western train tours

5 Top Train Trips for Exploring the West

Article By: Ralph Spielman

Simplify your family vacation planning with these five top train trips for exploring America’s Western states. Each of these rail travel adventures are sure to make for interesting family travels.

What could be simpler than train travel? No driving worries, strange motels, bad food, security checks, airport hassles or cramped seating afflict those who experience about long distance travel by train. Flights are much faster, true. Train trips, howevr, are much more immersive. Picture travel at eight feet or 12 feet above the ground versus 35,000 feet and, it’s not as bumpy.

Were your kids cooped up at home during the pandemic? Hopefully, they practiced online learning skills and hung around the virtual Amtrak Activity Center ? It’s time to introduce them to train travel and the fun of moving around train cars.

Heading Out on Amtrak’s Western Train Trips

As an avid train traveler and vacation-lover, I want to share a few of my favorite longer train trips. They are out West and suitable family travel fun, filled with history, geography and the natural sciences.

They’re all operated by Amtrak. America’s national rail operator runs 21,000 route miles in 46 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian provinces. Did you know that Amtrak operates more than 300 trains each day to more than 500 destinations? ?

If that sounds daunting, there are travel agents who specialize in rail travel. Alternatively, consult with Amtrak Vacations , the railroad’s official tour operator. Let’s look at my top five train trips for exploring the Western U.S. plan ahead for future journeys.

What Makes These Western Train Trips Memorable

Any train travel offers great sightseeing out the windows. As a bonus, these trains also make servicing stops. Stops range from five minutes to an hour and allow passengers a chance to get off the train and walk around a new station a little.

There’s no special responsibility weighing on the driver – that’s someone else’s job so your family can relax together. All of the Amtrak trains noted offer reasonably comfortable seats and meal services, with a selection of food, snacks and drinks for the duration of the trip. Vegan and vegetarian alternatives are also available.

One item to remember is train timekeeping is not always exemplary; on all these runs, Amtrak owns or shares track with host freight-carrying railroads. These “landlords” may be bent on putting their freight train in front of yours. Expect possible delays.

Keeping Everyone Busy When They’re All Aboard!

Another item worth remembering is that WiFi is not generally available on these trains, but some of the larger stations should have it. Given the lengths of these suggested trips, you might want to bring favored snacks and games (both board and electronic games).

Unlike flying, there are a lot of toilets to choose from and strollers are free to carry on. Many stations on Western train trips offer advanced boarding for families with young children. If you are traveling in a sleeping car, the showers on-board can be a big help, with big towels supplied by Amtrak.

And even if your kids don’t belong to Greta Thunberg’s Kids Rights movement, they surely know that rail travel is much more environmentally friendly than CO2-burning road and air transport.

What’s Special about Overnight Amtrak train trips in the U.S.?

This author has had occasion to travel overnight in long-distance coaches, where every seat is comparable to an international business class airline seat. It is, surprisingly, better than you might think, relatively quiet at night and very affordable for families. The long-distance rail cars are built for the job and big windows on each side afford some fantastic views of scenic areas.

Why go West? Sleek double-decker trains carry everyone in quiet luxury with longer horizons and large windows for better viewing. When you alight at a service stop and look down the length of the train, both the length and height of your rolling home combine to make it seem like a linear apartment building. These rolling behemoths stretch more than three city blocks in length.

If your budget can afford it, the way to travel is in a sleeping car on the runs west of Chicago.

Special Facilities & Amenities on Western Train Trips

The sleeping car first appeared in the 1850s and, for my money, is the most unique way to travel anywhere in the world, especially in that part of our nation. These Western trains travel from Chicago and New Orleans to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Oregon and Seattle.

Each two-level Western train offers an upper-level dining car with tableside meals, and an upper-level sightseer cafe/lounge car, with floor to ceiling windows to ensure memories and incredible photos. Chances are, either sleeping car or coach, your accommodation will be on the upper level with its own amazing views.

Western Long Haul Train Trips with Sleeper Cars

The gamut of overnight Western rail trip offerings starts at a lower-level, full-width family room, suitable for as many as four family members! Other accommodations offered are a cozy roomette, suitable for two in upper and lower berths and deluxe double bedrooms, suitable for up to three people, equipped with an ensuite shower, sink and toilet.

