The dampness and gloom of winter is made much better by the chance to see and ride behind a Roaring Camp and Big Trees Railroad Shay loco.

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SCPC 2 enters tunnel #6 under Mission Hill on its way to Wilder Ranch on a test run. It was one year ago today that a steam locomotive returned to Santa Cruz for the first time in almost 60 years.... (more)

Roaring Camp 1 "Dixiana" works the stiff grades near Deer Valley as it powers its train to Bear Mountain

The view from the cab of Roaring Camp & Big Trees Railroad's Dixiana Shay No. 1 as she rolls downgrade over the Indian Creek trestle and past some of the massive redwoods.

The Roaring Camp & Big Trees Railroad's Dixiana Shay No. 1 rolls through Big Trees as it makes its way downgrade after a trip up Bear Mountain.

The immaculately kept Dixiana is dwarfed by the massive redwoods as she rolls downgrade over the Indian Creek trestle. The Roaring Camp & Big Trees Railroad's Dixiana Shay No. 1 was built in 19... (more)

Number 7 rolls over the Indian Creek Trestle coming downgrade after a trip up to Bear Mountain

After a hard climb, Roaring Camp Shay #7 "Sonora" rests at the summit of Bear Mountain.

Now on the point of the 2:00 PM train after leading a sold-out 12:30 PM train, RC&BT Shay 7 "Sonora" heads into the Redwood forest outside of the station.

Marshal at Roaring Camp has shooed tourists away from climbing on front of locomotive for family photos, allowing an opportunity for me to take my own unobstructed photo.

Gear driven Shay locomotives tackles its first hill on the last excursion of the day through the coastal redwood forest above Santa Cruz, CA.