SACRAMENTO, Calif. (August 17, 2017) – Showcasing the rich history and deep connection between agriculture and the railroad, the California State Railroad Museum Foundation is proud to continue its partnership with Visit Sacramento as an official Farm-to-Fork sponsor and announce two VIP Cocktail Train Ride experiences will be available this year, one each evening, on Saturday, September 23 & Sunday, September 24, 2017. In addition, the Foundation is pleased to welcome Rabobank N.A. – a locally based bank serving California communities grounded in agriculture – as the presenting sponsor for the 2017 Farm-to-Fork Cocktail Train ride experiences. The VIP Cocktail Train first debuted in 2015, has sold out each year, and was recognized as a finalist in Sunset Magazine’s Travel Awards competition in the “Best Train Experience” category.
“Early in its history, the Sacramento Southern Railroad was primarily used to transport pears, asparagus, celery, seeds and other agricultural products to markets from local Delta communities,” said Cheryl Marcell, President & CEO of the California State Railroad Museum Foundation. “Today, the Museum and Foundation are proud to offer weekend excursion train rides on the very same Sacramento Southern Railroad -- now in the 34th consecutive year – plus expand the popular Farm-to-Fork Cocktail Train experience to include two VIP train rides this year.”
With one VIP train ride on each evening at 6 p.m. departing from the Central Pacific Freight Depot in Old Sacramento, Farm-To-Fork Cocktail Train ride guests can sit back and experience what first class was like during the early decades of the 20th century as developed by the Southern Pacific Railroad. Ticketed guests will delight in a signature cocktail, exquisite appetizers and a delicious dessert from The Firehouse, Ten 22 and DISTRICT. The specially created menu items will be prepared and presented by Jay Veregge, Director of Culinary Operations for Harvego Restaurant Group, and his talented culinary team. The food and beverages will showcase seasonal and locally grown ingredients, some of which will be generously provided by Blue Diamond Growers. Uniformed stewards provide the finest first class service onboard three of the California State Railroad Museum’s first class cars: the Audubon dining car, the El Dorado lounge car and the French Quarter lounge car from the 1950s that served the famed Southern Pacific “Sunset Limited” service. As an added treat, the cars will be pulled by two eye-catching locomotives – Western Pacific No. 913 and Southern Pacific No. 6051 – both of which are classic streamlined locomotives representative of the first generation of diesel-electric locomotives.
Space is limited on The Farm-To-Fork Cocktail Train and tickets are on sale now. Train ride tickets cost $100 per person and all train ride guests must be 21 or over. The Farm-to-Fork Cocktail Train is a Foundation fundraiser for the California State Railroad Museum, Railtown 1897 State Historic Park and the future California Railroad Technology Museum.