Tourist trains: trap or treasure?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Not really much of a question, there. I think they’re awesome.

An outgrowth of my worsening trainitis is my family’s yearly outing to a heritage steam train thingy. We visit a different one each time. You know the drill: ride the train, make toot toot noises, buy an esoteric hat. It’s become something of a ritual for us.

My favourite remains my first. When I was about twelve and travelling with my parents, we stopped on a whim at the Forest Discovery Centre in Duncan BC. Dad greased a palm or two and I ended up riding in the cab of ol’ Samson. To this day it remains one of my fondest memories. Oh, and there was a museum or something near the train.

Cass Scenic and Cumbres and Toltec are already on my bucket list. Favourites? Suggestions? Ideas what makes one more successful than another?

Stu

2

I’ve been on several and two are at the top of my list.

For “real” narrow gauge mountain railroading, the Cumbres & Toltec can’t be beat.

For glamour and scenery, the Durango & Silverton is the top of my list.

3

You can only be trapped if you chose to be trapped

I have ridden the Strassburg RR in PA twice and enjoyed the ride both times.

Other trains I have ridden that might be considered traps are the Dole Plantation train ride in Oauhu the Walt Disney World Train and one other plantation train in Hawaii.

4

Not sure you can call it a tourist train but a ride up Mt Washington in New Hampshire on a cog railroad in front of a little steamer was quite nice.They have diesels now also but I like the little steamer.

The engine stays a couple of feet away on the way down and the brakeman uses two hand wheels for braking.

The Essex Steam train and Riverboat ride is a nice experince. In Ct.

Strasburg is nice also about five miles one way as I recall.

Google, train rides in New Hamshire. I know there is one in Conway. I rode it few years ago. Dinner train. Very scenic.

Rich

5

I visited Hawaii in 2008 and went to the plantation, unfortunately the train ride was down for repairs.

6

The only Trap I know of today is Amtrak.

Rich

7

We have enjoyed the Strasburg Railroad a couple of times. Our favorite though is the Great Smokey Mountain Railroad. We have been there twice & the Nantahala Gorge Excursion in the fall is simply gorgeous. The ride from Bryson City to Dillsbore is nothing to sneeze at either. There are a couple of others that might not be as long or as scenic as the above, but I liked them anyways.

8

I’ll second Mobileman44, I’ve been on both several times and there is nothing like riding up the Animus River in late June and being snowed on at Silverton.

My youngest daughter found out what “Smoke & Cinders” was all about on one ride.

Mel

Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951

My Model Railroad
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

9

I stumbled on a railfan trip at Cass. Multiple stops for photo run bys and we all got ride in the loco cab. Shoveling coal was like looking into the fires of hell. I think it was either arranged by Pro Custom Hobbies or maybe I picked up a flier there. We stayed at the “company” homes in town Sheldon will remember that store, which still exists but has moved 20 miles or so NW of Baltimore. under new management.

I am going to catch the fall leave in Durango this year. I hope Mr Saez (Saez Sash and Door) is still a docent at the shops. He was the Southern Pacific photographer and has some great photos for sale.

10

Haven’t been there. But I have been to the White Pass and Yukon and think it would come close.

https://wpyr.com/

11

All people have to do is Google the tourist train name. You will get their website loads of links and discussions.

Any place worth anything today has a website. Most people cannot wait to offer opinions, good or not so good.

Rich

12

Surprisingly, one of the best I’ve been on is the park railroad in Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, TN. The engine is an ex-Yukon and White Pass 2-8-2 and it really works hard to get the train to the top of the run. Lots of wheel slip and black smoke out the stack.

Greg

13

I have not been on any yet. I would like to go to the fillmore railroad one in Fillmore CA and i Would like to do the Verde Canyon Railroad and the Grand Canyon one.

14

A little ways away from you, bakerboy, but i hear Roaring Camp is something to see.

Stu

15

The Dole plantion train is a complete joke. It is a cheap “tourist” train, not a real historical train. The Hawaiian Railway Society out in Ewa operates old Navy diesel electric locomotives on the old line between Pearl Harbor and Lualualei. They have two running 45 ton Whitcomb locomotives and are working on a 65 ton Whitcomb. They also have a variety of steam locomotives and other rolling stock, including an old Oahu RR business car that they sometimes use. It is very interesting to note that the Navy’s 3 foot narrow gauge was extensively used for the construction of Pearl Harbor and the operation of the base which reached its peak after WWII. However the Navy went to using trucks and ceased rail operations in 1972. The Hawaiian Railway Society has what is left of the equipment that stayed on the island.

16

Well, living my whole life less than 1-1/2 hours from Strasbug, I have been there nearly as many times as my age of 59. The line originally chartered in 1832, was revived as a tourist line in 1958, when I was just a baby. My parents took me there numerious times as a child, just as I have taken my children and grand children there.

While it is a slow and short ride, it is full of history and action. During the busy summer months, trains run every half hour all day long, two seperate trains that pass each other during the trip - both steam powered.

It is claimed to be the last remaining place were two steam trains pass each other on a regularly published schedule - at least in North America.

I’ve been on a few of the others listed, and would like to get back to some of them as well as some others.

But Strasburg will always be one of my favorites because it is all right there:

Charming ride in actual restored turn of the century open platform wood coaches.

Pennsylvanna State Railroad Museum

Working shop tours - their shops do work for many tourist lines and museums around the country

Sleep in a caboose, at the Red Caboose Motel

Toy Train Museum

Choo Choo Barn O gauge layout

and more…

Strasburg is open every day of the week, all day long, for most of the year. Special events like Thomas (they created the first full size Thomas), and dinner trains, wine trains, etc.

Strasburg is also still a common carrier railroad, moving freight with steam and acting as a team track spur line off the NS.

It really is more than just a train ride.

Sheldon

17

The Sugar Cane Train on Maui?

Mt Washington Cog Railway http://thecog.com/

Conway Scenic railroad http://conwayscenic.com/

I can name 4 or 5 more in Maine. The important thing in my mind is they are preserving some important pieces of history that otherwise would have been turned into scrap metal and lost forever. The only way they can survive is from the money tourists spend for the ride, in the gift shop, and on whatever special events the organization can put on during the season. I know because I volunteer with the model rr group at the Boothbay Railway Village and a member of the board of directors.

18

I’ll “third” mobilman44 and Mel on the C&TSR and D&S and add the Georgetown Loop Railroad.

Ray

19

Another one to consider if any of you every get to Montana is the Charlie Russell Choo Chew http://www.montanadinnertrain.com/. I had the opportunity to take this train many years ago and it has inspired part of a planned expansion for my own layout.

20

Living near Cass and Elkins WV. We have a treasure trove of Tourist Railroads in the area. Cass is Great.