Photo by Effervescing Elephant, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Skunk Trains - The California Western Railroad
About Skunk Trains - The California Western Railroad
The Skunk Train travels 40 miles through Mendocino County’s towering redwood forests, departing Fort Bragg and climbing toward the Northwestern Pacific interchange at Willits. Steam‑ and diesel‑powered trains and historic rail motor cars glide past the Noyo River and Pudding Creek, crossing roughly 30 single‑track bridges and threading two deep mountain tunnels.
At a Glance
Verified daily- Type
- Heritage railroad & tourist attraction
- Location
- CA
- Rating
- 4.5 ★ 7,401 Google reviews
- Upcoming
- Wed, Jul 15
Upcoming Events
Plan Your Visit
- First Departure
- 8 AM
- Trip Length
- 1.5-hour roundtrip
- Parking
- Free lot · paid lot · street parking
- Accessibility
- Wheelchair-accessible entrance · accessible restroom · accessible parking
- Good For
- Families
- Hours
- Monday: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PMTuesday: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PMWednesday: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PMThursday: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PMFriday: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PMSaturday: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PMSunday: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Find the Depot
The Trains
The California Western Railroad runs 40 miles of standard‑gauge track between Fort Bragg on the Pacific coast and the Northwestern Pacific interchange at Willits, crossing roughly 30 single‑track bridges, two mountain tunnels and a series of horseshoe curves. Its current passenger fleet includes the Baldwin‑built steam locomotive No. 45, which hauls four 72‑foot Stillwell coaches built in 1926, and self‑propelled railcars such as M‑80 and M‑100 that earned the “Skunk” nickname; historic freight equipment once comprised 156 flatcars, six fuel‑oil tank cars, three boxcars, a stock car and assorted ballast cars.
History
See full history
The California Western Railroad is founded in 1885 by the Fort Bragg Redwood Company to move redwood logs from Glenela to a new mill in Fort Bragg. Union Lumber Company incorporates the line in 1891, renames it the California Western Railroad & Navigation Company on July 1 1905, and shortens the name to California Western Railroad on December 19 1947. Major construction milestones include Tunnel No. 1 completed by Chinese laborers in 1893, the extension to Alpine by 1904, Tunnel No. 2 finished on December 11 1911, and a 17.6‑mile logging branch built in 1916 (with a 4.4‑mile spur to Clark Fork Landing). Steam power is retired in 1952, the line suffers a head‑on railcar collision on September 26 1964, and a derailment destroys diesel units 51, 52 and 54 in January 1970. Ownership passes from Union Lumber to Boise Cascade in 1969, then to Georgia‑Pacific, which leases operations to Kyle Railways; the railroad is sold to Kyle Railways’ Mendocino Coast Railway subsidiary in June 1987, and finally rescued by the Sierra Railroad on December 17 2003. After freight service ends in 2001, passenger excursions are revived in September 2006, while a partial collapse of Tunnel No. 1 on April 11 2013 triggers a fundraising campaign announced June 7 2013.
Around the Depot
The Skunk Trains - The California Western Railroad slots easily into a wider California rail itinerary, an unhurried ride worth building a half-day around.
Sierra Railroad CompanyTrain Ride·★ 4.1 (10)1 min walkView →The Skunk TrainAttraction·★ 4.5 (7529)1 min walkDirections →Mendocino Coast Model Railroad & Historical SocietyMuseum·★ 4.9 (33)1 min walkDirections →Ft Bragg Mendocino Cst HistoricalMuseum·★ 5 (2)1 min walkDirections →Guest House MuseumMuseum·★ 4.6 (53)1 min walkDirections →Depot Mall & MuseumAttraction·★ 4.5 (47)1 min walkDirections →Mendocino Railway Roundhouse DepotAttraction·★ 4.5 (2)1 min walkDirections →Historic Redwood (a section of the largest known Redwood tree from Mendocino County )Museum·★ 4.8 (25)1 min walkDirections →Triangle Tattoo & MuseumMuseum·★ 4.8 (197)1 min walkDirections →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 Nearby
Tours
Guided tours, day trips, and things to do around the area, bookable in advance through Viator.
Browse nearby tours →Bookings made through this link support usatrainrides at no extra cost to you.