Railroad in San Luis Obispo

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The railroad played a large part in the change of the economy of San Luis Obispo. Many of the early settlers bought the Mexican ranchos with the intention of building ports to  transport goods.

Once the train connected from the north and the south on San Luis Obispo County's coast, no reason was left to develop the commerce routes on the open sea. Towns like Cayucos never materialized in the way their planners had envisioned.

The developers did come, of course, but not in the numbers they may have on the ocean front until later in the 20th Century. Cambria, Cayucos, Avila Beach, Shell Beach and even Pismo Beach are small towns. Arroyo Grande and Grover Beach are growing quickly, but none of these towns are larger than San Luis Obispo which is approximately 35,000.

The railroad fueled this historical change. This fascinating story of the railroads is told by Loren Nicholson in his book, Rails Across Ranchos.

His book reviews the splitting up the ranchos and the history leading up to the railroads. This book of 188 pages is well worth reading for the answers to historical questions anyone may have.

The San Luis Railroad Station greets you as you arrive on the train from Los Angeles, San Francisco, or other points.

San Luis Obispo is midway between these two major population centers in California. The trip is approximately 500 miles between these two major metropolises. San Luis Obispo, although not directly on the ocean, has many motels and restaurants because of its location on highway 101, its proximity to Cal Poly State University, and its year around weather.

San Luis Obispo continues to maintain its small, but lively downtown with festivals, shops, artists galleries and many other attractions. Farmers Market is on Thursday evening. Cal Poly is within walking distance if you are a hiker. Motels line streets such as Monterey.

For more information see San Luis Obispo and the Farmer's Market.