on tourist trains ❖
jim wrinn
All Aboard for Nostalgia MORE THAN 600 U.S. TOURIST railroads and museums offer travelers the chance to ride into history, explore the country’s most scenic locations, and get in touch with the men and machines that made America. Scattered across the nation, tourist railroads and museums direct riders and visitors to the nation’s railway heritage. These venues showcase some of the country’s most incredible and unspoiled vistas via steam- or diesel-powered trains. With more than 30 dinner trains, from Rhode Island’s scenic Narragansett Bay to California’s Napa Valley, travelers have the opportunity to ride the rails and dine in splendor with a five-course, gourmet dinner or enjoy a hobo lunch. Museums provide the chance to step into historic buildings, view luxurious private cars or climb on board some of the largest steam locomotives to tackle the Sierra Mountains. Tourist railroads and museums have proliferated over the last 50 years as U.S. railroads scaled back their operations in the automobile age, leaving behind little-used rail lines and a bounty of locomotives and cars for use on these routes. That means that more opportunities than ever are available to take a train trip in more parts of the country. SHORT HOPS, LONG HAULS Trips vary in their mileage and duration. Some, like Arizona’s Grand Canyon Railroad, which provides a hassle-free option to the South Rim for a few hours, are all-day outings. Others, like Pennsylvania’s Strasburg Rail Road, which gives riders a trip through the Amish country24 June 2009
side, provide shorter journeys of less than an hour or up to a half day. While many trains are hauled by vintage diesel locomotives, some still find propulsion from one of the 190 or so wood-, coal- or oil-burning steam locomotives still in operation today. Almost all trains use vintage coaches,
Scenic, and Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge railroads are all wondrous for their Rocky Mountain views. Utah’s Promontory Summit, a National Park Service site, where the first transcontinental railroad was joined in 1869 on the northern edge of the Great Salt Lake.
Vintage locomotives transport groups back to the golden age of railroading. but some use open-sided or roofless cars for unobstructed views. In some cases, glass-domed, extra-fare sightseeing cars or luxurious private cars can be booked. Some of the most popular tourist railroads and museums are: New Hampshire’s Mount Washington Cog Railway, which scales the 6,288-foot peak on ladder-like tracks. Pennsylvania’s Railroader’s Memorial Museum in Altoona, one of the best interpretive museums of its kind, in the city where the Pennsylvania Railroad employed more than 10,000 to keep the trains running. West Virginia’s Cass Scenic Railroad, where geared steam locomotives travel to the second highest peak in the state. Minnesota’s North Shore Scenic Railroad, which provides views of Lake Superior and the northwoods. It starts from the excellent Lake Superior Railroad Museum. Colorado’s Georgetown Loop, Cumbres & Toltec Scenic, Rio Grande
Sacramento’s California State Railroad Museum, which tells the story of how railroading shaped the Golden State. California’s Roaring Camp & Big Trees Narrow Gauge Railroad near Santa Cruz, where steam trains pierce the redwood forest. Alaska’s White Pass & Yukon, which starts at the sea and climbs into the glacier-covered mountains. Group tour planners with advance reservations are welcome at tourist railroads and museums, and these venues often provide a group discount as well as an exclusive coach or private guided tour. All it takes is a phone call or e-mail to the railroad or museum’s marketing director or visitor services coordinator to set it up. Once that call is made, the tracks await and a railroading adventure is just around the next bend. Jim Wrinn is editor of Trains magazine, the nation’s most popular railroad magazine. It is published by Kalmbach Publishing Co., of Waukesha, Wis. (kalmbach.com). The company’s line of railroad books includes Tourist Trains Guidebook. LeisureGroupTravel.com
railroading ❖ randy mink
B
ACK IN THE LATE 1800S AND WELL INTO the 20th century, train whistles echoed across the land, swaying cars clickety-clacked along the tracks and mighty “iron horses” belched billowing puffs of steam that hovered over the countryside. The rail depot was a beehive of activity, and every boy dreamed of becoming a train engineer. Even in this age of airplanes and automobiles, travelers can sample the golden days of railroading by taking a short excursion on one of America’s many tourist trains. Pulled by old-fashioned steam or early diesel engines, these relics of our past have been lovingly restored by rail buffs and historical groups dedicated to preserving the nation’s colorful railroad heritage. Trips ranging from 45 minutes to five hours give passengers a chance to relax and feel the rhythm of the rails as they slip back in time. For older folks, a hankering for the good old days is a chief draw. Adults should not hesitate to bring along the kids because most children are fascinated by trains. For everyone, it’s a real adventure to pass through unspoiled mountains, forests and farmlands, minus commercial development. Scenic trains are equipped with vintage coach cars, some authentically appointed with antique furnishings. Your train might have an open-air observation car or a club car that serves snacks. Another treat is having a