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.
Find a train ride in the Western USA…
Find a train ride in the Western USA…
[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.
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.
[/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.
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]
