Medford Railroad Park

Medford Railroad Park is a 49-acre outdoor railway museum and operating miniature train park located at 799 Berrydale Avenue near Table Rock Road in northwest Medford, Oregon. Established in 1979 through a collaborative agreement between the City of Medford and the Southern Oregon Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, this volunteer-run attraction preserves the logging and freight rail heritage of the Rogue Valley. Visitors come to ride open-air live-steam miniature trains, climb aboard restored full-size locomotives and cabooses, watch intricate HO- and G-scale model railway layouts in action, and witness live historic telegraph demonstrations.

What to Expect at Medford Railroad Park

The park operates as a coalition of five specialized local organizations: the Southern Oregon Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society (SOC-NRHS), the Southern Oregon Live Steamers, the Rogue Valley Model Railroad Club, the Medford Garden Railroaders, and the Morse Telegraph Club. Because each club maintains its own dedicated display area and track infrastructure, a walk through the grounds covers every scale of railroading. Visitors can start at the full-size static rolling stock displays, where docents—many of whom are retired Southern Pacific or logging railroad engineers—share mechanical histories inside restored cabooses and beside classic steam and diesel locomotives, including the historic Medco No. 4 Willamette geared logging steam locomotive.

Beyond the full-size equipment, the heart of the park experience is the 7.5-inch-gauge track network run by the Southern Oregon Live Steamers, where families straddle open-air passenger cars pulled by scaled-down steam, diesel, and electric locomotives over bridges, through tunnels, and around wooded bends. Indoors, the Rogue Valley Model Railroad Club operates a massive, multi-level HO-scale layout depicting Southern Oregon rail lines, timber mills, and mountain passes, while the Medford Garden Railroaders run large G-scale trains outdoors across landscaped miniature towns, waterfalls, and trestles. Admission and train rides are free of charge, though cash donations are encouraged at each club station to support ongoing track and equipment restoration. Check the Medford Railroad Park official page before your trip for special seasonal run days, including holiday light runs.

• Southern Oregon Live Steamers Ride-On Trains: Climb aboard scaled-down open-air cars pulled by coal-fired steam and battery- or gas-powered locomotives along more than a mile of 7.5-inch-gauge track winding through the park grounds.
• Medco No. 4 Willamette Steam Locomotive & Rolling Stock: Inspect full-size historic rail equipment maintained by the SOC-NRHS, including a rare 1925 Willamette geared logging locomotive built in Portland, classic Southern Pacific cabooses, and a vintage rotary snowplow.
• Rogue Valley Model Railroad Club Indoor Layout: Step inside the clubhouse to watch dozens of HO-scale freight and passenger trains navigate detailed replicas of Siskiyou Pass, Cascade timber camps, and historic Rogue Valley depots.
• Medford Garden Railroaders Outdoor G-Scale Track: Explore one of the largest outdoor G-scale garden railway layouts in the Pacific Northwest, complete with live dwarf conifers, miniature buildings, bridges, and water features.
• Hoghead Palace & Morse Telegraph Demonstrations: Visit the park’s snack bar and covered picnic pavilion for lunch, and stop by the Morse Telegraph Club exhibit to see and hear working 19th- and early-20th-century telegraph keys clicking messages across the park.

Medford Railroad Park at a Glance

Visiting Tips, Getting There & Nearby Pairings

Because Medford Railroad Park is open to the public exclusively on the second and fourth Sundays of each month from April through October between 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM, arriving right at 11:00 AM is the best strategy to beat the midday queue at the Southern Oregon Live Steamers boarding depot. Summer afternoons in the Rogue Valley regularly exceed 90°F (32°C) in July and August, so morning arrivals also offer cooler weather for walking between the outdoor displays. Visitors must wear closed-toe shoes if they plan to ride the miniature live-steam trains or climb the metal steps into the full-size cabooses and locomotives. Bring small cash bills for the donation boxes positioned at each club’s entrance and for affordable hot dogs, popcorn, and cold drinks at the Hoghead Palace snack bar.

By car, the park is a five-minute drive north of Interstate 5 (Exit 30) via Crater Lake Highway (OR-62) and Table Rock Road, with a large, free gravel parking lot directly on Berrydale Avenue. Travelers using public transit can ride Rogue Valley Transportation District (RVTD) Route 40 along Table Rock Road and walk about 10 minutes west on Berrydale Avenue. The central pathways connecting the G-scale garden railway, model train clubhouse, and picnic pavilion are flat and navigable for wheelchairs and strollers, though boarding the full-size railcars requires climbing steep ladder steps. After visiting the park, you can connect directly to the paved Bear Creek Greenway trail just east of the grounds for cycling or walking, head two miles south to Hawthorne Park and Alba Park in downtown Medford, or drive 15 minutes north to hike the Upper and Lower Table Rocks trailheads.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Medford Railroad Park open to the public?

Medford Railroad Park operates on a seasonal schedule and is open on the second and fourth Sundays of each month from April through October, from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. All five railroad clubs run their trains and open their exhibits simultaneously during these public run days. The park is closed to regular public runs from November through March, aside from occasional special holiday events announced on their official page.

How much do tickets and train rides cost at Medford Railroad Park?

Admission to Medford Railroad Park, entry to the model train buildings, and rides on the miniature live-steam trains are completely free. Because the park is maintained and operated entirely by non-profit volunteer clubs, cash donation boxes are placed at the boarding station and exhibit halls to help cover fuel, track maintenance, and restoration costs. Concessions at the on-site snack pavilion are priced at a few dollars per item.

How much time should I budget for a visit?

Most families and rail enthusiasts spend between 1.5 and 2.5 hours exploring the park. That window allows enough time to wait in line and take one or two loops on the miniature ride-on trains, tour the indoor HO-scale layout and outdoor G-scale garden railway, climb inside the historic full-size cabooses, and grab lunch at the covered picnic tables.

Is Medford Railroad Park suitable for young children and wheelchairs?

Yes, the park is one of Southern Oregon’s most popular family attractions for toddlers, school-age children, and multi-generational groups, and covered picnic areas can be reserved in advance for children’s birthday parties. The main grounds, outdoor garden railroad, and indoor model railroad building are level and accessible for strollers and wheelchairs, though climbing into the historic full-size railcars and straddling the miniature train cars requires physical mobility and closed-toe footwear.

When planning your Medford travel guide or browsing verified attractions in Medford, pair this stop with standout local spots including Ginger, Holiday Inn Express & Suites Medford, an IHG Hotel, La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Central Point – Medford, and Rogue Regency Inn & Suites (0.6 km away).