Amtrak has more special trains to Black history site in south Valley. At 50% off

The Amtrak Gold Runner will offer special trains once again to a Tulare County spot where Black history was made.

The half-price trips will run Saturday, Oct. 10, to the small state park named for Col. Allen Allensworth. He co-founded a town there in 1908 with hopes that it would be a center for Black business, education and culture. It faded within two decades after losing its water supply and regular train depot.

The event, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., is the annual “rededication” of the state park. This happens to be the 50th anniversary of its 1976 creation.

Amtrak sets up a temporary platform for such events, including Juneteenth and the birthday of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Upward of 500 people have ridden on a single day.

Everyone booking an Oct. 10 ticket will get 50% off the regular fare. Riders then can apply Amtrak’s regular discounts for children, seniors, veterans and people with disabilities.

Several trains from the north and south will stop in Allensworth before and during the observance, then return afterward. Detailed timetables and other information are at goldrunner.com. The system has Thruway buses that connect with much of California.

The Gold Runner has five daily round trips between Bakersfield and Oakland two that branch at Stockton to Sacramento. Other stations include Lodi, Modesto, Denair, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Hanford, Corcoran and Wasco.

Event will have food vendors, building tours and more

Admission to the event is free for train passengers. It will feature historical reenactments, tours of old buildings, square dancing, arts and crafts, and food vendors.

People traveling by car can take Highway 99 south to Fresno, then Highway 43 to the park. They will pay $10 for the event and $20 to $30 for overnight camping.

The train discounts are even more enticing amid this year’s spike in fuel prices, park interpreter Lori Wear said in a news release.

“With the cost of driving going up, the train gives families an affordable way to get here, and that matters for a park that belongs to all Californians,” she said.

Town’s namesake rose from slavery to Army officer

Allen Allensworth was born into slavery in Kentucky in 1842. He escaped by joining the Union Army during the Civil War. Allensworth went on to become a chaplain for Black troops, including the famed Buffalo Soldiers in the cavalry. He was the highest-ranking Black soldier upon his retirement.

Allensworth toured as a public speaker about his hopes for Black advancement. He was at a Pasadena stop when he and a few other leaders got the idea for the town.

The park today has a few old homes, including the colonel’s, along with a schoolhouse, barber shop and church. The state has allotted $40 million for a new visitor center, which could be ready by 2029, and other upgrades. Money also has been raised by the Friends of Allensworth.

California State Parks partners on the trains with the San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority, which oversees the Gold Runner.