Scenic Rail Excursions

Guide to Finding Train Rides and Railroad Attractions 

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Have you ever wanted to travel back  in time and experience the romance and excitement of the golden age of railroading. Tourist railroads and museums offer affordable fun for the whole family, and that is why I created ScenicRailExcursions.com. My name is Terry DeFranco, and I created this scenic train ride review site to provide a comprehensive pictorial website listing of reviews for tourist railroads, train rides, and museums in North America.  From this site you will be able find information about  hundreds of  scenic train rides and museums all over the U.S., as well as videos of the trains in action. You can also search for railroads that offer a chance to actually ride in the cab of an operating locomotive as well as scenic railroads and museums that offer a variety of different packages, including  everything from river rafting to fine dining.

What You Can Expect
Unlike traveling by plane high above or in a car speeding by down the interstate, scenic train rides take you at a pace that lets the environment unfold around you. Whether it is the clickety-clack sounds of the wheels as they ride along the rails, or maybe the sound of a steam locomotive whistle deep in the forest as you travel beside of a swiftly flowing river, it will be an experience you will never forget. It can be for just a vacation, a romantic get away, a special occasion for that someone special in your life, or even a Polar Express train ride, with all the joy of riding the rails in a snow covered setting. You could be served a relaxing dinner where the scenery outside your widow is ever changing. It can be an excursion train ride to nowhere or a interactive mystery play performed for you as you travel to your destination. There are special runs on some railroads for various holidays, which may include Mothers Day, Valentines Day, Trick or Treat Trains, Polar Express Trains and even Santa Trains for the holidays . Some theme parks have their own railroads to take you around to the different parts of their parks. These are great places for families to bring their children and enjoy a day together. For a real railroading experience, train cab rides are also available on several tourist lines.

Beginning in the early 1800’s, railroads were the main means of transporting passengers and freight across the vast miles that criss-crossed the American landscape. After the driving in of the golden spike at Promontory Summit, Utah the connecting of the east railroads with the west was completed. With the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869, traveling across the entire country by rail was made possible for passengers and commerce. Along with the coming of the railroads, the cities and towns along these routes began to grow and develop. The local cultures that went along with the dependence of the railroads created a world of their own. 

 

If you want to tour the western US by train, you can enjoy all the beautiful wonders that nature has to offer. You can travel to glacier cover mountains of Washington State, the Grand Canyon in Arizona, or the majestic scenery of the tall redwood forests of California. Scenic tourist railroads provide the easiest and most relaxing way to see this great country.  You can take a leisurely Fall Foliage train ride through the New Hampshire forests or the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina and enjoy the beauty of a fall day as the leaves show off their brilliant colors. The sights can be spectacular, and you don’t even have to worry about the driving.
 

 

Preserving Our History

Even though the steam locomotive has been long ago replaced by the diesel engine for delivering passengers and freight today, they do still exist. California currently has the largest number of operating steam locomotives with 29. With the dedication and hard work of hundreds of volunteers and train enthusiasts from every state, they have dedicated their lives to their passion of tourist railroads by helping maintain the locomotives and rolling stock on their short line scenic railroads. They are there to help preserve the history of the railroads they love. They are there to help you as you travel and to make your trip as comfortable and as enjoyable as possible. Some of them may also act as your guide to answer any questions you may have as you roll along. 

 

 

Whether you are are seasoned railroader or a first timer, a tourist railroad can offer a great chance to relive a little American history and enjoy the spectacular sights this country has to offer. When planning your next trip or vacation, you can turn to ScenicRailExcursions.com for the latest in tourist railroading.

So, before your train leaves the station, just pick the state or region you would like to visit, and climb aboard.  And, don’t forget to visit those gift shops that  help support the tourist railroads and museums.

Be sure to visit the Whistle Stop & Shop for great discounts on
Train movies, book, calandars, toys, games and more... .

 

Thank you for stopping by.

 

Didn't find the state or RR you were looking for? Check back again as I will be adding more listings as time permits me to.
Follow the latest in tourist train news at the  RailroadNation.com

Terry DeFranco