Re: Visiting Knotts Berry Farm railroad

The Knotts guys were probably the first theme park to offer a shop tour of their railroad, which I believe was being done on a Tues. or Weds. A general park admission should be required for this as well. Since they do not exist as a tourist railroad and the steam trains are far from their biggest cash cow, a full-price admission is the way you'll have to go if you want to see the trains.
The park is unique in the aspect that it serves as a sort of living history museum in addition to providing the modern intense thrills that the parks need to keep pumping in to compete and stay afloat. Disney's "Frontierland" down the road is replicated, Knotts' "Ghost Town" is real (more or less)!
I also will second that Knotts offered one of the overall best park experiences (even to Disney in my opinion, given the circumstances) around. The employees have always been some of the most courteous and hospitable of any theme park. There is also a 2' steam operation, albeit a Crown, though I'm not sure if it has been put back into service as the tracks (as well as the historic Church of Reflections) were torn up to make way for the "Silver Bullet" coaster.
This is not your ordinary amusement park, and is well worth whatever admission they are charging these days. You can also fill your stomach for about a year with a chicken dinner at Mrs. Knotts, which is a must for most return visitors to the park.