Historic Gold Mining Railroad

Our Story

Our love for trains and American History led us to clear out the mine on Smith Ranch. There we found the mining railroad, and eventually, the original track. My wife and I have spent over two decades of hunting, searching, and building to get the SR & J, or SMITH RANCH & JULIAN GOLD MINING RAILROAD, to where it is today. Some of the oldest rail dates back to the American Civil War. Other rail was brought across America’s first Transcontinental Railroad.