Featuring North America’s Leading Travel Destinations

Great AmericanRailroads

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3*D$().':.E#., – just a short drive from the

magnifi cence of the mighty falls! Visit Genesee

and Orleans Counties. Our small towns are home

to friendly people, quaint restaurants,

wineries, unusual museums, steam train excursions

and more!

The Medina Railroad Museum, Medina NY A 300 foot long wooden freight house built in 1905, full of New York Central rail-road memorabilia. Tour the re-created NYC terminal, feature exhibits and a huge HO scale model railroad layout. The museum also offers themed train excursions throughout the year. www.railroadmuseum.net

The D&R Depot, LeRoy NY Take a step back in time & dine in a former B & O train depot where the food is homemade, the service is friendly and attentive, and even the background music is old fashioned. www.dandrdepot.com

Cobblestone Museum Complex, Albion NY Tour seven buildings from the cobble-stone era, 1825-1860, made of stones polished into cobble by glaciers. This National Historic Landmark includes the oldest cobblestone church in North America and the parsonage once owned by Horace Greeley. www.cobblestonemuseum.org

Barn Quilt Trails of Orleans and Genesee CountiesEnjoy a scenic drive along quaint, rustic country roads through lush farmlands as you follow the Country Barn Quilt Trail of Western New York, and the Barn Quilts of LeRoy, NY. www.countrybarnquilttrail.com and www.LeRoyBarnQuilt.org

War of 1812 Bicentennial Peace Garden Trail. The garden route covers nearly 700 miles, beginning in Niagara, USA and extending across New York State to the Adirondacks region. Peace gar-dens have been established along this route where events of the War of 1812 unfolded. An audio tour is available at 585-201-5079.

ANDY OLENICK

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BywaysMagazine42 Cabin Hill Lane

Mount Jackson, VA 22842Telephone 540-477-3202

Fax 540-477-3858 800-469-0062

http://bywaysmagazine.com

Welcome to the annual GreatAmerican Railroads issue. Ifyou enjoy the nostalgia of the

past and the lore of the rails, we’ve gotit covered.

In this issue we feature trains in muse-ums, canyons, mountains, valleys,

ridges, and just about all of them have the word scenic intheir names.

I don’t know why, but when you put a train, especial-ly a steam train, in a photo, it becomes a subject of beau-ty. No wonder so many people love to take pictures oftrains!

We start our journey on the West Coast with a Skunk.That’s right, the Skunk Train in California. Ride theSkunk through the beauty of the redwoods in MendocinoCounty. Oh, we’re not going to tell how it got its name.You’ll need to read the story for that!

From Skunk to Wine. Only in California! The nextstop is the Napa Valley Wine Train, in the heart of thewine country. During the three-hour journey, guests cansee five towns: Napa, Yountville,Oakville, Rutherford, and St. Helena,and numerous wineries through the largepicture windows on board.

Traveling to Sacramento, we visit theCalifornia State Railroad Museum, themost popular of its kind in NorthAmerica. It is one of the world’s finestinterpretive transportation museums,offering exhibits in recreated settingsthat remind one of a natural historymuseum. But instead of mammoths ormastodons, visitors are face to face withCentral Pacific locomotive No. 1 in aSierra tunnel, and other historic scenes.

From California we head north to Oregon, and some ofthe most spectacular views anywhere, to the Mt. HoodScenic Railroad. Located 60 miles east of Portland, youwant to have your camera ready for the beautiful viewsas you enjoy this rail ride.

From one natural wonder to another, we travel next toArizona and the Grand Canyon Railway. The train willnot only take you to the South Rim, it will take you backin time. Your tour group can experience the GrandCanyon in the most memorable of ways.

A ride on Utah’s Heber Valley Historic Railroadincludes breathtaking scenery of Heber Valley’s naturallandscape, the beautiful Deer Creek Reservoir, and the

majestic Provo Canyon/Provo River, as well as enjoyinga slice of Americana as you ride.