Accessible rooms are suitable for physically challenged travelers plus a companion. Showers are available for all sleeping car passengers.

While there are roomettes on both levels, the family and accessible rooms are on the lower level. Double bedrooms, the premium accommodation, are strictly on the upper level, and offer amazing views.

Favorite Amtrak Stations in the West: Albuquerque, Denver, Fort Worth

Servicing stops in places like Albuquerque, New Mexico; Denver, Colorado; and Fort Worth, Texas afford breaks in the ride. The whole family has a chance to take leg-stretching platform walks and witness the activity at the station.

Albuquerque even offers opportunities to purchase Native American handicrafts during the stop the Southwest Chief makes there.

I’ve tried to describe westward journeys in most cases to give everyone a longer day as you chase the sun on its westward journey. Let’s hop aboard each one for a look at their respective routes.

Have a memorable trip, no matter which train you decide on!

Chicago and New Orleans>Los Angeles; Texas Bayous, Farms and Deserts on the Sunset Limited

With a set of through cars from Chicago joining the New Orleans-originating Sunset Limited in San Antonio, Texas, the southernmost transcontinental Amtrak train travels three times a week in both directions.

Should you depart from New Orleans, the Sunset will whisk you west by way of a 900-mile transit of Texas. Bayous, farms, ranches and desert are all visible on this trip.

Should you book from Chicago or St. Louis to connect with the Sunset Limited , a sleeping car and a coach start on the Texas Eagle , which runs through Little Rock on its way to the San Antonio rendezvous, where both trains join. By the time the sun rises heading west, you are gazing on the farmlands of eastern Texas.

Traveling southwesterly through the state, it takes 16 hours (about the time to drive from New York to Chicago) to go from the Arkansas border to your connecting point.

West from Texas>Los Angeles; Crossing New Mexico on the Sunset Limited

When both parts of the Sunset Limited unite and head west, a New Mexico morning greets passengers. Daylight in New Mexico and Arizona takes the train through what was the Gadsden Purchase, land the U.S. purchased from Mexico to build the very route the train travels on.

The Arizona desert gives way to nocturnal transit of California’s Imperial Valley with an early breakfast arrival at Los Angeles.

Chicago>Los Angeles; From Lake Michigan to the Pacific on the Southwest Chief

While the Texas Chief/Sunset Limited will take you from Chicago to Los Angeles through the desert, the shorter way between those two points is on the daily Southwest Chief , which travels through scenic, largely unpopulated Northern New Mexico during daylight hours in both directions.

You view the High Desert, a riot of reds and browns against a sunny blue sky, through large windows. From an elevation of 600 feet in Chicago, the train climbs to an amazing 7,588 feet above sea level at the Raton Tunnel in Northern New Mexico. This marvel of engineering is the highest point in the Amtrak system.

Fun stops for the family to disembark and tour would be Lamy, New Mexico — a short taxi ride from Santa Fe – and Albuquerque. Flagstaff, Arizona is the gateway to the Grand Canyon. Fullerton, California is close to Disneyland in Anaheim.

Along the way, the friendly crews will be happy to point out attractions of interest; you may just see wild stallions on the range in Southern Colorado! It’s a wonderful way to see the Southwest go by, instead of zooming above it at 500 mph. The thrill of having a leisurely meal while floating through scenic vistas from the flat Illinois plains to the Rocky Mountains? Priceless.

On a Western adventure, a train trip is a lot more real than flying over and more restful than a long drive.

Chicago>San Francisco; Through the Mountains on the San Francisco Zephyr

If Denver, Salt Lake City, or the San Francisco Bay Area are points on your destination horizon, a mid-afternoon departure on the daily California Zephyr makes for perfect family travel to your special destination. It is a spectacular transit between Denver and Salt Lake City in daylight in each direction. There are 44 tunnels through the Rocky Mountains, a 50-mile climb out of Denver and a six-mile long Moffat Tunnel to keep everyone interested in the journey. The views on a clear day from the sightseer lounge car climbing out of Denver on a clear day are breathtaking.

