How do you “unplug” and still enjoy family time or just time in the outdoors? In Venango County, there are a lot of options — we have trails, parks and lots of museums that welcome visitors every day. However, Venango also has a unique way to experience all of the above: the Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad.
At just shy of 39 years young, people can catch a train ride “through the valley that changed the world,” enjoy views of a thriving Oil Creek and learn about the development of the oil industry as part of a ride in antique passenger cars in various states of restoration, pulled by a vintage diesel locomotive along the tracks in Oil Creek State Park. The full round trip is three hours long, but riders can also catch the short trip with their bicycle, boat or hiking boots, and the train can drop them off or pick them up, depending on the route of travel, and shuttle them one way. This is a great way for scout troops to complete badge work for hiking and overnight camping trips.
During the Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad season, they offer school tours in both May and October for children to have the experience of riding the train, and teachers often pair the trip with a stop at Drake Well Museum for a full day of adventure and education. The railroad hosted 1,200 school passengers in 2024, and they hope to see that increase in 2025. They work with various civic groups to try to raise funds that allow the children to ride for free or at least at a reduced cost, as they recognize that many schools are limiting field trips because of the cost factor.
The Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad also offers many special events. They host a train ride for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Grandparent’s day, as well as Veteran’s/Military Appreciation Day. They also have the traditional holiday trains for Easter and Christmas, with the occasional “half–holiday” of Christmas in July. There are also adult only events throughout the season where the railroad pairs with local vendors to host Wine Tasting Trains and Taps on Tracks, as well as the ever popular Murder Mystery Dinners. The last few years they have also been partnering with Benson Memorial Library in Titusville and hosting a Story Time Saturday, where they have a car to themselves and are able to have their children’s librarian read train related stories while they travel the tracks of history.
As always, there is a big wish list of projects and improvements to be made, not only to the passenger cars, but the various depots along the track; and there is always room for new ideas. This year’s projects will include upgrades to the audio system and improvements to the depot at Perry Street Station. The Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad will try hard to work around a very busy schedule that runs from June 14 to Oct. 17 to make those changes.
In 2024, they were able to host over 21,000 passengers from all over the United States, Canada, as well as England, Australia and many other countries. One of the biggest draws for the Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad is that they are home to the only operating Railway Post Office car in the continental United States. Passengers are able to purchase a post card and stamp and drop their card into the mailbox on the train, and in a couple of weeks, their card should arrive on the desired doorstep with a very unique postal cancelation stamp that states OC&T RPO.
The railroad’s recently released 2025 schedule can be found on their website at octrr.org. Those interested can also follow them on Facebook or feel free to contact them at the office, 814-676-1733. They are happy to help with scheduling questions, volunteer opportunity inquiries and they are always available to do presentations on the Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad.