Two western states share ownership of the Cumbres &Toltec Scenic Railroad: Colorado and New Mexico. Itwas originally constructed in 1880 as part of the RioGrande’s San Juan Extension, which served the silvermining district of the San Juan mountains in southwest-ern Colorado. 

Some of the most famous families in America, includ-ing the Webb, Morgan, Vanderbilt, Whitney, andRoosevelt families, traveled to their Great Camps in thebeautiful Adirondack Mountains aboard the AdirondackScenic Railway in New York State.

We explore the railroad heritage of New York’sGreater Niagara Region, where the expansion of the rail-roads influenced its culture, industry and history.

The Tennessee Valley Railroad in Chattanooga is anexperience straight from the past. Listen to a steam loco-motive hissing and snorting away as it departs from thestation and don’t forget the lonesome wail of a whistleechoing through the ridges.

In Virginia, rail linesweave romanticallythroughout Roanoke,tying the town to ports andportals, far from the beck-oning Blue Ridge. Learnabout Roanoke’s uniquerail past, and visit its railrelated museums includ-ing the Virginia Museumof Transportation and theO. Winston Link Museum.

Tucked into the charm-ing mountain village ofBlue Ridge, Georgia in the

lush Chattahoochee National Forest, we’ll discover agreat family adventure on the Blue Ridge ScenicRailway.

Finally, we visit the B&O Museum in Baltimore, oneof the most significant collections of railroad treasures inthe world, and the largest collection of 19th-centurylocomotives in the U.S. Its theme, The War Came byTrain, focuses on the role of the railroad in the U.S. CivilWar.

What’s Happening features the 86th ShenandoahApple Blossom Festival in Winchester, VA, which eachyear welcomes spring: the birds, the blooms and happycrowds of people ready to celebrate the season.

PREVIEWBy Steve Kirchner, Editor & Publisher

The Grand Canyon Railway in Arizona

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FeaturesGreat American Railroads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8California’s Skunk Train . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10The Napa Valley Wine Train . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13California’s State Railroad Museum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Incredible Views: Oregon’s Mount Hood Railroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20The Grand Canyon Railway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24Utah’s Heber Valley Railroad. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Two States Share the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Adirondack Scenic Railway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32The Railroad Heritage of Greater Niagara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34Railroading’s Golden Age in Chattanooga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36Roanoke’s Unique Rail Past . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40Georgia’s Blue Ridge Scenic Railway. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46The B&O Museum: The War Came by Train. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

DepartmentsByways Instant Connect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Byways Preview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Advertisers Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57Free Byways Subscription . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

What’s HappeningThe 86th Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Coming in futureissues of Byways…Beautiful Gardens andWestern States.

At right, the Edith J.Carrier Arboretum andBotanical Gardens inHarrisonburg, VA.Photo courtesy FrankDoherty Photography.

Volume 30, Issue No. 1, 2013

On the cover. Spend a day exploring railroad exhibits at the VirginiaMuseum of Transportation in Roanoke, and see one of the most powerfulsteam locomotives in existence today: the Class J 611. Coverage of GreatAmerican Railroads begins on page 8. Cover photo courtesy Roanoke ValleyConvention & Visitors Bureau.

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Great Americ

Byways takes its annual tour of some of America’s great railroads, reliving the his-tory of railroading while enjoying some of the most renowned destinations inNorth America. In this issue we travel from coast to coast to visit historic rail-

roads, railroad museums, and enjoy traveling in the luxury of a bygone era. Join us as we visit a Skunk, take a unique wine train in the Napa Valley, travel by train

to Mt. Hood in Oregon, visit the Grand Canyon in Arizona, explore a railroad ownedby two states, and enjoy incredible railroad museums in California and Virginia.

Photo: The Grand Canyon Railways travels to one of the wonders of the world inArizona. Photo courtesy Grand Canyon Railways.

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can Railroads

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The Skunk Train emerges from Tunnel #1 into theRedwoods of the Noyo River Canyon.

