Ride That Train!

[THE PILGRIM]

It's once again train riding time.
USA Today has published the best of the best.
So have you ridden any of these?
Do you want to?
Or have you ridden others?
If you ain't got pictures, it didn't happen!
Check out this article from USA TODAY:

America’s Best Train Journeys, Ranked

 

[forindooruseonly]

I'd like to, it's on the list of things to do eventually. Thanks for the link.

The only train I've ridden, aside from utilitarian commuter stuff, was an old steam train when I was a kid. It was organized as a one - off run to celebrate our something to do with our state's history, and lasted a day going across Oklahoma. Ten year old me loved it.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Just in case you don't remember which is my favorite-
The Cumbres and Toltec runs from Chama, NM to Antonito, CO.
It is in fact joint owned by the states of NM and CO.

 

[bigwheelzip]

For a slightly different, urban option in NYC, take a walk on the elevated train tracks re-purposed into a park called The High Line.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRmbBfUgXu8[/ame]

 

[Beemer-mark]

Just in case you don't remember which is my favorite-
The Cumbres and Toltec runs from Chama, NM to Antonito, CO.
It is in fact joint owned by the states of NM and CO.

Do you mean this one?

 

[Marshwheeling]

The only one I can claim is the Empire Builder from St. Paul to Chicago and back in about 1974. Missed the good part through the Rockies. Nope, no pics, but Ima stick to my story anyway.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Rode the "Reno Fun Train" a couple times from the Bay Area. Stunning Sierra Nevada scenery. We were young and wild. Lot's of retired couples partying along with us. The old geezers were actually a lot of fun and the old gals loved to flirt with us young fellas. Now I'm a geezer and maybe one day when I'm back in California I'll ride the Reno Fun Train again.

 

[arjay]

This one would have been fun about 100 years ago.Looks like these were taken just west of needles eye tunnel and the two trestles (Rollins/Corona).Quite a rush driving across those back in the day [emoji1]

 

[Breakaway500]

The Cog railway that climbs Mt.Washington. Unforgettable!

 

[Tom S.]

I like riding trains, and have rode them for business both to Toronto, Canada, and Chicago. I've also rode the White Pass Railroad, which is steeped in history. It was built to convey miners to the Yukon because so many perished, along with their pack animals trying to get there on foot. I have pictures, but they were film and haven't been scanned in yet.

The problem with railroads is only seeing scenery on one side. I love to look out the windows, but on most rail cars, that's not easy to do on both sides, kind of like it is on most buses. My fix would be to ride it both ways and sit on opposite sides each way. The other problem is with those that run through the night, in which case you don't see much of anything.

 

[Tom S.]

This one would have been fun about 100 years ago.Looks like these were taken just west of needles eye tunnel and the two trestles (Rollins/Corona).Quite a rush driving across those back in the day [emoji1]

Speaking of snow, this was taken in Skagway, Alaska:



Here it is in action: [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZWpvw_TZLU"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZWpvw_TZLU[/ame]

 

[THE PILGRIM]

The Steam Engine numbers are unique - like VIN numbers or aircraft tail numbers- and usually not changed.
Did somebody say Engine No. 473?
A while back, Went up the hill with it on the Durango and Silverton.
It runs up the Animas River. They stay in the river Canyon as much as they can.
But at several places, the Canyon gets tight and they had to bring the tracks up higher.
One of these is a run called the High Line. It's a blasted shelf up high on the Canyon wall.
This was a photo special train, so they let us off at the photo locations, backed the train up and then came at us like a Bat out of Hell.
We gung-ho picture folks are standing up on a rocky area up above the line.

 

[OLDNAVYMCPO]

Rode this old gal from Hill City, SD down the mountain and back again.

 

[rockquarry]

Arjay-
Have you driven the road that follows the old railway bed above Rollinsville? I have, but it's been almost forty years. I don't know if it is still accessible. There was one point very high up where you drove across a wooden bridge affixed to the side of the mountain; indeed a scary experience for a flatlander.

