S & S Shortline Railroad in Farmington

S&S Shoreline Railroad closed their doors to the public in the summer of 2016. We are sad to lose such a great train adventure.

Our boys ages 2, 5, and 8 love trains. The youngest wants to watch a Thomas the Train show first thing every day when he wakes up. When we discovered a new train adventure in Farmington, we knew it was time to go.

On the first Saturday of each month between Memorial Day and Labor Day, the S & S Shortline is open for train rides. The property is family-owned and the owner and his sons run the small museum and man the trains. There are 3 trains to ride. The largest is about the size of the train at the Hogle Zoo, the middle-sized train has cars about the size of a large wagon, and the smallest is similar to the Stringtown or Polar Express in Lindon. Two of the train rides last 5-10 minutes. The longest is a whopping 20 + minutes and winds around the owners’ houses. There are several cool tunnels and trestle bridges, and it is amazing how much track has been laid on the property.

We started in the tiny museum, which is where you buy tickets. Tickets to the large train are $4.50. The medium-sized train is $3.50. The smallest train with the longest ride is $5.50. If you do the math for your family, this can be a little pricey, but for our train lovers it was well worth it. (We especially enjoyed watching our 2 year-old cry as we left the property!) The large train leaves from the back of the museum, which also contains a small counter for snacks.

We worked our way down the property, and there were a few old train cars and other buildings full of trains– essentially, the whole place is a museum. After riding the other 2 trains, the kids got to ride the handcarts. These cost just a dollar for a couple times around the track, and our boys really loved it. Handcarts are about the size of a tricycle, the look like a train (of course), and you pedal with your hands. There is also a mini-golf course on the property, but due to the heat of the day, we stuck to the trains.

If you’ve got a train lover in your family, make sure to get to the S & S Shortline this summer. There are only a few opportunities left: The first Saturday in August and September. Hours are from 10am to 4pm.

Make sure to take lots of water because it can get hot riding all those trains. The park does have some pavilions and other shady areas to get out of the sun. All the stations where you wait for trains are covered which was greatly appreciated. And if you forget your water and snacks, they have a small snack counter with water bottles, popsicles, and other snacks.

Directions:From 1-15, take exit #324 which is the Park Lane Exit. Proceed west off the freeway. Turn west onto Clark and then north onto 1525 West. The park is on the west. The actual address is 575 N 1525 West, Farmington.