Roaring Camp Railroads
Roaring Camp Railroads is a family-owned heritage tourist railroad in Felton, California, operating 1890s-era narrow-gauge steam excursions through redwood forests to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. It serves families, school groups, weddings, and heritage tourists via daily train rides, an annual event calendar, and group bookings.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1963
- HeadquartersFelton, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Roaring Camp Railroads does
Roaring Camp Railroads (legal entity Roaring Camp, Inc.) is a privately held, family-owned heritage tourist railroad founded in 1963 by F. Norman Clark in Felton, California. The company operates two core train excursion products: the Redwood Forest Steam Train, a 75-minute narrated narrow-gauge journey through towering redwood groves to Bear Mountain, and the Santa Cruz Beach Train, a one-hour each way ride through Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park and the San Lorenzo River Gorge to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Operations are anchored on a collection of historic narrow-gauge steam locomotives dating from 1890, including the Dixiana Shay (a National Mechanical Engineering Historical Landmark), a Tuolumne Heisler, Sonora Shay, and Kahuku Baldwin, running on 8% grades described as the steepest in western America.
The business generates revenue through a diversified ticket-based model. Primary streams include excursion tickets (sold via FareHarbor online booking and at the depot), $10 per-vehicle parking, food and beverage (Georgie's Cook House, Chuckwagon BBQ, picnic baskets), retail at an 1880s-style General Store, venue rentals for weddings and corporate events at Bret Harte Hall, annual passes (Gold/Silver tiers), and a dedicated group bookings channel covering schools, churches, senior groups, weddings, birthdays, reunions, car clubs, and tour operators. Pricing is unit-based per excursion with no disclosed AAA family discount; the annual pass is the only subscription/recurring element. Distribution is omnichannel but regional: the website, email newsletter, and active social media presence (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube) drive top-of-funnel awareness, while FareHarbor and on-site depot sales handle transactions.
Roaring Camp serves a hybrid customer base across three primary segments: families with children (drawn by the Kids Club program with gold panning, face painting, and craft stations), school and educational groups (California history field trips), and heritage/railroad enthusiasts seeking authentic narrow-gauge steam experiences. Secondary segments include wedding parties, senior and church groups, car clubs, and packaged tour operators. The company's go-to-market is event-driven, with a year-round calendar of over 30 special events (holiday trains, festivals, brunches, moonlight dinner trains) that drives repeat visitation and word-of-mouth. The third-generation leadership under CEO Melani Clark (daughter of the founder and his wife Georgiana, who led the company 1985–2012) provides continuity, and the company maintains active community engagement through a donations program for local non-profits and an All Aboard Corporate Club. Founded in 1963, the company is incorporated in California, has no public stock offering, no subsidiaries, and no disclosed funding history.
Roaring Camp Railroads firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Roaring Camp Railroads
- Legal name
- Roaring Camp, Inc.
- Website
- https://roaringcamp.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1963
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Roaring Camp Railroads is a family-owned heritage tourist railroad in Felton, California, operating 1890s-era narrow-gauge steam excursions through redwood forests to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. It serves families, school groups, weddings, and heritage tourists via daily train rides, an annual event calendar, and group bookings.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Roaring Camp Railroads industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Heritage Railroad Tourism
- NAICS
- Short Line Railroads (482112)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Tourist/Scenic/Heritage Passenger Rail Operators (TLAFADAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Short Line & Regional Railroads (General Merchandise) (TLADACAI)
Keywords
Where Roaring Camp Railroads is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Felton
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Roaring Camp Railroads business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Train Excursion Tickets: Revenue from selling tickets for the Redwood Forest Steam Train (75-minute journey to Bear Mountain) and Santa Cruz Beach Train (1-hour journey to Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk). Tickets available daily with various pricing tiers.
- Parking Fees: $10 per vehicle parking fee charged at the park entrance.
- Food and Beverage: On-site food service including Georgie's Cook House (hamburgers, hot dogs), Chuckwagon BBQ (outdoor American BBQ for events), and picnic basket options.
- Retail/Gift Shop: The 1880s-style General Store sells toys, snacks, and memorabilia.
