In the next few months, many of us just might have some time to take a ride on one of the many tourist railroads throughout this country. What ride near you do you consider the best? [?]
Here is a photo of the Cass Scenic Railroad in West Virginia that I consider the best train ride in our area of the country. Century old Shay locomotives climb the mountains through the switchbacks.
Buckeye, how about that Kinzoo RR over in Pa.? I had planned on going there, but I think Tom said the trestle blew down. Is that RR all done with now? They were supposed to have a steam eng. from China there. Do you have any pics. of it? Also, there is the Oil Creek & Titusville RR In Pa. too. At the site of the Drake oil well, the first oil well in the US, I think. Thanks, John
John, The one you are refering to is the Knox and Kane RR which went over the Kinsua Viaduc. The train ride is still there, but not over the viaduc, that part is now gone and history
Here is what it used to look like. This was when I took the ride
The best one of the four that we did last year was the Cumbres-Toltec in SW Colorado. Absolutely awesome. Other very good trips are the Durango/Silverton and Royal Gorge, all three in CO. A fun short ride is the Boone Scenic RR in Boone, IA–authentic Chinese steamer on the weekends through the fall. Never met a train ride I didn’t like[:)]
Its a really scenic ride through the catskill mountains on the old D & H tracks with a vintage D & H alco locomotive as the motive power. They also have a fairly large yard with early NYC rolling stock, passenger cars, and even a NYC dock side switcher being rebuilt. If your in that area, I would recommend checking it out.
The best place I’ve been is the Illinois Railway Museum, about an hour from Chicago. They have the Zepher, a steam train, and several interurbans and streetcars running. (on weekends anyhow). In addition to all that , they have a few dozen “engine houses” with static displays of just about everything; including a North Shore Electroliner! (What a train!)
I’ve been to several rail excursions in the midwest, and a few elsewhere. What sets this place off from the rest is the static displays. I’m sure I haven’t seen everything there, and I’ve spent quite a few full (6+ hours) days there in the past 5 years.
If you’re considering a trip to the IRM, I’d recommend calling first to make sure that everything that is supposed to be running will be running. And my experiece is to avoid the place when Thomas the Tank Engine is in town. Too many people crowding up the place when he’s there, plus they charge more (no children’s rates, and no discounts; well three years ago anyhow?)
For a REAL ride, try Amtrak’s Adirondak between New York’s Pennsylvania Station and Montreal.
You’ll want to sit on the West side of the train between New York and Saratoga Springs to get that classic “North By NorthWest” view of the Hudson River at 80mph, and then switch to a seat on the East side of the train as she hugs the rock cliffs over Lake Champlain all the way to Plattsburgh.
New Hampshire seems to have an inordinate amount of vintage trains and scenic railways. My favorite is the Conway Scenic Railway (see link below). They offer several different excursions, but the most spectacular is the one through Crawford Notch.
From their web site:
“ON THE NOTCH TRAIN, you’ll enjoy some of the finest natural scenery in the East as you travel through spectacular Crawford Notch - past sheer bluffs, steep ravines, cascading brooks and streams, panoramic mountain vistas, and across the famed Frankenstein Trestle and Willey Brook Bridge - enroute to Crawford Depot or Fabyan Station. One of the premier scenic train rides in the East, the Crawford Notch excursion allows you the opportunity to relive a legend written in the annals of railroad history, when the first train traveled through Crawford Notch over 130 years ago. Live commentary includes history and folklore of the railroad and area, as well as points of interest.”
This ride is nothing short of spectacular in the autumn!
The Cog Railway, also in New Hampshire, is another fascinating ride, which starts at the base of Mt. Washington, the highest peak in New England, and climbs to the summit. Quite often, the weather you experience at the base is entirely different from what awaits you at the summit.
We went to Duluth Minnesota last year for a wedding and we took the North Shore Scenic Railroad’s Dominos Pizza train. It runs along the shores of Lake Superior and goes 17 miles north and then returns the same way. We left at 6:30 and returned about 9pm. It was neat coming back into town with all the city lights on. They have a refreshment car you can ride in and look out the open doors (gated so you don’t fall out). The funny thing about the trip was when we stopped about 10 minutes into the ride so the Dominos guy could deliver the pizza!
They have a nice railroad museum with many different pieces of equipment to look at. They also have an actual cab from a Wisconsin Central SD45 setup as a simulator that has actual footage along some of their trackage, they let you blow the horn, sound the bell and accelerate, decelerate, etc. For $3 you get 15 minutes of simulator time. My son loved it - we had to do it 3 times, by the end I didn’t need the computer screen to tell me when to blow the horn, I could see the “W” signs in the video footage.
Duluth also is home to an arial lift bridge, a very nice aquirium, a nice maritime museum and one of the busiest shipping ports in the country. We saw many 1000 foot ships coming and going when we were there.
Last night I watched “Railroads of the West” on PBS. Mostly about narrow gauge and short-line railroads in Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico. Some really nice tourist trains operating out there: Silverton & Telluride, Georgetown Loop RR, Nevada Northern, etc. The rides ranged from simple open coaches with wooden benches to dinner trains with five course meals.
You didn’t say WHAT country … so I’d recommend VIA Rail’s “Canadian” from Toronto to Vancouver and return. Six days and nights aboard a great train from the '50’s … Budd stainless steel cars - domes - real diner, etc. Just gotta love it.[:D]
A less expensive trip is VIA Rail’s “Ocean” between Montreal and Halifax. Just be sure to ASK when the Budd cars are on line … they are in a transition period between Renaissance (“Euro”) equipment and the older Budd beauties. As a matter of fact, I’ll be taking TWO round trips in May along that route … Just gotta love it (also)![:D]
By the way … how in the world did this wind up on “Toy Trains”?
Hey all Ridden this train 3 times now still did not see everything, they have a photo tour in the winter well worth going for http://www.durangotrain.com/
Dog gonnit; the best train ride in the world is the VRE, where you can see a sunrise from the bug-spattered engineer’s window and ride nice and cozy with sweaty passenger, and see scenes of trash out the window.
I recently rode the Oil Creek and Titusville RR. It was a cold day last fall so folks were rather huddled up. Some cars had heat so it wasn’t too bad. They have one car where you can ride outside which was nice for a whole different way of seeing and hearing everything. I would have enjoyed it more with warmer weather. This year we plan to ride our bikes one way on the paved path through the woods (about 12 miles) and ride the train back.
At the Oil City end they now have about 25 - 30 cabooses all set up like a hotel. I think they were supposed to open this spring.
I’ll second that one! I’m going to be riding the Canadian this summer. I’m not going the whole route, unfortunately, just from Edmonton to Winnipeg, but nevertheless, it is one fantastic train ride, no matter how far you go on it. It is really the last true streamliner left in North America. This month, the train celebrated its 50th anniversary.
As for tourist railroads, if you’re ever out this way, I would highy recommend the Prairie Dog Central. It takes you on an 18 mile run from Winnipeg northwest to Warren, Manitoba and back. You ride in vintge wooden passenger cars and are pulled by an 1882 4-4-0! They also have a GP9 and an S3, which are sometimes used when the 4-4-0 can’t be. See www.pdcrailway.com
tschmidt ; Yes, I heard they had cabooses for hotels there. I used to go to Oil City when it was still Conrail & rerail & repair cars. I think they have box lunches, also. Oil City is a nice old fashion town & so is Franklin. The train goes right in front of McDonalds door in Franklin!! Great place to go, maybe I will try to get there this year! Thanks, John
