A National Historic Treasure

By M.L. Hilton Director of Marketing Napa boasts many wonderful treasures, and people from around the world come to experience just a sample of what we get to live with every day. Some of these treasures immediately spring to mind when we are extolling the virtues of our community, others we don’t know as intimately. For almost 21 years now, we have watched the Wine Train peacefully trundle up and down the Valley. Frequently, the only time it came to mind was as the leviathan passed us by on the highway, or stopped us momentarily at a crossing. What you might not know is that the Wine Train has been an important contributor to the community, especially in the area of preservation. The Napa Valley Wine Train is the proud owner of a significant collection of American heritage. Our 1915-1917 Pullman rail cars are among the first 20 all steel passenger coaches ever made. They were put into service for Northern Pacific and were considered “state of the art in luxury and safety.” (1) Additionally, some reference material I have seen shows that there were more than 800 locomotive engines like ours produced 40 years ago. It is now estimated that only 20 remain, and four of these distinctive 1958-59 ALCO engines now live in Napa. Besides the vintage collection of rolling stock, the Wine Train also protects a crucial transportation corridor that was in jeopardy of being completely abandonedmuch like the section of track between St. Helena and Calistoga. Short line railroads are diminishing across America, but still provide important transportation and freight opportunities. Nationwide short lines save $1.3 billion a year in highway repair costs, as well as contribute to fuel savings and reduced highway congestion. Short lines connect communities, strengthen the economy and protect America’s environment. (2) Our car-free visitors take pictures and leave just footsteps. In the late 1960’s, large tracts of the Napa Valley were incorporated into an Agricultural Preserve District to ensure future generations will be able to enjoy the beauty and agricultural uses of the Napa Valley. The Napa Valley Wine Train has been doing its part protecting an important piece of local history in this preserve while maintaining a vital transportation link for the future use of the Napa Valley. We are not just about a great Napa Valley meal and wonderful local wines, but also about protecting a piece of American history. Each trip our passengers take helps keep important Americana accessible to use and not just in a museum. (1)The Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association, The Mainstreeter. Vol. 11, No. 1, Winter 1992 (2)American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association. www.aslrra.org