- Venue Rentals and Private Events: Revenue from hosting weddings, corporate meetings, and private parties at Bret Harte Hall and other venues on the property.
- Annual Passes: Annual pass program offering unlimited rides on both trains, with Gold and Silver passes also valid for certain special events and discounts.
- Group Bookings: Dedicated sales channel for school groups, church/youth groups, senior groups, weddings, birthdays, reunions, car clubs, and tour/travel groups.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Redwood Forest Steam Train |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Santa Cruz Beach Train |
| Subscription | Annual | Annual Passes |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Parking |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Picnic Table Rental |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
Roaring Camp Railroads product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Roaring Camp Railroads operates two passenger train excursions from its Felton, California depot: the 75-minute Redwood Forest Steam Train through redwood groves and trestles to Bear Mountain summit, and the Santa Cruz Beach Train through Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. The company supplements ticket sales with parking fees, food and beverage (Georgie's Cook House, Chuckwagon BBQ), a 1880s-themed General Store, annual passes, group bookings, weddings and private events, seasonal special events, and a Kids Club program.
Product overview
Roaring Camp Railroads operates as a heritage tourist railroad attraction offering two core train excursion products: the Redwood Forest Steam Train (a 75-minute narrow-gauge steam train journey through redwood groves to Bear Mountain) and the Santa Cruz Beach Train (service connecting to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk). Supporting products include Annual Passes and Gift Cards for repeat visitors, Group Bookings for schools, weddings, and corporate events, and Special Events featuring seasonal celebrations and themed weekends. The on-site Town of Roaring Camp provides amenities including Georgie's Cook House, the General Store, and Bret Harte Hall event venue. The Kids Club program offers family-oriented activities for children. Tickets and reservations are processed through FareHarbor booking integration.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Redwood Forest Steam Train A 75-minute narrated steam train excursion traveling over trestles, through towering redwood groves and up a winding narrow-gauge grade to the summit of Bear Mountain, marketed to families, tourists, and heritage railroad enthusiasts.
- Santa Cruz Beach Train A scenic 1-hour-each-way train journey departing from the Santa Cruz Mountains through Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park and the San Lorenzo River Gorge to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, marketed to tourists and families seeking a redwood-to-beach day trip.
- Annual Pass An annual subscription pass offering unlimited rides on both the Redwood Forest Steam Train and the Santa Cruz Beach Train, with Gold and Silver tiers that include special event access and discounts for repeat and enthusiast visitors.
- Gift Cards Gift cards redeemable for train tickets and excursions at Roaring Camp Railroads, sold online through the FareHarbor booking platform for gifting to family and friends.
- Group Bookings Group service packages covering schools and education programs, church and youth groups, senior groups, weddings, birthdays, family and alumni reunions, car clubs, tour and travel operators, meetings and conventions, and corporate groups, supported by an All Aboard Corporate Club discount program.
- Special Events Seasonal and themed events including Rainforest Weekends, Guided Mushroom Forage, Holiday Lights Train, Chanukah Train, Thomas and Percy's Halloween Party, Mother's Day Brunch, Father's Day BBQ, 4th of July, Moonlight Dinner Train, Brewgrass Festival, Redwood Mountain Faire, Starlight Dinner Party, and New Year's Train, designed to drive year-round visitation.
- Town of Roaring Camp On-site Amenities An 1880s-themed on-site village offering Georgie's Cook House (burgers and hot dogs), Chuckwagon BBQ (outdoor American BBQ for events), an 1880s-style General Store (toys, snacks, and memorabilia), Bret Harte Hall event venue, a covered bridge, and picnic areas for visitor refreshment and event hosting.
- Kids Club A family activity program for children 12 and under featuring train rides, gold panning, face painting, hand car rides, craft stations, candle making, blacksmith demonstrations, and printing press activities, with collectible stamps redeemable for prizes.
Companies that use Roaring Camp Railroads
Customer profileSegments10 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Roaring Camp Railroads technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature3 records
Roaring Camp Railroads partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Roaring Camp Railroads competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Strasburg Rail Road: America's oldest operating railroad offering heritage steam excursions in Pennsylvania with themed events and dining. Direct comparability: regularly scheduled steam passenger service, themed events, dining, and family heritage positioning.
