Next on the List: Train Rides

[magnusfide]

For the next couple of years we're going to try to do the train rides near our destinations. One on the list will be the the Hiwassee Loop train ride out of Etowah, TN during our trip to the Chattanooga area.

On a different trip we'll stay at Pegasus Farm Campground and take the the Durbin and Greenbrier Valley RR out of Elkins, WV.

Any other one day RR excursions that you've enjoyed and would suggest?

[CALandLIN]

Train Ride.

We stayed at Whit's End CG.

We stayed here.

[CharlesinGA]

All of the others I am familiar with have been mentioned at least once so I won't repeat them, I did not see either of these mentioned (pardon me if they have been)

Blue Ridge Georgia Scenic Railroad, from Blue Ridge, GA to McCaysville, GA/Copperhill, TN

http://www.brscenic.com/

Georgia SAM short line RR that runs from Cordele, the GA Veterans State Park to Plains and Americus.

https://samshortline.com/

Charles

[justlou]

Agawa Canyon out of Sault Ste. Marie is a 114 mile one way day trip into the Canadian Wilderness. Well worth the trip.

[fanrgs]

In October of 2016, I led our car club on a trip to Chama, NM. We rode in a 1934 Galloping Goose railcar from Chama to Cumbres Pass and back through the most gorgeous aspen I have ever seen. The C&TS RR and the Galloping Goose Historical Society run this trip every fall and it is worth every penny!

[jaycocamprs]

SAM short line form Cordele GA to Plains. Train makes a stop and picks up at GA Veterans State Park. Worth a ride if you are spending time in the area.

[Padlin]

You'd think someone would have come up with a website of all the active tourist trains in North America, best I can find is the Top 10, or similar.

[edm3rd]

BB_TX wrote:
I definitely recommend the Cumbres & Toltec Steam Railroad. You ride the train one way and a bus the other. I recommend the train from Antonito to Chama and the bus back. That direction you start in the high arid desert like area and climb into and thru the mountain passes, gorges, and high alpine meadows, before descending in Chama. Going out on the open air car is great for picture taking.

You can also ride from either end to the midpoint (Ozier) and return via train rather than the bus. BTW, the food at Ozier is excellent!

[rr2254545]

Agawa Canyon Tour Train Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada - right over the border from Michigan - Breakfast on the train is included - great trip

[D_E_Bishop]

We had a fantastic ride about 5 or 6 years ago, we, read that as ME and 4 women, spent a few days at Chena Hot Springs doing some Aurora watching and then the AK RR from Fairbanks to Anchorage. That was more exciting than the Trans- Siberian RR. They have full service parlor car and they open one side of the baggage car and allow you to go back there and take photos or just watch the critters and scenery. They even put out folding chairs in the baggage car. It's a White Flag train and also delivers the Sunday paper to couple of 80+ years on their homestead miles from any other folks.

We not only stopped to let a family of four off in a snow field so they could do some back country snow camping, we picked up a group of about 6 or 8 twenty somethings who had been out camping.

Stopped in Denali and took a lot of photos of this big mountain covered in snow but without is normal cloud cover.

This past fall we took the White Pass and Yucon Route tourist train. Really a cool trip. Much better than driving it in the MoHo. I did get this shot of Big Foot.



I'm trying to get the DW interested in Verde Valley and seeing as how we're heading that way next week...

[ken56]

Smoky Mountain Railway out of Bryson city NC

[Isaac-1]

I just wanted to add the Texas State Railroad in Rusk, Texas to the list though I have not been on it since it was privatized a few years ago. There is even an RV campground at the Rusk end of the line at the former state park by the Rusk depot. I do have my concerns about the large number of family theme excursions since privatization, it seems most trips are now Easter or Polar Express themed.

[gbopp]

Jim Thorpe PA
Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad

[Rover_Bill]

Dave2001 wrote:
Cass Scenic Railroad is about 50 miles from your campground. Great ride up the mountain using shay locomotives. Definitely a good day trip.

X2 IMHO, this is the best train ride on the east coast! Their coal fired steam locomotives zig-zag up the side of a mountain and you ride in open air cars. The view is awesome especially in the fall when the leaves start changing color. If you book ahead, you may be able to stay overnight in a real caboose on top of Bald Knob.

Bald Knob

Video

[htss]

1880 train connects Keystone, SD and Hill City, SD. It is a fun ride.
https://www.1880train.com/