California’s Skunk Train

Welcome to the world of Mendocino County,home of the famous Skunk Train. TheCalifornia Redwoods provide an awe-inspir-

ing backdrop for this piece of American history. The Skunk line operates different trains to power your

journey into the redwoods. Depending upon your travelplans, you can ride the rails on an exciting variety ofequipment. The vintage 1925 M-100 railcruiser, the onlyremaining train of its kind in use today, as well as the1935 M-300 railcruiser run the line all year round whilethe diesel powered engines, or the famous “Ole’ No. 45”Baldwin Steam Locomotive reigns supreme mostly dur-ing the summer months.

The trains begin their runs in both Fort Bragg andWillits. During select times of the year there are one-wayor overnight roundtrips from either station. Fort Bragg islocated on the breathtaking Mendocino Coast and Willitsis conveniently situated on Highway 101, gateway to theredwoods and wine region.

Nostalgia rings down the line in the sights, sounds, andsmell of trains moving through the wild. Practiced move-ments of the conductors, steam of Ole’ No. 45 rising intoa misty morning, cars placed slowly on the track set thetone for an unforgettable day. “All Aboard” soundsacross the station in what seems to be American history,yet it is today. Take your seat, it is time to make newmemories as you travel through the majestic redwoodsforests and most beautiful scenery along the PacificCoast.

ABOUT THE JOURNEYIf it wasn’t for the passengers’ high-tech cameras and

modern garb, a time traveler from the last century wouldfeel quite at home riding on the Skunk Train today. Theview from the restored rail cars is pretty muchunchanged. The first few miles are along the PuddingCreek estuary where common sightings include blueheron, egrets, osprey, ducks, and the occasional loungingturtle. After passing through a dark 1,122-foot tunnel, the

Engine #45 rounding the corner at Alpinealong the “Redwood Route.”

The Skunk Train winding itsway through the redwoods.

Skunk Train makes its way along Noyo River and zig-zags through the redwood thick Noyo River Canyon.

With the occasional whistles as it chugs through tun-nels, over bridges and past open meadows, the train fol-lows the coastal “Redwood Route” as it has since 1885.

It is the towering trees, a glimpse of a deer drinkingfrom the Noyo River, an isolated fisherman’s cabin peek-ing from the forest, and the notion that you have left therest of the world behind that draw people to the SkunkTrain.

HISTORYBuilt as a logging railroad in 1885 by Charles R.

Johnson, the Skunk line was a logical vehicle for mov-ing massive redwood logs to the Mendocino Coastsawmills from the rugged back country, not to mentionthe train played a vital role in transporting families andworkers who set up the various logging camps along theroute.

SMELLS LIKE A SKUNKThe nickname Skunk originated in 1925 when motor-

cars were introduced, which today are sometimesreferred to as railbuses or railcruisers. These single unitself-propelled motorcars had gasoline powered enginesfor power and pot-bellied stoves (burning crude oil tokeep the passengers warm). The combination of thefumes created a very pungent odor, and the old timersliving along the line said these motorcars were likeskunks: “You could smell them before you could seethem.”

The length of the track is 40 miles. Roundtrips runapproximately four hours, Fort Bragg to Northspur, orWillits to Northspur. For barbecue trips allow an extrahour.

Trip Highlights: Pudding Creek estuary, Noyo Rivercanyon, towering redwoods, waterfalls, 30 trestle/bridges, two mountain tunnels, and wildlife.

http://www.skunktrain.com

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The Skunk Trolley

The tracks the Napa Valley Wine Train runs on wereoriginally built in the 1860s to bring guests to thehot springs resort town of Calistoga. While the

track to Calistoga no longer exists, much of the rest ofthe route of the Napa Valley Wine Train isunchanged.   The tracks run through the heart of theworld-famous Napa Valley wine region.During the three-hour rail journey, guests canenjoy the scenery through five towns: Napa,Yountville, Oakville, Rutherford, and St.Helena, and numerous wineries through thelarge picture windows on board.

