey to the Book, Program on Self Publishing
Covering Steve’s books “Southern Pacific Depots of California” and “Western Pacific Depots and Stations”
* 10:30am: Dennis Pearson – The Pacific Coast Railway: History & Focus on his PCRy layout
* 2pm: Jamie Foster – Railroading on the California Central Coast
* 3:30pm: Rob Himoto/Jamie Foster – Santa Maria Valley Railroad: 100 Years and We've Only Just Begun
* 9am-6pm. Dennis Pearson's operating On30 Pacific Coast Railway layout and a diorama of Harford Pier

Santa Maria
* 6-8pm: Santa Maria Valley Railway Historical Museum open house. Santa Maria Town Center Mall, 2nd floor

Saturday, October 8th

San Luis Obispo

Programs at Quality Suites:
* 9am: Robert Chaparro - Railroad Operations & The Southern California Citrus Industry
* 10:30am: Author Loren Nicholson - “Rails Across the Ranchos”

Events at SLO City-County Library Community Room:
*11am: Model Box Car Kit Assembly Workshop (Call 781-5989 for details and reservations)
* 2pm: Kiddie Train Party! Musician Andrew Beacock, running model train, and gifts from Amtrak and the Library!
* 6pm: Classic full length railroad movie: “Narrow Margin” starring Gene Hackman and Anne Archer

Activities at the SLO Freight House in the Historic Railroad District:
* 10am-4pm: Rail Celebration with speeder rides, area tours and special displays.
* 11am: Launch Event for Historic Railroad District Walking Tour Podcast.
* Noon & 2pm: Don Lampson, Peter Morin and Charlie Kleemann perform

* 6pm: Don Lampson performs at Quality Suites - Followed by an informal Railroad and Hobo story swapping session

Grover Beach
* 11am-2:30pm: Train Party and Family Excursion on the Pacific Surfliner from Grover Beach to SLO Rail Celebration and back.

Oceano
* 9am-4pm: NMRA Daylight Division Fall Open Meet at the Oceano Depot
* 11am-3pm: Oceano Depot open house

Santa Maria
* Noon-4pm: Santa Maria Valley Railway Historical Museum. Santa Maria Town Center Mall

Sunday, October 9th

Oceano
* 10am-4pm: SLO Model Railroad Association running models at Oceano Depot

Paso Robles
* 12:30pm: Wine-Train Excursion on Amtrak's Coast Starlight. SOLD OUT

San Luis Obispo – Programs at Quality Suites:
* 9am: Stephen Hayes - Oakland's 3rd Street Depot
* 10am: Bruce Morden – Southern Pacific’s Lompoc and White Hills Branches – The Story of Diatomaceous Earth
* 11am: Dave Baumgarten - "Wanderers and Railroad Bums" RR Songs and Storytelling

Arroyo Grande
* 10am to 4pm: Train Fest at Bitter Creek Western Railroad

Pismo Beach
* Noon-3pm: 14th Annual Price House Historical Park Ice Cream Social - Family Fun, Kiddie Train Rides & Railroad History

* 4-6pm: Don Lampson performs with Bob Liepman, Julie Beaver and Charlie Kleemann. Sea Venture Resort

Santa Maria
* Noon-4pm: Santa Maria Valley Railway Historical Museum. Santa Maria Town Center Mall

Monday, October 10th

San Luis Obispo
* 9am: Curtis Reinhardt – Development and Future of the Central Coast Railroad Festival - program at Quality Suites
* 3:15pm: Wine-Train Excursion on Amtrak's Coast Starlight. SOLD OUT

[WJamieF]

If you're interested in photos from the CCRRF weekend, here's the photo index page:

http://CCRRF.com/photo-index.html

Jamie