# What's the Best Railroad Trip



## Chris Scott (Jan 2, 2008)

We would like to take advantage of your great experience and accumulated knowledge: Thanks for your help.

Which US or Canadian Great Railroad excursion(s) have you taken?

Which one did you like the best? Why?

To avoid or never take again, Why?

Best $$$ Value?

Family oriented?

Too many geriatrics (old people)?

Great trips but too crowded?




To name a few of many:
Alaska
Trans-Canada
Canadian Rockies
Pacific Northwest
Grand Canyon
New Orleans
USA Coast to Coast
Eastern Canada
New England Fall Tour

and lots of others


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

Grand Canyon was a long boring ride across the desert like terrain. But when you get to the canyon and take the bus tour, it is awesome.


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

1. Our favorite tourist railroad is the Durango Silverton R/R. Not only is the scenery stunning, Silverton is a great place to window shop and they have some great restaurants. Also in the same general area are ghost towns and an old gold mine tour. If you enjoy driving the Million Dollar highway is a must.
2. The White Pass R/R in Skagway Alaska is a must see. The scenery is also stunning. We took a cruise from Vancouver to Seward. Once at Seward, you can take the Alaska Railroad to either Anchorage or all the way north to Fairbanks. Plenty to do at the 4 ports you will visit.
3. Cass Scenic Railroad in Cass WV. If you go here, make sure you get there early enough to take the ride all the way to the top of Bald Knob. There is also a couple of other train rides near bye worth taking. I love the sound of the whistle echoing through the mountains.
4. Cumbres and Toltec is a great train ride to the restaurant and back. The trip on to Antonito is bore as it goes across flat land. This trip is for the trains only as there is nothing in Chama or Antonito to do or see other than the trains.
5. What Dan said.
6. The Verde Canyon R/R is a nice trip through the canyon. The Red Rocks of Sedona isn't far and the Grand Canyon just a little further away.


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## choochoowilly (Oct 31, 2016)

I vote for the Black Hills Central Railroad, not a very long ride but one of the oldest tourist trains in the US a lot of shops and food beautiful area check it out on Google, and the have the neatest saddle tankers around.


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## Homo Habilis (Jul 29, 2011)

While it's not the same as personal responses to your query, you might try a search for something like "*great railway trips usa*" and wander through the results.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

I have the book. "Amazing Train Journeys". Can't decide which sounds better than the ones I have ridden!


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## Chris Scott (Jan 2, 2008)

**** Habilis said:


> While it's not the same as personal responses to your query, you might try a search for something like "*great railway trips usa*" and wander through the results.


Thanks the link helped. I was looking for something that was a week or more, sleeping on the train, tour stops and all.. But It's near impossible to find a rail ride without several nights in hotels. If you ever sleep on a train as a kid you never forget it. That's me, still the kid in the upper berth rolling through Denver, where they switched locomotives in the middle of the night, on the way to my grandmother's walnut ranch near LA.. 

I'll sort the trips for fewest hotel nights and see what rolls out and keep my eye out for a time machine. Thanks again and everyone for the suggestions.

Chris


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## ddrum31 (Aug 30, 2017)

Europe has a bunch... But not what you had mentioned


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## Ironton (Jan 2, 2008)

For what you are talking about you might check out Amtrack's Empire Builder and Southwest Chief. They both include nights on the train with diner. Has been downgraded some since Trump, but the rides are good.


Empire Builder is between Chicago and Seattle. Go from midwest cities to mountains (or reverse). Two nights on train.



Southwest Chief is from Chicago to LA? Go from midwest cities through the desert southwest (or reverse). Two nights on train.



If you want to make it a round trip you can use the Coast Starlight between LA and Seattle. First day you go right on the beach by the Pacific. One night on the train.


Hope this helps.


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## Chris Scott (Jan 2, 2008)

These train excursions you might find interesting.

South African Adventure: --- 9 nights continuous on train, Pretoria to Cape Town via circuitous route $11,000.

Premium Trans-Siberian Express --- 12 nights continuous on train, Vladivostok to Moscow. $15,000

Premium Trans-Siberian Express in Winter; --- 12 nights continuous on train, Vladivostok to Moscow. $15,000

The Trans-Siberian: Moscow to Beijing; -- 9 nights non-continuous on train, Beijing to Moscow, "The Tsar's Gold Train" $19,000

Dar Es Salaam, Victoria Falls & The Pride of Africa; --- 11 nights non-continuous on train, Dar Es Salaam to Cape Town $18,000

Note: Non-continuous means = 1H - 6T - 1H - 2T - 1H - 3T - 1H. Dar Es Salaam to Cape Town (or similar pattern) (T - Train, H - Hotel)

So the many nights on the train is through the most desolate isolated (though beautiful) territory and worth every $$$$ thousand.

European Train Tours are mostly day train & hotel nights, distances are relatively short & trains fast. A good number are hub & spoke; same hotel different train routes.. Most are $!,000 - $3,000 With limited number up to $6,000.

In the US most are 1 night on the train is the most. Then hotels if trip longer because the train route is by way of cities. Pretty much the same in Canada.

Pretty much any country in the world, with few exceptions, has some sort of train excursion from 1 to 15 days. New Zealand anyone?

Conclusion, You would meet some really fascinating people the more nights you are on the train, if you can afford it.  

Thanks again for everyone's help. 

If you're interest the whole world of train excursions is on
"Originally Posted by **** Habilis View Post
While it's not the same as personal responses to your query, you might try a search for something like "great railway trips usa" and wander through the results." (see above post for actual link)


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## DrTechDaddy (Sep 1, 2012)

Many years ago we took the Rocky Mountaineer and thoroughly enjoyed it. A two-day trip then,I understand it's much improved since, with hot meals and dome cars.
As for staying in hotels, they spent overnight in a hotel so we could see all the scenery in daylight.

The Derbin Rocket in WV is different--leisurely ride behind a steam Heisler in open cars thru some beautiful scenery--if you like, you can camp out in a caboose.


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Great Subject, Chris..... 

Over the years, I've had taken some very memorable train trips... Starting in the early 40's with trips on the Illinois Central Steamers from Rockford, Il to Chicago to the latest trip in 2016 in The California Zephyr from Chicago to Sacramento. Then, there's the Scenic and Tourist Railroads in the US and fantastic service on the trains in the UK and Europe. 

The most memorable trip was the "Lunatic Express" from Nairobi to Mombasa, Kenya and return. What a wonderful experience that was..


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Chris, my "Amazing Train Journeys" has one that really caught my eye - the Ghan. This is the Adelaide to Alice Springs, Australia, route, that used to be a camel trail (hence the name.) They extended the railway to Darwin a few years ago, so now it's a 2 day trip coast to coast.


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## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Pete, My sister and brother in law took that one and thought it was wonderful.


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## dlclarkii (May 16, 2019)

Cass, WV has a nice train pulled by a Shay. And they'll pull your private caboose and leave it up in the mountains overnight for your stay and pick you up the next day. Great overnight camping up in the WV mountains.


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