2025 Rail Photo Contest Winners

Our 5th Annual SMVRR Photo Contest has been completed. Congratulations to the winners of this years contest! Thanks to everyone who submitted photos!

The winning photos will be showcased in the Friends Winter January 2026 Newsletter. Honorable Mention photo winners will be included in the railroads 2026 calendar.

Our 2025 Winners

Santa Maria Valley Railroad


    First - Alex Gillman.

    Second - John Roskoski.

    Third - Alex Gillman.

    Third - Christian Schultz.

UP Manifest Freight Trains Serving the Santa Maria Valley Railroad


    First - Christian Schultz.

    Second - Christian Schultz.

    Third - Steven James.

    Third - Alex Gillman.

UP Serving SMVRR taken by Drone


    First - Alex Gillman.

    Second - Alex Gillman.

SMVRR taken by Drone


    First - Christian Schultz.

    Second - Christian Schultz.


2026 Photo Contest Kickoff

And now that the 2025 Photo Contest is over, you can begin working on your entries for the 2026 Photo Contest. Categories for the 2026 contest will once again be the Santa Maria Valley Railroad, UPRR Manifest Freight Trains Serving the SMVRR, and Drone photos of both SMVRR or the UPRR serving the SMVRR. The deadline for the 2026 contest will be October 1, 2026. In addition to first, second and third place in the two categories, submissions may be selected for the Railroad's 2026 Calendar.