All Aboard At Railtown
It is opening weekend at Railtown 1897 in Jamestown.
Tuolumne, Calaveras and Mariposa County residents can ride free all this weekend with proof of residency. An early bird program started at 7am this morning where visitors were invited to watch the crew light the fire and prepare the locomotive for the day. The locomotive is started by tossing a burning rag into the firebox, then the crew works to fuel, lubricate and water the engine as the boiler is slowly brought up to temperature.
For a schedule of events, go to www.railtown1897.org.
Questions still remain about the future of Railtown 1897 since it is on the state park closure list, and could close on July 1st. Community leaders are working to make sure that this doesn’t happen. One solution that has been proposed is to expand the Transient Occupancy Tax to help fund Railtown and the Mother Lode Fairgrounds. Tuolumne County voters will decide on the matter in June.