The full trip, at over 2,400 miles, is one of the longest routes Amtrak currently offers. The western end of the line in Emeryville, California is but a short connecting bus ride to San Francisco over San Francisco Bay.

Western Rail Favorite: Northern Crossing; Empire Builder and the Pacific Northwest

The daily Empire Builder offers up the plains of the Midwest, the Rockies and Pacific Northwest forests en route from Chicago to its twin destinations, Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon. The window of your coach or sleeping car room will afford a better than wide screen television 3D view of constantly changing vistas.

Heading West, the trains leave in the afternoon, with second day arrival at the last stop in the late morning. The Eastbound train leaves in the late afternoon, with an arrival in the late afternoon in Chicago on the second day of travel.

Kids will love daylight views of the Northern Rocky Mountains through miles of Montana wilderness, dotted by the occasional small town. If you look closely on the way through Glacier Park, you might just see some mountain goats! On the way to and from Seattle, you will travel through almost eight miles of the Cascade Tunnel, currently the country’s longest railroad tunnel.

These Western Stations Encourage You to Stay Awhile

You might want to make a family friendly detour, perhaps at Glacier National Park, served by stations at East Glacier Park, Essex, West Glacier and Whitefish, all in western Montana. Or, spend an overnight in the Twin Cities, filled with family-friendly museums, restaurant, and cultural events.

If you want a shorter flavor of local culture, a 30-minute stop in Minot, North Dakota; a 25-minute stop in Havre, Montana; or a 20-minute stop in Shelby, Montana; will allow for some daytime platform strolling as your two-level train is serviced. Train time is always busy at these  places, integrating the locals with the travelers arriving at each station. For your budding engineers, there is a large Great Northern Railroad steam engine to glance at as part of the Havre Station.

Please note: the Sunset Limited only runs three days a week in each direction; the other trains run daily.

Ralph’s Train Western Trip Tips

It pays to book your Amtrak tickets in advance online or in person. Young trainfans will probably enjoy a visit to their local station to plan and purchase tickets for their next journey.

Full dining car service is available to both coach and sleeping car passengers on long distance trains. On many trains, the original china and silverware are back in use too.

Coach passengers can purchase food in the cafe car. Full dining car service (plates and linen on the tables) is available to all passengers on the Sunset Limited , the Southwest Chief , San Francisco Zephyr , and the Empire Builder section to Seattle. The Empire Builder section to Portland, Oregonand the Texas Chief offer a lessened meal service for sleeping car passengers.

Get New Amtrak Deals And Learn About New Amtrak Fare Rules

Amtrak introduced a new, simplified fare structure. It’s great news for a few reasons. New Amtrak fares are more flexible and affordable since October 2023. Amtrak has also committed to refunding credit card purchases to the original form of payment, rather than giving you an eVoucher. There are now only two fare types but each has its own rules, so read on.

Amtrak Flex Fares :

These tickets allow maximum flexibility in travel planning.

Flex Fare Rules : Flex Fares are fully refundable if canceled and can be changed without fees before departure . However, buying new tickets will reflect the latest fares. Note that when even deeper discounts are available, these fares will be non-changeable and only 50% will be refunded if canceled.

Amtrak Value Fares :

These tickets are the best value if your dates/travel times are locked.

Value Fare Rules : Take advantage of a these lower-priced tickets. However, travel times and dates are non-changeable. Plus, you only get a 75% refund if canceled.

Take advantage of recent Amtrak Fare improvements you may have missed.

• Ultra-low  “Night Owl” fares , which are as low as $5 – $20 on select Northeast Corridor (NEC) routes.
• Amtrak Guest Rewards  members can now redeem tickets with points on more fare types.
• Revised children’s discount  means all children (2-12 years old) can travel for 50% off with an accompanying adult (previously limited to 1 child discount per adult fare).
• Expanded passenger discounts – such as senior and military –apply to all fares, including sales.
• Book Share Fares , which allow groups of 3-8 people traveling together to receive discounts ranging from 17% to 60%.

Our Next Station?

Please share your feedback in the Comments section below! If you’re interested in more rail travel ideas for tweens, teens and lifelong railfans, let us know.