dinner in the diner. The meal is the main deal on moving restaurants like the Napa Valley Wine Train and Montana’s Charlie Russell Chew-Choo Dinner Train. Narration, musical entertainment and costumed folks in period garb are part of the experience on some excursion trains. Many trips depart from historic rail depots that offer museum exhibits and plenty of souvenirs. An excellent resource for tour planners is Tourist Trains Guidebook (Kalmbach Books, $19.95). Written by the staff and contributors of Trains magazine, the 304-page, full-color guide describes 175 leading excursion trains and railroad museums in the United States and Canada. In addition, there are shorter listings for 270 other attractions, including dinner trains, trolleys and historic depots. To obtain a copy of the brand new second edition, call 800-533-6644 or visit kalmbach.com/books. It’s hard not to feel happy, carefree and a bit nostalgic whenever you board a train, your magic carpet to good times. Following is a sampling of trains that welcome groups: LeisureGroupTravel.com
A M E R I C A’ S
SCENIC TRAINS
Great Smoky Mountains Railroad
Old Road Dinner Train Enjoy classic dining on North America’s longest-operating dinner train, which makes roundtrips on weekends from Blissfield and Charlotte in Southeast Michigan. Join us for our Murder Mystery Dinner Train, where you’ll be served a five-course dinner while performers involve you in comical murderous events filled with intrigue, excitement, music and laughter. Who knows, you may be the unfortunate victim of their devious plot! On the country’s only five-star dinner train, all tables seat four guests and are elegantly appointed with white linens, crystal and china. Blissfield is 20 minutes northwest or Toledo. Charlotte is 15 minutes southwest of Lansing. (888-467-2451, www.murdermysterytrain.com) June 2009 25
railroading ❖ Great Smoky Mountains Railroad
Texas State Railroad A must on your next group tour is to visit the Texas State Railroad, est. 1881. The Texas State Railroad is the “Official Railroad of Texas” and is truly a “Texas Treasure.”This historic railroad offers steam and diesel train excursions year-round that travel through the scenic piney woods of East Texas. Passengers will enjoy a relaxing train excursion onboard passenger cars built in the early 1920s. Depart from the beautiful Victorianstyle depots located in Palestine and Rusk, Texas. Special excursions to the 1890s Maydelle turntable or the Jarvis Wye are great for groups! Visit www.TexasStateRR.com for more information or call 1-888-987-2461 to book your group today!
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All aboard for rail adventure! With the romance and mystique of an era gone by, the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad takes you through a remote corner of Western North Carolina into river gorges, across fertile valleys and through tunnels carved out of mountains. You may choose from a variety of excursions departing from our Bryson City, N.C. depot, including a Raft & Rail combination, the Mystery Theatre Dinner trains or one of our many Special Events. Enjoy warm summer breezes or crisp fall air while taking in the panoramic views from your open car, or upgrade to the adults’ club car and savor muffins and fresh fruit on the outbound trip along with a champagne toast on your return, all while enjoying the beautiful scenery the Western North Carolina Mountains offer – the very elements that create a happy group and memories of a great trip. (800-872-4681, www.gsmr.com)
LeisureGroupTravel.com
Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad The Rocky Mountains and San Juan National Forest of Southwest Colorado provide awesome vistas for passengers traveling the 45-mile stretch between Durango and Silverton. Marvel at the rugged Animas River Gorge from 350 feet above the water. Dating back to 1882, the line was designed to haul gold and silver ore. Guests have two hours to eat lunch and look around the old mining town of Silverton and the depot’s freight yard museum before heading back to Durango, a colorful place chockful of restaurants, shops and art galleries. Coal-fired steam locomotives stop to replenish their water supply on each leg of the trip. Rides are especially scenic in September, when the aspens glow bright yellow. Four classes of service are available, with the Presidential Class offering historic private cars with a large outdoor viewing platform. (877-872-4607, www.durangotrain.com)
Maine Eastern Railroad Your groups will love the Maine Train! And we love buses! Maine Eastern Railroad is a passenger excursion train with roundtrip service between Brunswick and Rockland. With
stops in Bath and Wiscasset, Maine Eastern passengers ride in comfort and style in fully restored, climate-controlled, Art Deco vintage railroad coaches. There are 33 bridges and trestles, more than 100 curves and an unlimited amount of wildlife scenery, woods and water views in the 57-mile trip. Take the oneway and let the bus chase the train, or go roundtrip and give the driver a break for a few hours. A rolling museum, the Maine Eastern is perfect for seniors looking for scenic nostalgia, and active adults and students who missed out on the train travel experience. Just a short drive from almost anywhere in the state, the Maine Eastern will take your groups for a ride that will keep them talking for years to come. Call 866-637-2457 or visit www.maineeasternrailroad.com. LGT