- Nevada Northern Railway: National Historic Landmark short-line museum railroad operating vintage equipment in Ely, Nevada. Direct comparability: preserved steam locomotive operations, event programming, and heritage tourism experience model.
- Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad: Operates historic narrow-gauge steam excursions between Colorado and New Mexico. Direct comparability: heritage steam locomotive tourist railroad with seasonal excursion service and event programming.
- Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad: Heritage narrow-gauge steam railroad running tourist excursions through Colorado mountain scenery with vintage equipment and event programming. Direct comparability: same narrow-gauge heritage rail business model, steam locomotive operations, and tourism/event-driven revenue.
- Grand Canyon Railway: Heritage tourist railroad running from Williams, Arizona to Grand Canyon National Park with vintage equipment and hotel packages. Direct comparability: experience-based heritage rail tourism, event programming, and venue/hospitality adjacencies.
- Cass Scenic Railroad: West Virginia heritage railroad using historic Shay and Heisler geared steam locomotives identical in type to Roaring Camp's fleet. Direct comparability: geared steam locomotive operations (the same engineering class as Roaring Camp's equipment) and heritage tourism model.
- White Pass & Yukon Route: Scenic heritage railway running tourist excursions between Skagway, Alaska and the Yukon. Direct comparability: scenic mountain tourist railroad, vintage equipment, and event-driven visitation model.
Broad incumbents
- Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk: Destination partner and adjacent attraction — Roaring Camp's Santa Cruz Beach Train terminates at this California coastal amusement park. Comparability as a regional tourism destination operator and complementary experience provider within the same Santa Cruz visitor ecosystem.
Regional players
- Skunk Train (Mendocino Railway): California heritage railroad running scenic excursions through redwood forests on the North Coast. Regional comparability: California-based heritage rail tourism through redwood forests — same state, similar forest scenery, but different geography (not direct local competition).
- Sierra Railroad: California heritage railroad offering Wine Train and excursion services. Regional comparability: California-based rail experience operator in adjacent territory with comparable excursion and event business model.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Roaring Camp Railroads social profiles
Digital presenceRoaring Camp Railroads financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Roaring Camp Railroads leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Roaring Camp Railroads funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Roaring Camp Railroads M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Roaring Camp Railroads
What does Roaring Camp Railroads do?
Roaring Camp Railroads operates two passenger train excursions from its Felton, California depot: the 75-minute Redwood Forest Steam Train through redwood groves and trestles to Bear Mountain summit, and the Santa Cruz Beach Train through Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. The company supplements ticket sales with parking fees, food and beverage (Georgie's Cook House, Chuckwagon BBQ), a 1880s-themed General Store, annual passes, group bookings, weddings and private events, seasonal special events, and a Kids Club program.
Is Roaring Camp Railroads a public or private company?
Roaring Camp Railroads is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Roaring Camp Railroads founded?
Roaring Camp Railroads was founded in 1963. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Roaring Camp Railroads based?
Roaring Camp Railroads is headquartered in Felton, United States, in the North America region.
How does Roaring Camp Railroads make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Train Excursion Tickets are the primary driver. The others are parking Fees, food and Beverage, retail/Gift Shop, venue Rentals and Private Events, annual Passes and group Bookings.
Who are Roaring Camp Railroads's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Strasburg Rail Road, Nevada Northern Railway, Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, Grand Canyon Railway, Cass Scenic Railroad and White Pass & Yukon Route. Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is listed as a broad incumbent. Regional players are Skunk Train (Mendocino Railway) and Sierra Railroad.
Does Roaring Camp Railroads have an API?
No public API is recorded for Roaring Camp Railroads.
What industry is Roaring Camp Railroads in?
Roaring Camp Railroads's product category is Heritage Railroad Tourism. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAFADAG, Tourist/Scenic/Heritage Passenger Rail Operators, with a secondary code of TLADACAI, Short Line & Regional Railroads (General Merchandise). Its NAICS code is 482112 and its SIC code is 7900.