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Run-A-Locomotive

Please note that while advanced reservations are strongly encouraged, walk-ins will be taken on a time available, first come first served basis, weather, personnel, and locomotive availability permitting.

 

Your Seat Our World Famous "Run-A-Locomotive" program allows you, our visiting public, to rent a vintage diesel locomotive and operate it on the museum grounds, under the close supervision of your own private instructor.  Relive a childhood fantasy!  No experience required, just an adventurous mind.  Income from locomotive rentals helps fund the restoration of our historic equipment.

 

Do you have a friend or family member that loves to remind you how large their vehicle is?  At the Western Pacific Railroad Museum in Portola, you and your family can take the throttle YOURSELF in one of our vintage diesel locomotives! (with a qualified engineer/instructor of course!)  Upon completing your engineer experience, you will receive a certificate, suitable for framing so YOU can brag to all of your large vehicle driving friends and family.  When they boast about the size of their vehicle, brandish your "Engineer's Certificate" and show them the pictures.  They'll either be envious, or will get really quiet, really quick.  All persons intending to operate a locomotive under the age of 18 years old must be accompanied by an adult and have a signed release of liability.

 



- - NOTICE - -

NOTE: all RALs are dependent on availability of locomotive equipment and instructors.
Please check with our museum prior to your visit.


Listen to our RAL Radio Spot.... Play Pause Stop and Reset

For Further Rental Information and Appointments...
call 530-832-4532 - Run-A-Locomotive Rental Information

If no answer, please call the museum Museum Store at 530-832-4131

 

*Please note that while advanced reservations are strongly encouraged, walk-ins will be taken on a time available, first come first served basis, weather, personnel, and locomotive availability permitting.  We reserve the right to change locomotives in the program with one of equal or greater rental value before or after guest arrival in the event a locomotive becomes unavailable due to mechanical ailment, or for any other reason.  Every effort will be made to accommodate specific locomotive requests.

 

Call 530-832-4532 and leave a message to reserve your Locomotive Rentals

Run-A-Locomotive Diesel Fleet

QRR 1100

Quincy Railroad #1100
EMD/General Motors Model "TR-6A"
Yard Switching Engine
Horsepower: 800
Weight: 230,000 Pounds
(115 Tons)
Retail $400.00 hr, Member $320.00 hr
2 Seats for riders

WP 1503

Western Pacific #1503
EMD/General Motors Model "SW 1500"
Horsepower: 1500
Weight: 267,870 Pounds
(134 Tons)
2 Seats for riders
Retail $500.00 hr, Member $400.00 hr

Run-A-Locomotive Deposit and Payment

FEATHER RIVER RAIL SOCIETY POLICY

Run-A-Locomotive
Deposit and Payment

Deposit and Payment
A 50% deposit is required to schedule an RAL.

The remaining balance of the RAL charge is due and payable any time prior to the RAL.

Payment options depend on booking method, but generally include credit card, payment services and
in-person cash payments.

Cancellation
You may cancel your scheduled RAL but no refund will be issued for any payments made, including
deposit. The museum will convert any payment(s) made on a customer cancelled RAL to a 501(c)(3)
donation and issue a revised receipt, by mail, to the address of your choice.

Rescheduling
You may reschedule your RAL at any time up to 48 hours prior to your currently scheduled appointment.
Please be sure to contact the museum as soon as you are aware of the need to reschedule. A reschedule
attempt made with less than 48 hours´ notice will be treated as a cancellation by the customer.

No-Show / Late Arrival
A `no-show´ will be treated as a cancellation by the customer.

We cannot honor your full appointment unless you arrive on time. If you are more than 20 minutes late,
your appointment may be regarded as a `no-show´. If the museum is able to accommodate a late arrival, it
will not result in an extension of the scheduled end time as that would unfairly delay our other customers.
No refunds or proration will be made for late arrivals. Please plan your travel and allow enough time to
arrive early.

Refunds
RAL deposits and payments are non-refundable except in the event the museum, at its sole discretion, must
cancel and/or reschedule the RAL due to a lack of equipment, a lack of personnel or adverse weather events
that would make operations unsafe. In the event the museum must cancel an otherwise properly booked
RAL, the customer will have the option to forego reschedule and receive a full refund of all payments the
customer has made for the RAL. Customer initiated cancellations are not eligible for refund.

Overall Accountability

The FRRS President and Board of Directors are responsible for issuing, updating, and monitoring
compliance with this policy.

Implementation

The Board of Directors (through the chairperson) and/or the FRRS President, along with all department
heads, are responsible for communications to all member(s) dealing with subjects of the Feather River Rail
Society in any nature, and which are directed at the member(s) and the museum store

References

1. Policies and Procedures

Details and Rules

For your safety... HERE for important information.
  • We will take "walk-in" rentals IF time and schedules allow, however, it is best to book your reservation in advance to ensure the time slot and equipment that you desire.

  • Please allow at least 24 hours to schedule a rental. We have to ensure that an instructor is available.

  • Summer months are the busiest rental times, we highly recommend making reservations at least two weeks in advance.

  • Sessions may be shared amongst friends & family. However, the maximum number of occupants in the locomotives at any one time depends on the number of seats on that particular locomotive. If there are more people in your party than we can seat in the locomotive at one time, we load the first part of the group, do some of the session, then stop and exchange places with the other members of your party. We will make every effort to make sure everyone gets a turn at the throttle!

  • All participants must be seated at all times while locomotive is moving.

  • ALL RAL Operating clients must have a completed release (pink form) before Operating. To be verified by the RAL Instructor.

  • Due to the age and historic nature of these locomotives, it may from time to time, be necessary to temporarily remove one or more of them from the rental diesel fleet for inspection, maintenance, or repair.  In the event that this is necessary, that particular locomotive will be replaced with a similar locomotive.  If none are available, guests will be offered a rental of greater value.

  • Specific locomotive requests will be accommodated when possible, substitutions may be necessary.

  • Rentals are from mid-April through mid-November (weather permitting) by appointment.

  • A certificate suitable for framing is awarded after every rental.

  • All persons intending to operate a locomotive under the age of 18 years old must be accompanied by an adult and have a signed release of liability.

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Operated by the Feather River Rail Society, a California 501(c)3 Non Profit Organization

700 Western Pacific Way, P.O. Box 608, Portola CA 96122-8636 | 1-530-832-4131 | email us at:   info@wplives.org

Copyright © 2024 Feather River Rail Society.  All Rights Reserved.  Page last updated:  Friday March 15, 2024 08:13 PDT