The Napa Valley Wine Train’s history isalmost as old as the history of  California. Therail line the train travels on was built in 1864by San Francisco’s first millionaire, SamuelBrannan, to  transport visitors to his spa resortof Calistoga. Shortly thereafter,  Brannan wasforced to sell many of his holdings, and therailroad became the property of CaliforniaPacific   Railroad. Then in 1885, Southern

Pacific bought the Napa Valley  Railroad. During the latepart of the 19th century and the early part of the 20th cen-tury, the railroad played a vital role in the economic andagricultural development of the Napa Valley, and pro-vided regular passenger service to the communities ofthe Valley.

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The Napa Valley Wine Train

With the birth of the automobile, however, the trainbegan to lose much of its former importance. Passengerservice was discontinued in the 1930s. In 1960, SouthernPacific abandoned the right of way between St. Helenaand Calistoga, and eventually, Southern Pacific was run-

ning only one freight train a week on the remainingtracks. In an effort to make a profit on the faltering railline, Southern Pacific decided to abandon the line andsell the property in 1984.

Some of the people in Napa Valley did not want the rail

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line to be abandoned and lost. Lou Schuyler, a retiredSouthern Pacific Engineer, had driven freight along theroute, and understood the significance and beautyattached to this specific railroad.

A group founded by Dr. Alvin Lee Block was knownas the Napa Valley Wine Train Inc. Their goal was to cre-ate a railroad that would preserve the transportation cor-ridor for future use and reduce traffic congestion in theValley.

Immediately, the Napa Valley Wine Train Inc. went ona hunt to find investors. Their search led them to SanFrancisco resident, Vincent DeDomenico,inventor of Rice-A-Roni and former own-er of Ghirardelli Chocolate and GoldenGrain Pasta. DeDomenico loved the con-cept of the Wine Train and offered to buythe whole operation. The Napa ValleyWine Train Inc. sold him most of theshares in the company and appointed himas the Wine Train’s President and CEO.

With DeDomenico involved, the NapaValley Wine Train was finally able to buythe line from Southern Pacific and beginthe transformation into the company that itis today.

The Napa Valley Wine Train begins its

journey at the McKinstry Street Station in Napa. TheTrain then travels north to St. Helena, where the loco-motive disconnects from the north facing side of theTrain and reconnects to the south facing side of the Trainin preparation for the return journey. Currently, the NapaValley Wine Train stops at different locations dependingon the day of the week.  Guests are only allowed to dis-embark at these locations if they have pre-purchased oneof the Winery Tours.

Visit http://www.winetrain.com for details.

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California’s State Railroad Museum

By Dr. John A. Kirchner

A visitor from China stands in front GM-EMDE9A locomotive #6051, a classic example ofdiesel-electric passenger locomotives of the“Streamline Era.”  It is painted in the SouthernPacific’s famous Daylight red, orange, andblack.  

Located in Old Sacramento, along the banks of theSacramento River, the California State RailroadMuseum (CSRM) is the most popular of its kind

in North America. Opened in 1976, and a part of theCalifornia State Parks system, it draws over 500,000annual visitors. Built at a cost of $30 million, it consistsof six original, reconstructed, and new buildings. Theprimary exhibit hall, totaling some 100,000 square feet,was opened in May 1981.

Much more than just a collection of old locomotivesand cars, the CSRM is one of the world’s finest interpre-tive transportation museums, offering exhibits in recreat-ed settings that remind one of a natural history museum.Instead of mammoths or mastodons, visitors are face toface with Central Pacific locomotive No. 1 in a Sierratunnel, or standing next to a Sierra snow shed, or watch-ing Chinese laborers braving the odds while placingexplosive charges in the hard granite rock of the SierraNevada.

