Spring Trains Prepare for April Departure at the Western Railway Museum

Tickets are now on sale for the annual Scenic Limited and Vintage Comet trains at the Western Railway Museum. Powered completely by clean electricity, both historic trains return in April.

The Scenic Limited is an hour-long ride for all ages that focuses on the natural wildflowers that dot the hillsides along the rail line. Passengers admire panoramic views of hillsides and fields populated with native wildflowers such as poppies, goldfields, and lupine. The Scenic Limited runs on Wednesdays, Saturday, and Sundays in April at 11am, 12:30pm, and 2pm. A limited number of first-class seats can be reserved in the Parlor-Observation car, which include cookies and lemonade.

The Vintage Comet also includes wildflower viewing, but features four award-winning wines from the Suisun Valley Wine-Co Op. Suisun Valley is the second oldest AVA in California (Napa is the first), and is the next major valley east of Napa. Best known for Petite Sirah, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon, Suisun Valley has been described by Sunset Magazine as “undiscovered and unpretentious, much as Napa was in the 1960s. Cool afternoon breezes from San Francisco Bay bring down high daytime temperatures – a good thing for grapes.” The 90-minute trip departs each Saturday in April at 4pm and is geared towards adults, although juice is available for younger patrons.

Both trains are pulled by Sacramento Northern interurban #1005. A true California native, it was built in 1912 in San Francisco, lovingly restored to its past glory by Museum volunteers, and spent its working life on the same rail line the Museum now owns and preserves: the Sacramento Northern. In 2012, the rail line and the Museum itself were added to the prestigious National Register of Historic Places.

Tickets to either train include Museum admission; the Rail Car Display House; the new interactive Traction Lab energy and transportation exhibit; access to the Laflin Park Picnic Grounds; and parking.

The Western Railway Museum is located on the State Highway 12 in rural Solano County, midway between Interstate 80 in Fairfield and the quaint Sacramento Delta town of Rio Vista.

The Scenic Limited:

Departs each Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday April 1 – April 29 at 11:00am, 12:30pm and 2:00pm. Coach tickets are $11 for adults, $10 for seniors 65 years and older, and $8 for children 2-14. First Class service is $6 extra and includes cookies and lemonade served by uniformed staff. Advanced reservations for first-class accepted at www.brownpapertickets.com or 800-838-3006. Coach tickets are all first-come, first-served.

The Vintage Comet:

Departs each Saturday April 4 – April 25 at 4:00pm. All tickets are $28/person, and include a souvenir wine glass. Passengers sample 4 wines from the Suisun Valley Wine Co-Op. A portion of each ticket benefits the Solano Midnight Sun Foundation, which provides temporary financial assistance to women with breast cancer. Advanced reservations accepted at www.brownpapertickets.com or 800-838-3006.

The Fairfield Conference & Visitors Bureau markets and promotes the Fairfield region as a destination for meetings, events, travel and tourism. The bureau, an independent non-profit 501 (c) (6) organization, was created in 2004 by a Business Improvement District and is funded by 18 lodging properties in Fairfield.  For more information, contact us at 707-399-2445, email info@visitfairfieldca.com or visit www.visitfairfieldca.com