About our Train Rides

The Colonel Griffith locomotive (on left) and the Stanley Diamond awaiting passengers at
Griffith Park & Southern Railroad

GP Rah Enterprises, LLC operates specialty family recreation facilities under various concession contracts in Griffith Park, Los Angeles, California. It has operated the Griffith Park & Southern Railroad since 1972 and the Travel Town Railroad since 1978. It also operates a simulator ride at Griffith Park & Southern Railroad. We are currently pursuing other opportunities in California and elsewhere.

Some Statistics -

• Our miniature railroads carry almost 600,000 passengers each year. Weather permitting we operate 364 days a year, closing only on Christmas Day.
• Our Griffith Park & Southern track is about one mile long. The trains travel over several bridges, including a 60' long wood and steel box girder bridge. We also go through an 80' tunnel and past several attractions, including the Western Old Town.
• Our track at Travel Town Museum is approximately 3/8ths of a mile and we make two loops around the outdoor exhibit of historically significant locomotives and passenger cars.
• We have five locomotives and 21 passenger coaches available for operation year round in the parks.

  Operating at Griffith Park & Southern Railroad (18.5" gauge) are:

  • The Colonel Griffith - 2-8-0 locomotive built by Severn Lamb Ltd. in 1983
  • The Freedom Train - A streamliner built by the All American Streamliner Co. of Los Angeles.
  • The Stanley Diamond  - A 2-6-0 mogul built by Gerry Bowden in 1993
  • Ten Pullman style, five seat steel coaches built by All American Streamliner of Los Angeles.
  • Three six seat wood gondolas built by Skeets Simpson in 1993 after a design by Erik Thomsen of Redwood Valley Railway.

  Operating at Travel Town Railroad (16" gauge) are:

  • The Courage - A 2-6-0 mogul built by Gerry Bowden in 1993. Sister locomotive to the Stanley Diamond.
  • The 1986 - diesel switcher built by Gerry Bowden in 1986.
  • Six Pullman style, six seat coaches built by George Reddington in 1956 for Gene Autry's Melody Ranch Special train. Steel covers were added to these coaches in 1989.

   

• The Griffith Park & Southern Railroad first opened for business in 1948. It has operated continuously, except for a few years in the 1950's, ever since.
• Our trains are 1/4th and 1/3rd scale models of actual locomotives and passenger cars.
• In the interest of doing our small part to improve the quality of life in Los Angeles, all of our locomotives were voluntarily converted from gasoline power to propane in 1994.

   

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Any comments or questions may be directed to webmaster@gprah.com

Copyright © 2001 - 2008 GP Rah Enterprises, LLC   All rights reserved.
Information in this document is subject to change without notice. Other products and companies referred to herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies or mark holders.