Keep the trains in Folsom! We need your help.

Date change for City Council agenda item discussing moving our operations out of the city limits. It is now January 23rd at 6pm. Please consider attending and commenting.

AN URGENT PLEA TO THE COMMUNITY

Since Fall of 2010, Placerville & Sacramento Valley Railroad (PSVR) has provided rail excursions for the public on portions of the historic Southern Pacific Railroad’s “Placerville Branch”, a scenic gem that has wound through Sacramento and El Dorado Counties for over 160 years.  PSVR has enjoyed steadfast support from the community over the years, from our incorporation as a Non-Profit in 2008, to the acquisition of an operational steam locomotive in 2020, and of course the tremendous financial support we received during the COVID Pandemic.  So it is with a heavy heart that we report that City of Folsom will soon be considering a proposal by staff that will put significant additional burdens on our operations and is guaranteed to result in the eventual failure of this historically and culturally valuable program.

YOUR HELP IS DESPERATELY NEEDED!

The seeds of this program were planted over 30 years ago, and were nurtured and cared for by the dedicated members of the Folsom, El Dorado and Sacramento Historical Railroad Association, visionary public leaders, experts from the railroad and business communities, and of course you, the enthusiastic public.  Over the last 13 years our program has carried over 50,000 passengers and has reinvested over $560,000 back into the program and our community.  Over this time, volunteers have generously spent more than 75,000 hours restoring and maintaining equipment, repairing many miles of track, culverts and bridges, and worked tirelessly to provide over 500 days of public events.  The team at PSVR is grateful to you, the riding public, for many sold out events such as Mother’s Day Brunch, Pumpkin Patch Flyer, Santa’s Whistlestop Adventure, Iron and Wine Sundowner dinner trains, and many others.  

As a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization, Placerville & Sacramento Valley Railroad currently operates under a license issued by the Sacramento Placerville Transportation Corridor Joint Powers Authority (STPC-JPA), the entity that owns and manages the railroad corridor. This Joint Powers Authority is made up of El Dorado County, Sacramento County, Sacramento Regional Transit District (RT) and the City of Folsom.

OUR OPERATING LICENSE EXPIRES AT THE END OF THIS YEAR

As the management of PSVR has worked through the renewal process over the last 18 months, we have identified several critical points that are essential to not only the success of the program, but to the very survival of the railroad. 

Learn more by going to https://www.psvrr.org/advocate/

Steam locomotive runs in Folsom for the first time in 65 year!

For the fist time since 1957 a steam locomotive has run on the old Southern Pacific Placerville branch. On February 2nd, 2022 Placerville & Sacramento Valley Railroad completed the annual inspection of Santa Cruz Portland Cement #2 also know as the Chiggen. The #2 pulled friends and volunteers on a short ride to spread its wings in anticipation of a 2022 operating season with PSVRR.

Steam to come to Folsom very soon!

Picture thanks to David Honan

Santa Cruz Portland Cement 2 will be heading to Folsom soon! Due to Covid-19 protocols and safety we will not be announcing the specific move day so as to maintain social distancing and avoid crowds. We ask that you show your support via social media rather than in person in these interesting times. Stay tuned for more announcements and follow us here to see the progress! Pictures thanks to David Honan.

We need your help to build up some steam! Please consider a monetary donation to help us make up for the delayed operating season via Facebook or at psvrr.org/donate