Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad's Famed Engine Turns 100 Years Old with Special Runs

Published 09/10/25 at 6:29 p.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Garibaldi, Oregon) - Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad is about to whoop it up with something special. Its celebrity locomotive will become a century old and that is cause for some captivating rides.

“Our beloved flagship steam locomotive, McCloud River Railroad #25, turns 100 years old this September,” OCSR said. “We’re celebrating with a special weekend jam packed with fun activities, special excursions, special discount pricing and more. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to celebrate this monumental occasion for this storied relic of America’s past.”

The highlight of the celebration takes place on September 20 with a rare full-length excursion from Garibaldi to Wheeler and back. The four-hour round trip offers passengers sweeping views of Tillamook Bay, Nehalem Bay, and the Pacific Ocean as the locomotive winds through coastal forests and estuaries at the base of the Coast Range. Riders will enjoy a one-hour layover in Wheeler before returning to Garibaldi.

This is one of the few all-ages excursions that covers the entire active stretch of the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad. A shorter 2.5-hour option is available for those departing from Rockaway Beach at a reduced fare.

Accessibility accommodations include a portable wheelchair lift at Garibaldi Station only. There is no lift available at Rockaway Beach or Wheeler, and restrooms on board are not ADA accessible. Pets are welcome in outdoor cars.

In honor of the locomotive’s centennial, the railroad is offering its regular Coastal Excursion Trains at a celebratory rate of $25 per passenger on September 20 and 21. Cab rides aboard McCloud No. 25 have also been discounted from $150 to $100, giving more guests the chance to experience the engine up close.

Tickets and a full schedule of events are available at oregoncoastscenic.org/train-rides/25centennial

History of the McCloud #25

Built in September 1925 by the American Locomotive Company’s Schenectady Works, McCloud River Railway No. 25 is a 2-6-2 “Prairie” type steam locomotive originally used for logging operations in Mount Shasta, California. After three decades of service, it was retired in 1955 but quickly returned to the spotlight, ceremonially opening the Burney Branch with numerous runs that same year.

Restored for passenger excursions in 1962, the locomotive ran intermittently through the 1970s and beyond, appearing in several Hollywood films including Stand By Me, Changeling, and Bound for Glory. Today, McCloud #25 continues to delight tourists and rail enthusiasts all over with its extensive runs as part of Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad.

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