 

[swsig]

The only one of these I've ridden was the chair-car version of the Chief, Santa Fe's El Capitan, from LA to Chicago and back. I was 12 at the time, so no pictures, only home movies. Didn't see any of Arizona, as we went through at night. California desert and mountains were scenic, as was the Raton Pass area. However, the most memorable part of the trip was sitting in the dome car, rocketing across Kansas (eastbound) at 80-90 mph after dark, surrounded by huge thunderstorms. What a thrill for a 12-year old who lived in a place where it rarely even rained.

While I haven't ridden the other trains, I am a big fan of the RFD Channel's "Trains and Locomotives" program, and I've seen plenty of videos of most of these routes. Since you live in Albuquerque, you're in a prime position to make a "great circle" train tour. How much you do is limited by your time and budget, but here's my suggestion:

Head west on the Chief to LA. Go north on the Starlight to Seattle or Portland. Then go east to Chicago on the Empire Builder. Return home on the Chief. Alternatively, you could get off to the Starlight in the Bay Area, and take the Zephyr to Chicago, and back home on the Chief. The best scenery on the Starlight is north of the Bay Area, so that's an argument for continuing on to Portland/Seattle. Conversely, some of the best railroad scenic views in the U.S. are from the Zephyr, as it goes through both the Sierra Nevadas and Rockies.

Decisions, decisions. When you get back tell us about your journey.

With pictures, of course.

 

[arjay]

Arjay-

Have you driven the road that follows the old railway bed above Rollinsville? I have, but it's been almost forty years. I don't know if it is still accessible. There was one point very high up where you drove across a wooden bridge affixed to the side of the mountain; indeed a scary experience for a flatlander.

Several times years ago,on a mountain bike a few times later on,such a blast! Needles eye tunnel was blocked for good in the early 90s,but it's still accessible from both sides.I took my fishing buddy up there to try the high lakes back then.He got out of my little truck and walked across the trestles [emoji1]

 

[midkansmithfan]

1964, Union Pacific from Junction City, KS to Tacoma, WA on my way to Eielson AFB AK. Commercial airline from SEATAC to Fairbanks and then a bus out to Eielson. Great memories.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

The only one of these I've ridden was the chair-car version of the Chief, Santa Fe's El Capitan, from LA to Chicago and back. I was 12 at the time, so no pictures, only home movies. Didn't see any of Arizona, as we went through at night. California desert and mountains were scenic, as was the Raton Pass area. However, the most memorable part of the trip was sitting in the dome car, rocketing across Kansas (eastbound) at 80-90 mph after dark, surrounded by huge thunderstorms. What a thrill for a 12-year old who lived in a place where it rarely even rained.

While I haven't ridden the other trains, I am a big fan of the RFD Channel's "Trains and Locomotives" program, and I've seen plenty of videos of most of these routes. Since you live in Albuquerque, you're in a prime position to make a "great circle" train tour. How much you do is limited by your time and budget, but here's my suggestion:

Head west on the Chief to LA. Go north on the Starlight to Seattle or Portland. Then go east to Chicago on the Empire Builder. Return home on the Chief. Alternatively, you could get off to the Starlight in the Bay Area, and take the Zephyr to Chicago, and back home on the Chief. The best scenery on the Starlight is north of the Bay Area, so that's an argument for continuing on to Portland/Seattle. Conversely, some of the best railroad scenic views in the U.S. are from the Zephyr, as it goes through both the Sierra Nevadas and Rockies.

Decisions, decisions. When you get back tell us about your journey.

With pictures, of course.

The only leg of that I have done is Chicago to Albuquerque.
As I recall, we left Chicago about sundown and rolled across the prairie in the dark.
About Sunup, We got to Raton Pass.
The first US Train that I ever rode was the night time milk run from Ogden to Cheyenne.
Probably a great ride in the daytime.
Not so much in the dark!

 

[Tyrod]

I rode the Monorail at Walt Disney World once. Does that count? It only goes in circles. They get PO'ed if ya try to ride it 'round more than once.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

I rode the Monorail at Walt Disney World once. Does that count? It only goes in circles. They get PO'ed if ya try to ride it 'round more than once.

Of course it counts!
Come to think about it, I rode the one in Anaheim before I rode any trains.
That was about 1964 and I recall I was very impressed!
I had heard about monorails but had never seen one.