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Acela Express
Want to see the eastern United States? This can be accomplished by taking the Acela Express, America’s only high speed train, on a seven day tour of three of the East’s most exciting cities. You will tour New York,
Philadelphia, and Washington D.C. without the hassle of driving the congested freeways that link each. The package is called the Heritage Tour and it is an affordable way to visit the sites of New York, the museums and
history of Philadelphia, and the monuments and parks of Washington.
The first three days will be spent in New York City. You will board the Acela Express the afternoon of the third day for a quick two hour train ride to Philadelphia. The train runs at speeds outside of stations from 75 to 150
mph. The passenger cars are equipped with a tilting mechanism which allows the train to take the sharp curves without applying G-force pressure to travelers. The landscape whizzes by as you sit in comfort waiting for
the next destination. It is wise to bring your own snacks and beverages on board because, like airports, the food is expensive.
You will spend two nights and one and a half days in Philadelphia. You will leave Philadelphia mid morning on the fifth day and the Acela Express will, within a few hours, deliver you at Washington D.C.’s historic Union
Station. After dropping your bags at the hotel the next two days are yours to explore the nation’s capital.
You are responsible for air travel to and from your home city. This rail experience is a little expensive but can be brought within reason with the opportunity to pick your lodging and excursions.
The Lobster Land Train
From the Appalachian Mountains to the rocky shores of the Atlantic Ocean, Maine is a beautiful state. Acadia National Park is a destination that many tourists want to visit when touring Maine. The majestic a rocky cliffs
and the pounding Atlantic Ocean combine with forest covered mountains that drop to the seashore. Though a drive along Highway 1 through the state is a venture within itself, one can make more of their time in Maine if
they take a trip by rail.
The Lobster Land Train is an excursion by rail offered by the Eastern Maine Railroad. This excursion can be a day trip but if you have time on your hands you might enjoy an overnight experience. The passenger rail
service in Maine is offered along the coast between Brunswick and Rockland. The train also stops in the villages of Bath and Wiscasset. The train’s claim to fame and historical significance is that all the cars have been
restored to their original luster. Stepping onto the train is like stepping into history as passengers feel the ambience of days gone by. The decor echoes memories of the 1940s and 1950s, while you sit in leather bound
seats surrounded by a wood grain interior. The train features a first-class, parlor type observation car in which you can watch the surrounding countryside unveil itself before you as you travel between rocky crags of the
seacoast and the rolling hills of the Appalachian Mountains. The passenger car features large windows in which to view the vistas as they go by. The dining car presents a variety of snacks and small meals to feed the
passengers along their journey.
The tour includes the passage either one way or round-trip from Brunswick, Maine to Rockland. Included within this tour, you’ll be able to see the Maine Lighthouse Museum, the Farnsworth Museum of Art, and a trolley
ride to the Owl Head Transportation Museum. You will receive a free tour for each attraction by showing your train tickets. During the evening you’ll be presented with a lobster bake dinner and each morning you’ll be
awakened with a full breakfast buffet.
The Polar Express
The Polar Express is alive again. Take a train to see Santa as the Grand Canyon Railway presents a Christmas Train Tour that will delight both children and adults. This is a great way to spend time with the family as
you ride the rim of the Grand Canyon in an historic train. Way before there were helicopter and rafting tours of the canyon, the Grand Canyon Railway was the most elite way to view the majestic vistas that was created
by the Colorado River. Making its first run in 1901, the Grand Canyon Railway has offered for more than a hundred years, a relaxing, fun filled adventure.
The Polar Express is a specialized tour during the holiday season that has a Christmas theme that is sure to bring the joy of season out of the bitterest
Grinch. As you board the train at Williams Depot, each child is handed a sleigh bell to rattle along with the Christmas carols that are sung. Riding in one of the six restored Pullman passenger cars, visitors will enjoy a fully restored interior replicated in the décor of the 1920s. Each
car is authentic to the class the passenger wished to travel in.
As you visit the ‘North Pole’ you will see Santa and all the elves at the Christmas Village. There you can visit novelty shops and pick something out special for a loved one back home. The Christmas theme offers actors
dressed in early 1900s costume and everyone is decked out in their holiday best. The Polar Express runs between November 11th and January 9th. The winter in the desert is fickle on the south rim of the canyon and
you may even see snow during your holiday train tour. Take warm clothes. Though the Pullman’s have air conditioning and heating, the walk outside to see Santa may be a little chilly. If it is cold, it will just add to the
magic of this fantastic rail tour.
Georgetown Loop Railway
There are several narrow gauge railways in the state of Colorado, but the Georgetown Loop railway is the most scenic and affordable in the state. The station is located off I-70 around fifty miles west of Denver. There is
ample parking at the station but no room for recreational vehicles or campers. These types of vehicles should park at the Devil’s Gate station in Georgetown at exit 228. The trip lasts one hour and fifteen minutes. This
allows the traveler time to visit the shops at both Georgetown and Silver Plume and maybe even visit the historic Lebanon Silver Mine which is owned by the railroad.
The train is considered a narrow gauge. This is a term used for the shortened width between the tracks to accommodate the steep terrain of mountainous areas. The passenger will see why as the train chugs its way up
steep slopes with rocky walls on one side and treacherous thousand foot drops on the other. The Georgetown Loop lives up to its name as it loops from Georgetown, up a three mile stretch to Silver Plume then across
the gorges and deep valleys of the Rocky Mountains. The train offers spectacular views of the mountains and wildlife that motorist of I-70 never see. Though the train parallels the freeway for a short distance, once it
passes through Silver Plume it makes a sharp turn east and heads into the back country where few people beside the train’s passengers have had a glimpse.
The Southwest Georgia Train Tour
In southern Georgia, the land below Atlanta and north of the Florida line is a pine tree filled wilderness dotted with small towns and rural farms. The rolling hills blend into flatlands until they meet the Okefenokee Swamp
located near the Florida border. Southern Georgia is filled with scenic wonders and historical places. The best way to tour the area is by rail. The Southwest Georgia Train Tour offers day trips to visit historical small
towns of the region and vistas of farmland and forests in between. Leaving out of Cordele, Georgia the train makes a run seven to eight hours long. The cost is considered cheap compared to other day trips offered by
competing train tours.
The train only runs on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. The train tour offers breakfast to early comers but in case you are a late riser, you can get a cup of coffee or other snacks at the local café, which is
across the street from the depot. The train leaves promptly at 9:30 a.m. with no refunds if you miss the train. Leaving from Cordele, the train will visit Georgia Veterans State Park, the town of Leslie, Americus, Archery,
and end at the birthplace of former President Jimmy Carter, Plains, Georgia. The train stops for about five minutes in each town allowing passengers to board and debark the train. If you wish to tour one of the towns, let
the staff of the train know and they’ll make arrangements to pick you up on the way back. Most attractions are within walking distance of the depot, but some require transportation. The Train Company does not provide
transportation to the attractions but some of the attractions will provide shuttle service.
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