Within the main primary exhibit building, some 21meticulously restored locomotives and cars can be seen.One is struck by the great variety of engines and rollingstock, both standard gauge and narrow gauge. Bothdiesel and steam are displayed. Most majestic is

Central Pacific 4-4-0 locomotive No. 1, theGovernor Stanford, was built by Norris in1862. Shipped in crates, it traveled by seafrom Philadelphia around South America toSan Francisco, and then by riverboat to Sacra-mento, where it entered service only a shortdistance from today’s museum.

Thousands of Chinese laborers, mostly fromGuangdong Province in southern China,were brought in to build the Central Pacific,and their hard work and heroics in the faceof great danger are part of the epic story ofthe trans-Sierra railway.

Southern Pacific 4294, a massive 4-8-8-2 articulatedlocomotive, a rare type built to literally run backwards.Because smoke from hard working steam locomotivesfilled the confined space of tunnels and snow sheds, thetrans-Sierra crossing was hazardous to the engine crew’shealth. Thanks to oil fuel, which could be pumped for-ward from the tender to the firebox, the Southern Pacificcreated the so-called “Cab-Forward” or “Cab-Ahead”locomotive, and while never adopted by other major rail-roads, the design was highly successful and saw over250 of the type delivered for service. Built inPhiladelphia by Baldwin in 1944, 4294 was retired in1956. The last steam locomotive acquired new by theSouthern Pacific, she is also the sole survivor of herbreed.

Visitors often have their favorites, and among thediesel locomotives, none is more special to me than

bright red, orange, and black Southern Pacific number6051, built in La Grange, Illinois in 1954. Housed in aroundhouse-like exhibit area, this streamlined (GM)EMD E-9A cab unit developed 2,400 hp, and was a reg-ular on famous passenger trains like the Coast Daylightand Lark between San Francisco and Los Angeles. As akid I saw her many times as she passed throughRedwood City, my childhood home.

The main exhibit hall is but one part of this vast muse-um complex, which overall has some 225,000 squarefeet of total exhibit space.

The Central Pacific depot has been recreated, markingthe starting point of the famed First TranscontinentalRailroad. The museum’s excellent library is housed inthe “Big Four” building, one of several original 19th cen-tury structures, each with its own history, adjoining themain exhibit complex on its west side. Work is now

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underway on the new “Technology Museum,” a massiveundertaking located in the former Southern Pacificshops, situated north of the current CSRM complex, andquite close to the former Southern Pacific station, now abusy Amtrak facility.

The CSRM also operates the Sacramento SouthernRailway, a six-mile, forty-minute roundtrip along thebanks of the Sacramento River. Part of a formerSouthern Pacific branch line, diesel locomotive powertrains run from April through September, with fares start-ing at $10 for adults, $5 for youths (6-17), with youngerkids free. Trains leave from the Central Pacific FreightDepot in the Old Sacramento complex.

The museum is justly famous for its periodic“Railfairs,” major events which see many guest locomo-tives, from all over the world, as participants. The nextsuch event is tentatively planned for 2020 to celebratethe opening of the new Technology Museum.

All in all, the CSRM is an exceptional experience, withwonderful dioramas and displays, an excellent staff, anda world-class collection. But CSRM is only part of thefun, because it is located in Old Sacramento StateHistoric Park, a masterful preservation success whichhas made this fascinating part of Sacramento’s historyinto a true people place, with hotels, restaurants, river-side docks and steamboats, and numerous fascinatingbuildings, each with its own story to tell.

http://www.csrmf.org/

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Southern Pacific Cab-forward 4294, a mas-sive 4-8-8-2 articulated locomotive, was

built in 1944.  Long tunnels and snow shedsin Sierra Nevada created a very hostile

environment for engine crews, so these locomotives were built to run in reverse, a

successful adaptation because they burnedoil, not wood or coal.  Southern Pacific wasthe only railroad in North America to adopt

the unusual design.

North Pacific Coast Railroad #12 “Sonoma,”Baldwin-built 4-4-0 type constructed in 1876.