The last time, I covered my favorite train trips in the East . For our next installment, we will travel up the Pacific Coast from Los Angeles to Seattle, visit Canada for some great across-the-border train trips, and visit a few tourist railroads for some short, family-friendly and truly memorable rides.

Ralph Spielman is a retired Fortune 500 Corporate Travel Administrator, a lifelong train enthusiast, a volunteer docent at Grand Central Terminal and a volunteer at The High Line, both in New York City. He has ridden many trains, large and small in Asia, Europe, North America and Australia.

Dear Reader: This page may contain affiliate links which may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Our independent journalism is not influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative unless it is clearly marked as sponsored content. As travel products change, please be sure to reconfirm all details and stay up to date with current events to ensure a safe and successful trip.

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Western USA train rides roll over the Rockies and onto the Pacific

Find a train ride in the Western USA…

Even before the transcontinental railroad was completed and the Golden Spike driven at Promontory Point, Utah, railroads had already begun to win the west. In particular, mother lodes of gold, silver, and copper had spurred the rapid development of narrow-gauge short lines to shuttle workers to the mines and to haul newly mined ore out. To the north, logging railroads played a similar role, with trains running lumberjacks to deep woods camps and returning laden with timber. As the mines were depleted and forests laid bare, workers and investors left, and so did the trains.

Of course, not all of the old lines failed and, for a time, newer standard gauge main lines were the west’s principal means of travel. It is along segments of those heritage railways that today’s scenic train rides unfold offering up rare glimpses of history and nature, often inaccessible by any other means of travel.

Nowhere in the Western US is the point made more clearly than on a train ride through Colorado. There, in San Juan National Forest mountain country, the award-winning Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad steam train snakes along an isolated river route. To the north, the Royal Gorge Route Railroad follows a precarious route that crosses the unique hanging bridge — a still-stunning 19th century engineering feat. Likewise, the engineering precision that enables both the Georgetown Loop Railroad and Rio Grande Scenic Railroad to overcome steep Rocky Mountain grades.

The Pacific Coast is home to a diversity of heritage railways and scenic train rides.

Best loved are San Francisco’s Cable Cars. The world’s last manually operated cable car system is synonymous with the City by the Bay. Across the Bay, amid the rolling hills of Northern California’s internationally famous wine country, the Napa Valley Wine Train follows a vineyard route that generates an international buzz among wine lovers and rail fans alike.

Southern California is home to a quirky assortment of tourist trains. The Fillmore & Western Railway’s “Movie Trains” have featured in hundreds of films, series, and commercials. The Orange Empire Railway Museum is the largest railway museum in the West. And downtown LA’s Angel’s Flight funicular lays claim to the title “world’s shortest railway.”

Up the coast, tucked amid the Pacific Northwest’s Cascades Range, two of the region’s namesake mountain railways ply their scenic routes. Oregon’s Mount Hood Railroad and Washington’s Mount Rainier Railroad & Logging Museum keep watch over the rolling foothills they call home.

