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I know this is a bit off subject from AMTRAK, but with Spring just around the corner and the travel-bug hitting us, I thought I would post these links showing some of our country's greatest tourist railways, museums, and otherways to purchase books and CD-ROMs on the subject:
Which ones have you done? Which are on the top of your list of ones you want to do?
-------------------- The best part of life is the journey, not the destination. Posts: 497 | From: Clarksburg, West Virginia | Registered: Oct 2003
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Thanks for this link! I have just bookmarked it.
Of the tourist railroads featured here, my very favorite one is the Cumbres & Toltec Railroad running 64 miles of old D&RG narrow guage between Antonito, CO and Chama, NM.
Of the ones listed which I have not been on, I think I'm most curious about doing the Crawford Notch trip on the Conway Scenic Railroad in NH.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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I've done the Conway RR trip in NH, David. I don't know nuttin about trains, of course, but it wasn't a really exciting trip scenerywise. It might be nicer when the foliage is turning. But in the case of the NH notches, I have to say driving was more scenic, in my experience.
Also, they gave a very crappy sandwich lunch!
BUT it wasn't too expensive, I don't think.
BTW, this was at least 10 years ago; could be different now.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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If you are used to the Blue Ridge and the Smokies as your definition of eastern US mountains, the main thing I have to say about New Hampsuire and the whole New England mountain scene is, Don't bother. You will very dissapointed. We did this driving about 10 years ago, and I kept saying the mountains have got to be around yere somewhere, but never saw them. The one thing in New England that we did not do but would go back for is the Mt. Washington Cog Railway. We went to the base, but had a time commitment that kept us from being able to take the time to ride it. It ain't cheap, either.
George
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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Well, I did like Franconia Notch and driving through that preserved area to get to Conway--we saw a moose! And the old Mt Washington Inn (at the foot of the cog railway) is a lovely place, good stop for lunch. We did not take the cog railway either. We also liked some of the little towns around Conway--one with a J? seems like it was something like Jackson but that can't be right . . . beautiful old inns and so on. And further south on the coast, Portsmouth is a beautiful seaside town. Or if you combine the trip with Vermont, it's quite lovely.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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Hey, try walking up the mountains. You'll definitely notice them. I walked from Franconia Notch to Pinkham Notch, right over the top of Mt. Washington. Walking up the Presidential Range from Mt. Franklin to Mt. Washington, it was cool to hear the echoes of the steam whistles of the Mt. Washington cog railway down in Granville Gulf.
I recommend the cog railway highly.
Posts: 614 | From: Merchantville, NJ. USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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I rode the Napa Valley Wine Train and the Grand Canyon Railwat in 1995, and the Cape Cod Scenic Railway in 2004. I plan to ride the Tennesee Central and the Cuyahoga Valley this spring. The two dinner trains (Napa Valley and Cape Cod) had great food, but the scenery on the Napa mostly consisted of anti-train signs along the tracks by the vineyards. The Grand Canyon train's scenery was rather monotonous IMO until we glimpsed the Canyon just before pulling into the station there. These last two trains have since added full length domes, but they can't add to the scenery out there.
Posts: 510 | From: Richmond VA USA | Registered: Mar 2004
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