Overview

The Orcutt & Islay Creek Railroad in Santa Maria, California is one of the longest, continuous operating garden railroads on the central coast. This “could have happened” railroad is modeled in the spirit of the Pacific Coast Railway, a 3-foot narrow gauge railway that connected Port Hartford to Los Olivos via San Luis Obispo and other central California coast communities.

Highlights

Run and go! The railroad was designed specifically to accommodate the unique needs of the Clintons’ collection of live steam locomotives and their consists.

Thoughtful planning and construction allows for easy roadbed and track maintenance, and continuous accessibility to the rolling stock while in motion.

Kit and kit-bashed structures will gradually be replaced with scratch-built features, many of which will include lighting and other effects.

A live steam Porter traverses the trestle on the 160 foot extension added in 2018 to the Orcutt & Islay Creek Railroad (M. Edwards, image).
Both the original 120 foot loop and 160 foot extension of the Orcutt & Islay Creek Railroad can be seen from this perspective. Special thanks to the Clinton family for hosting this special occasion (M. Edwards, image).

Layout Specifications

This garden railroad consists of two separate loops allowing for variable routing. The original 120-foot loop was completed in 2010. The steam-up yard and sidings were added soon after.

The newer (2018) 160-foot extension consists of Code 332 PIKO track on top a PVC ladder roadbed with vertical supports set in concrete every two feet. Earth and ballast hides most of the PVC ladder, except where the track traverses a timber trestle crossing the rolling terrain.

Scale
Track gauge (mm)45
Code332
Total length (ft.)280
Mainline (ft.)120
Maximum gradient (%)0.0
Minimum radius (ft.)8
Control systemLive Steam
Orcutt & Islay Railroad. 10-Sep-2010.
Live Steam Accucraft GS5. First Steaming.