[expand trigclass=”noarrow trigger” rel=”class-one” title=”Alaska” tag=”h2″] Coastal Classic Train – Alaska Railroad Anchorage, Alaska First edging the Turnagain Arm coast, the train veers off through backcountry wilderness for an extended halt at Seward and Resurrection Bay. Optional activities include Kenai Fjords National Park cruise, Wildlife island cruise with wilderness lodge lunch, and Real Alaska Tour with glacier hike and dog sled ride. Train operates seasonally. Telephone: +1 (907) 265-2494 . Glacier Discovery Train – Alaska Railroad Anchorage, Alaska Into the wilds of the Chugach National Forest, the train crosses Alpine Meadows in range of awesome glacier views. Optional layovers include Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, and Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop trail walk. Rafting, hiking, and ice climbing add-ons available. Train operates seasonally. Telephone: +1 (907) 265-2494 . White Pass & Yukon Route Skagway, Alaska – Carcross, Yukon An engineering marvel, this Gold Rush era railroad climbs nearly 3000 ft (914 m) from glacial tidewater to White Pass Summit. Other excursions run to Fraser, Bennett and Whitehorse, Canada. Hiker services for Denver and Laughton Glaciers and Chilkoot Trail are available. Highlights include overnight camping add-ons. Trains operate seasonally. Passport required for some services. Telephone: +1 (800) 343-7373 . [/expand] [expand trigclass=”noarrow trigger” rel=”class-one” title=”California” tag=”h2″] Angel’s Flight Railway Los Angeles, California The world’s shortest railway, downtown LA’s 1901 narrow gauge funicular takes passengers on a short hop between Grand Avenue (across from Grand Central Market) and Hill Street (at California Plaza) on Bunker Hill. Trains operate year-round (Monday to Friday only). Telephone: +1 (213) 626-1901 . California State Railroad Museum Sacramento, California Old Sacramento State Historic Park is home to one of the nation’s foremost railroading museums. Excursions, along the banks of the Sacramento River, are among the most popular attractions. Highlights include library, restored freight depot and extensive collections of locomotives and rolling stock. Trains operate seasonally; museum open year-round. Telephone: +1 (916) 445-5995 . Fillmore & Western Railway Fillmore, California The “Home of the Movie Trains,” featured in Hollywood productions, hosts scenic excursions through the citrus groves of Heritage Valley. Highlights include Murder Mystery Dinner Trains and rail/tour packages. Trains operate year-round. Telephone: +1 (805) 524≠2546 . Irvine Park Railroad Orange, California Kids and grown-ups alike delight in riding aboard this charming 1/3 scale railroad through the Orange County foothills of Irvine Regional Park. Highlights include access to the Orange County Zoo, public stables, and paddle boat and bike rentals. Trains operate year-round. +1 (714) 997-3968 . Napa Valley Wine Train Napa, California Among the “Best Rail Experiences in the World,” the Wine Train treats guests to gourmet lunch and dinner services aboard Vista Domes, or antique Pullman dining and lounge cars. Highlights include Winery Tours and theme runs. Trains operate seasonally. Telephone: +1 (800) 427-4124 . Niles Canyon Railway Niles and Sunol, California Scenic train rides wind along Alameda Creek in Niles Canyon, site of numerous Charlie Chaplin films. Optional layovers allow riders time to explore the old rail town of Sunol or Fremont’s historic Niles district and return on a later train. Highlights include open-air car and caboose rentals. Trains operate year-round. Telephone: +1 (510) 996-8420 . Orange Empire Railway Museum Perris, California The largest railway museum in the West operates a changing roster of trains and trolleys from a world-class collection of locomotives and rolling stock dating from the 1870s. Highlights include Run One guest engineer opportunities and caboose rentals. Trains operate year-round. Telephone: +1 (951) 943-3020 . Pacific Southwest Railway Museum Campo, California Through San Diego’s back-country, the Golden State takes visitors on a 90-minute scenic train ride along an authentic mountain railroad. Highlights include locomotive cab rides, open-air car (in season), caboose rides, and “Engineer-for-an-Hour” opportunities. Trains operate year-round. Telephone: +1 (619) 478-9937 . Railtown 1897 State Historic Park Jamestown, California A feature of Hollywood movies for nearly a century, the train museum’s 6 mi (10 km) train ride through the rugged hillsides of California’s Gold Country runs past the water tower