Buena Park, CA
At a Glance
- TypeHeritage railroad & tourist attraction
- LocationBuena Park, CA
- Rating4.7 ★20 Google reviews
About Knotts Berry Farm Calico Railroad
Fun is always in season at Knott’s Berry Farm! With dozens of rides, roller coasters & attractions in five themed areas, there is something for everyone!
Upcoming Events
No ticketed events are currently listed for Knotts Berry Farm Calico Railroad. Many heritage operators publish schedules seasonally or run on regular open hours instead of dated events.
Check the operator’s website for current hours and special runs, or subscribe to event alerts and we’ll email you when something is scheduled.
Plan Your Visit
- AccessibilityAccessible parking
- Good ForAll ages
- HoursMonday: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PMTuesday: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PMWednesday: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PMThursday: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PMFriday: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PMSaturday: 10:00 AM – 11:00 PMSunday: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Find the Depot
The Trains
Steam power consists of two C-19 class 2-8-0 Consolidations built by Baldwin in 1881: D&RGW No. 340 Green River, rebuilt in 2016, and Rio Grande Southern No. 41 Red Cliff, rechristened Walter K at the line's 60th-anniversary ceremony in 2012 — the pair alternate in service. RGS Motor No. 3, a 'Galloping Goose' rail bus cobbled from a Pierce-Arrow limousine and re-engined with a Cummins diesel in 1997, covers the off-season when ridership doesn't justify firing a steam locomotive. Trains include vintage wooden coaches, the combination baggage car Calico (converted at Knott's in 1954 from parlor car Chama), an open-air gondola, a stock car fitted with benches and a wheelchair lift, and RGS caboose 0402, which carries the train-robbing bandits. Displayed or rotating pieces include parlor car Durango, the Silverton observation sleeper (since converted to a chair coach), and business car B-20 Edna, built as a rolling office and home for RGS president Otto Mears.
History
See full history
The Ghost Town & Calico Railroad is a 3-foot narrow-gauge heritage line threaded through Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park. Walter Knott started grading and tracklaying at his berry farm in 1951, having gathered a collection of vintage narrow-gauge rolling stock he wanted a railroad to run on; trains began carrying guests that November and the line formally opened on January 12, 1952. The engines and most of the cars came west from Colorado's Denver & Rio Grande Western and Rio Grande Southern railroads. At first they wore an exaggerated version of the flashy Rio Grande Gold scheme popularized at the 1949 Chicago Railroad Fair, complete with an oddly shaped diamond stack, but the trains have since been returned to their more authentic 1940s appearance — boiler-tube pilots, straight stacks, and Pullman Green coaches. The park briefly owned ex-D&RGW K-27 Mikado No. 464, received in late 1973, but clearance problems led Knott's to donate it to Michigan's Huckleberry Railroad in 1981. More than seventy years on, the railroad remains both an amusement-park ride and a working museum of Colorado narrow-gauge equipment.
Around the Depot
Knott's Berry FarmThemed Attraction·★ 4.6 (68140)1 min walkDirections →Western Trails MuseumMuseum·★ 4 (4)1 min walkDirections →Ghost Town Jail & Sad Eye JoeAttraction·★ 5 (3)1 min walkDirections →Cordelia's Pie KitchenAttraction·★ 5 (1)1 min walkDirections →Kansas School HouseMuseum·★ 5 (7)2 min walkDirections →
Disneyland RailroadTrain Ride·★ 4.7 (550)5.2 miView →
Lomita Railroad MuseumMuseum·★ 4.6 (314)19 miView →
Angels Flight RailwayTrain Ride·★ 4.5 (3610)20 miView →
RailGiants Train MuseumMuseum·★ 4.8 (119)21 miView →
San Dimas StationAttraction·★ 4.4 (14)21 miView →
Walt's Barn at Griffith ParkTrain Ride·★ 4.8 (201)28 miView →Getting There & Staying Nearby
Optional trip extras from our travel partners.
Rent a Car
Most heritage railroads sit well off the interstate. Picking up a rental at the nearest airport is usually the easiest way in.
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Tours & Activities near Buena Park
Tours
Guided tours, day trips, and things to do around the area, bookable in advance through Viator.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Knotts Berry Farm Calico Railroad located?
Knotts Berry Farm Calico Railroad is located in Buena Park, CA.
How do I get tickets to Knotts Berry Farm Calico Railroad?
Tickets and current schedules are available on the operator's official website at https://www.knotts.com/play/rides/calico-railroad.