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The Mount Hood Railroad in Oregon offers four-hour scenic toursthrough the Hood River Valley and narrated historic excursion traintours, as well as special events.

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Incredible Views: Oregon’s Mount Hood

Railroad

Today the Mount Hood Railroad offers four-hourscenic tours through Oregon’s Hood River Valleyand narrated historic excursion train tours.

It offers the perfect escape for couples, families andgroups in the scenic Hood River Valley. From beautifulpear trees, and great views of Mount Hood and MountAdams, to classic dinner trains reminiscent of theGolden Age of rail travel or the excitement of a “WesternTrain Robbery,” make sure to fit the Mount HoodRailroad into your travel plans.

The Mount Hood Railroad is located 60 miles east ofPortland.

The majority of the railroad’s revenue is generatedfrom passenger excursions although a few small freightshippers remain that generate several carloads of trafficper week.

The northern terminus of the Mount Hood Railroad isat Hood River, Oregon, where the line interchanges withthe Union Pacific Railroad. The line starts out parallel tothe Hood River for the first three 3 miles until it reachesa switchback. Switchbacks used to be common, but thisis now only one of five remaining railroad switchbacksin use in the United States. After the trains reverse direc-

tion at the switchback, the line continues south throughthe communities of Pine Grove, Odell, and Dee beforereaching the southern end of the line at Parkdale. Thetotal length of the line is just over 21 miles.

The line south out of Hood River was first built in1906, extending as far as Dee. In 1909 the line wasextended to the present-day end of track at Parkdale. TheUnion Pacific acquired the line in 1968 and operated itwith the primary customers being fruit shippers and thelumber operation at Dee. As local industries switched totruck-based transportation for their goods, carloads onthe line dwindled and the Union Pacific proposed aban-doning the line. In 1987 a group of local investors pur-chased the railroad from Union Pacific and began tooffer passenger excursions to augment the freight busi-ness. The line was sold again in 2008 to Permian BasinRailways, a subsidiary of Chicago-based Iowa PacificHoldings.

All trains depart from and return to the Mount HoodRailroad depot in Hood River, Oregon.

Visit http://www.mthoodrr.com for additional infor-mation.

Aerial view of Hood River, Oregon.Photo courtesy Sam Beebe.

Dining on the Mount Hood Railroad.

Photo courtesy Mount Hood Railroad.

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Luxury Parlor Class Service

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The Grand Canyon Railway

Since 1901, the Train has taken people to the fabledcanyon, once dubbed “the most sublime of allearthly scenes.”

Today, the Train will not only take you to the SouthRim, it will take you back in time. Your tour group canexperience the Grand Canyon in the most memorable ofways on board Grand Canyon Railway. With access tolodging inside Grand Canyon National Park and inWilliams, at both the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel andGrand Canyon Railway RV Park, as well as buffet-styledining at the adjacent Grand Depot Café, planning andbooking packaged group travel has never been easier!

For history, one would be hard pressed to competewith the five million year old Grand Canyon, but atGrand Canyon Railway, we try our best. Each locomo-tive and passenger coach has been painstakingly restoredto its original state by a staff of mechanics who see theirwork as more a labor of love than a job. During the jour-ney, your crew is no less enthusiastic. Each is burstingwith local and Grand Canyon folklore and history, aswell as Grand Canyon Railway knowledge. Strollingmusicians catch you up with what was hot way backwhen. And there are even fun recreations of an old fash-ioned shoot out and a train robbery.

Grand Canyon Railway now operates 5 unique classesof passenger service: Coach, First Class, Dome, LuxuryParlor, and the all new full-length Luxury Dome. Our cli-mate-controlled Coach Class passenger cars hold

enough people for large groups to ride together, and fea-ture bench seating and wide windows for enjoying theview. Coach passengers also have access to the Café Carin the middle of the Train, where snacks, beverages, andice cream are available for purchase.