made famous on “Petticoat Junction.” Highlights include cab rides, Crew for a Day experience, and Sierra Railway shops and roundhouse. Trains operate seasonally. Telephone: +1 (209) 984-3953 . Roaring Camp Railroads Felton, California Ancient redwood stands form the backdrop for a pair of memorable adventures: by narrow-gauge Redwood Forest Steam Train to the top of Bear Mountain; or aboard the Beach Train to the boardwalk at Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz to Felton also available). Highlights include Engineer for a Day experience. Steam Train runs year-round; Beach Train, seasonally. Telephone: +1 (831) 335-4484 . River Fox Train West Sacramento, California Along a unique wetlands route, the River Fox crosses open farmland and the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area — one of the nation’s largest restored habitats and home to nearly 200 species of birds. Highlights include open-air cars; rail bikes and beer and wine trains. Trains operate year-round. Telephone: +1 (800) 866-1690 . San Francisco Cable Cars MUNI – San Francisco Municipal Railway San Francisco, California Famous for their gravity defying engineering, photo ops, and signal bells (a single bell for stop; two for go); many a heart left in San Francisco lingers aboard one of the city’s beloved cable cars. Dating back to the late 19th century, SF’s cable car lines form the world’s last manually operated cable car system. Routes include Powell-Mason and Powell-Hyde lines (Market Street to Fisherman’s Wharf via Union Square and Chinatown) and California line (Van Ness to Financial District via Nob Hill). Highlights include Cable Car Barn and Powerhouse tours, Cable Car Turnarounds and Cable Car Museum. Trains operate year-round . Telephone: +1 (415) 701-2311 . Skunk Train Fort Bragg and Willits, California The North Coast’s varied nature is contrasted along two different routes. Blue heron, osprey, and egret range along the Pudding Creek Express’s wetlands route while Wolf Tree Turn excursions descend into the redwood-thick Noyo River Canyon. Dogs are welcome! Highlights include open-air car and rail bikes. Pudding Creek Express runs year-round; Wolf Tree Turn, seasonally. Telephone: +1 (707) 964-6371 . Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad Fish Camp, California Ten minutes from Yosemite National Park, vintage trains drawn by steam-powered Shay locomotives and antique self-propelled “Jenny” railcars haul passengers along a onetime logging track through Sierra National Forest. Highlights include Moonlight Special/BBQ packages. Trains operate year-round. Telephone: +1 (559) 683-7273 . [/expand] [expand trigclass=”noarrow trigger” rel=”class-one” title=”Colorado” tag=”h2″] Colorado Railroad Museum Golden, Colorado Colorado’s Age of the Locomotive comes to life aboard a narrow-gauge steam train train tour of the museum grounds which contain an operational roundhouse and railyard displaying over 100 narrow and standard gauge steam and diesel locomotives, passenger cars, and cabooses. Highlights include “Gallopin’ Goose” Motorcar rides, Depot Museum, and garden railway. Trains operate seasonally. Telephone: +1 (800) 365-6263 . Cripple Creek & Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad Cripple Creek, Colorado A 15-ton iron horse recreates the excitement of the Gold Rush age along its 4 mi (6.5 km) narrow-gauge route. Historic mines and the deserted mining camp of Anaconda are sights along the way. Highlights include open-air car. Trains operate seasonally. Telephone: +1 (719) 689-2640 . colorado-cripple-creek-and-victor-narrow-gauge-railroad Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad Antonito, Colorado & Chama, New Mexico Through high desert and lush meadows, America’s longest narrow gauge railway zig zags along the Colorado – New Mexico border crossing tunnel and trestle, and climbing to Cumbres Pass — at 10015 ft (3050 m), the highest rail pass in the USA. Highlights include first-class Parlor Car, complementary lunch buffet, and museum. Trains operate seasonally. Telephone: +1 (888) 286-2737 . Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Durango, Colorado Along the Animas River’s snaking course, steam engine trains cut through the mountain country of the San Juan National Forest. Durango to Silverton (May to October; one-way bus option available); Rockwood (summer only) and Durango (November to early May) round trips to Cascade Canyon are also popular. Highlights include open-air cars, locomotive cab and motor car rides; Rail/Raft Adventures, Brew Trains and rail/hotel/recreation packages. Trains operate year-round. Telephone: +1 (888) 872-4607 . Fort Collins Municipal Railway Fort Collins, Colorado Restored street cars proceed along the original West Mountain Avenue line between the downtown shopping district and City Park of this pretty college town. Trains operate seasonally. Georgetown Loop Railroad Georgetown and Silver Plume, Colorado A 19c engineering marvel, this historic steam engine train ride’s corkscrew route climbs a 600 ft (180 m) grade in just 2 mi (3 km), clearing horseshoe curves and massive Devil’s Gate High Bridge. Highlights include historic Parlor Cars. Trains operate seasonally. Telephone: +1 (888) 456-6777 . Leadville, Colorado & Southern Railroad Leadville, Colorado From the Victorian mining town of Leadville – North America’s highest incorporated city – the LC&S travels through the world’s largest alpine valley, in sight of towering Mount Elbert and Mount Massive, to the Continental Divide. Highlights include engine train rides and caboose rides; raft-and-rail and zip-line-and-rail specials. Trains operate seasonally. Telephone: +1 (866) 386-3936 . Broadmoor Manitou & Pikes Peak Cog Railway Manitou Springs, Colorado Completely rebuilt in time for the 2021 season, the world’s highest cog railroad returns after a two year hiatus. Climbing Pikes Peak since 1891, the Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway passes grazing bighorn sheep and 2000-year old bristlecone pines, overtakes the timberline, and crosses Alpine tundra to reach its summit station, 14,115 ft (4300 m) in the sky. Highlights include biking and hiking combos. Trains operate year-round. Telephone: +1 (719) 685-5401 . Rio Grande Scenic Railroad Alamosa and Fort Garland, Colorado The Rio Grande Scenic Railroad is no longer operating. La Veta Mountaineer . All passengers enjoy first-class style seating within the Vista Dome car and complementary brunch onboard. Alamosa Wine and Cheese Train Tour also offered. Highlights include seasonal theme trains. Trains operate seasonally. Telephone: +1 (877) 726-7245 .08-feb-19 --> Royal Gorge Route Railroad Cañon City, Colorado One thousand feet below the gorge’s cliffs, the railroad ventures through the granite-walled narrow its railbed shares with the Arkansas River. The 1879 hanging bridge is an engineering marvel. Service classes include Vista Dome; bistro-style and First Class dining is available. Highlights include open-air cars, Ride with the Engineer experience, Murder Mystery trains, and Wine Express. Trains operate year-round (holiday theme only mid-Nov through New Years Eve). Telephone: +1 (888) 724-5748 . [/expand] [expand trigclass=”noarrow trigger” rel=”class-one” title=”Hawaii” tag=”h2″] Hawaiian Railway Ewa, Hawaii Oahu’s last remaining sugar train steams past an old sugar cane plantation and a ghost town on its way to the ocean at Kahe Point. Highlights include Ice Cream Rides and a Toy Train Museum. Trains operate year-round. Telephone: +1 (808) 681-5461 . “The Sugarcane Train” Lahaina Kaanapali & Pacific Railroad Lahaina – Puukolii, Hawaii The Sugar Cane Train is expected to resume operations in the future. Telephone: +1 (808) 667-6851 .--> [/expand] [expand trigclass=”noarrow trigger” rel=”class-one” title=”Montana” tag=”h2″] Charlie Russell Chew-Choo Hanover, Montana Rolling through the heart of Big Sky Country, the Chew-Choo’s Monatana Dinner Train serves up a memorable 3½ hours of great scenery and western-style entertainment along with a full-course prime rib dinner. Highlights include Wild West Hold-Up reenactment. Limited days of operation. Telephone: +1 (866) 912-3980 . [/expand] [expand trigclass=”noarrow trigger” rel=”class-one” title=”Nevada” tag=”h2″] Nevada Northern Railway Ely, Nevada A National Historic Landmark, today steam and diesel runs retrace a stretch of former copper-hauling railway through two tunnels and rugged canyon lands. Highlights include open-air cars, Great Basin Star Train, Be the Engineer experience, caboose and locomotive cab rides, yard tours, and Overnight in the Yard opportunities (bunkhouse or caboose). Trains operate year-round. Telephone: +1 (866) 407-8326 . Nevada State Railroad Museum Carson City, Nevada Steam trains and rare motor cars alternate runs out of historic Wabuska Station. Artifacts, educational displays, and rolling stock spotlight the Silver State rail’s role in the development of ore-hauling and transcontinental railroads. Highlights include changing exhibits. Trains operate year-round except January. Telephone: +1 (702) 486-5933 . Nevada Southern Railway Boulder City, Nevada Built in the 1930s to service the Boulder Dam project, the Mojave museum railway takes visitors on a scenic 45-minute desert run. Highlights include open-air car, locomotive cab rides, displays of historic steam locomotives and rolling stock. Trains operate year-round. Telephone: +1 (702) 486-5933 . Virginia & Truckee Railroad Virginia City, Nevada “The Queen of the Short Lines” rides again — reviving a stretch of the historic rail route built to link the outside world with the boomtowns of Nevada’s 19c silver bonanza: the Comstock Lode. Today’s guests enjoy 35-minute excursions aboard restored 1920s coaches. Trains operate seasonally. Telephone: +1 (775) 847-0380 . [/expand] [expand trigclass=”noarrow trigger” rel=”class-one” title=”Oregon” tag=”h2″] Mount Hood Railroad Hood River, Oregon Riders spot fruit orchards, woodland fauna and mountain vistas along this century-old railroad’s Hood River course. Return trip follows an hour’s layover at the foothill hamlet of Parkdale. Highlights include First Class WIne Tastings and optional Onboard Deli Lunch. Trains operate seasonally. Telephone: +1 (800) 872-4661 . Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad Garibaldi & Rockaway Beach, Oregon Steam trips between Garibaldi and Rockaway Beach depots offer up stunning views of Tillamook Bay and the Pacific Ocean. Highlights include dinner trains. Trains operate seasonally. Telephone: +1 (503) 842-7972 . Oregon Electric Railway Museum Antique Powerland Brooks, Oregon The largest trolley museum in the Pacific Northwest features a 1 mi (1.5 km) demonstration run and a working car barn tour. Highlights include exhibits of vintage trams and street cars. Trains operate seasonally. Telephone: +1 (503) 393-2424 . Sumpter Valley Railroad Sumpter & Baker City (McEwen), Oregon A one-time timber train, the historic “Stump Dodger” treats passengers to an old-fashioned narrow gauge steam engine train ride through the heart of Gold Rush Country. Highlights include locomotive cab rides and rail artifacts display. Limited days of operation. Telephone: +1 (866) 894-2268 . Willamette Shore Trolley Lake Oswego and SW Portland, Oregon Over tall trestles, through an S-curve tunnel and along the scenic Willamette Riverbank, this heritage trolley plies its preservation line between Lake “O” and Southwest Portland waterfront district. Trains operate seasonally. Telephone: +1 (503) 697-7436 . [/expand] [expand trigclass=”noarrow trigger” rel=”class-one” title=”Utah” tag=”h2″] Heber Valley Railroad Heber City, Utah Runs to sparkling Deer Creek Reservoir feature views of Mt. Timpanogos. Longer excursions continue along the Provo River into glacier-carved Provo Canyon. Highlights include raft/rail combos and optional box lunches. Trains operate year-round. Telephone: +1 (435) 654-5601 . [/expand] [expand trigclass=”noarrow trigger” rel=”class-one” title=”Washington” tag=”h2″] Chehalis-Centralia Railroad & Museum Chehalis, Washington Service has been suspended as of March 2022. Telephone: +1 (360) 748-9593 . Chelatchie Prairie Railroad Yacolt, Washington Through the Evergreen State’s historic logging country, trains clear a tunnel, edge along a cliff and cross a trestle bridge en route to Moulton Falls County Park. Highlights include annual Christmas tree runs. Limited days of operation. Telephone: +1 (360) 686-3559 . Mount Rainier Railroad & Logging Museum Elbe, Washington Mount Rainier Railroad & Logging Museum has ceased operations until further notice. Telephone: +1 (360) 492-6000 . 08-feb-19 --> Northwest Railway Museum Snoqualmie, Washington Amid the western Cascade Foothills, antique coaches depart the museum’s 19c depot bound for North Bend, the top of Snoqualmie Falls and the scenic overlook of the Valley. Optional departures and layovers at North Bend. Highlights include guided Snoqualmie Depot and Train Shed Exhibit Building tours. Trains operate seasonally. Telephone: +1 (425) 888-3030 . Seattle Center Monorail Seattle, Washington The world rode into the future — or so they thought — when they rode the monorail at the 1962 World’s Fair. What was cutting edge then is kitschy now but it still makes a cool introduction to the Emerald City. Trains operate year-round. Telephone: +1 (206) 905-2620 . Yakima Valley Trolleys Yakima, Washington Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, America’s last intact, early 20c interurban railway runs through the heart of Apple Country as it has since 1907. An operating carbarn and substation contain heritage cars and equipment. Trains operate seasonally. Telephone: +1 (509) 249-5962 . [/expand]  

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