The artfully decorated First Class cars upgrade yourgroup to plush, captain’s chair seating, plentiful legroom, and extra-wide picture windows. Complimentaryfruit, pastries, and beverages are served north bound inthe morning; an assortment of cheese, crackers, and veg-gies is provided for the return trip in the evening. MostFirst Class cars also feature a cash bar, serving bottledbeer and wine, and cocktails mixed to perfection.

For more information about the Dome, Luxury Dome,or Luxury Parlor classes, please contact our Group SalesDepartment directly or visit us online atthetrain.com/groups.

Once at the Canyon, there’s no shortage of sights to seeand things to do. If your group is staying just for theafternoon, make the most of your time and see the mostamazing vantage points on our 90-minute guided motor-coach tour of the South Rim. A hot buffet lunch atMaswik Cafeteria is also available.

If your group is interested in the complete GrandCanyon Experience, why not add a night at one of fivelodges inside the National Park? Your Grand CanyonRailway sales agent can reserve rooms, banquets, meet-ing space, and even additional activities around theSouth Rim. Kachina and Thunderbird Lodges are both

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Luxury Parlor Car service is available on the Grand

Canyon Railway.

situated right on the Rim, and offer Canyon-side rooms.Maswik Lodge is less than one half mile from the edgeof the Canyon, has dining and retail on site, and has easyaccess to trails and shuttle busses. For much largergroups needing several rooms, there is Yavapai Lodge,which also features on-site dining and retail, and is just a

short drive from the Rim. Our Group Sales Department is standing by to help

your company plan your group’s Grand CanyonAdventure, toll-free at 1-800-843-8723 or via email:groups@xanterra.com

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Although diesel engines do the heavy lifting on theGrand Canyon Railway today, steam engines are stillused on excursions to the Grand Canyon.

The Heber Valley Historic Railroad’s history beganin 1899, when trains served the pioneers who firstsettled the valley. In the early 1970s, the railroad

became the Heber Creeper, a tourist passenger trainoperating on a seasonal basis. We now operate as a non-profit organization focused on tourism, education andthe restoration of historical railroad equipment.

The Heber Valley Railroad is reminiscent of the typi-cal short-line railway that could be seen in many parts ofUtah and throughout rural America during the GoldenYears of U.S. railroading. Our goal is to help you enjoya slice of Americana which has otherwise disappeared.The train ride, depot and atmosphere around the railequipment, yards and buildings have been designed to beeducational for all ages. The Heber Valley Railroad isowned by the State of Utah.

The Heber Valley Railroad has appeared in a numberof motion pictures and was featured on televisionepisodes of “Touched by an Angel” and “PromisedLand.” Our steam engine and ten of our railroad carshave been featured in more than 35 motion pictures overthe past 20 years.

Today, vintage and restored coaches are pulled throughthe beautiful Heber Valley by a variety of diesel electriclocomotives. We are also in the process of restoring andrebuilding a 1907 Baldwin Steam Engine for future gen-erations. Our track runs the original Denver & RioGrande Western rail line along US Highway 189, acrossthe valley floor, alongside the renowned Provo River toVivian Park.

Utah’s 114-year-old Heber Valley Railroad is a touristpassenger railroad that runs through a beautiful, lush val-ley, along the shore of a year-round recreational lake andthrough a steep, forested canyon. Amenities on-boardinclude heated coaches in the winter, restrooms, snackcar, and gift shop.

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Utah’s Heber Valley Railroad

The Heber Valley Railroad has created several scenicexcursions, adventure trains, dinner trains, and specialevents for you to choose from.

Scenic Trains include breathtaking scenery of HeberValley’s natural landscape, the beautiful Deer CreekReservoir, and the majestic Provo Canyon/Provo River.

These scenic trains include the Provo Canyon Limited,Lakeside Limited (winter only), and the Deer CreekExpress.

If you are looking for something more exciting, thenyou will enjoy one of the Adventure Trains. You can gorafting down the Provo River on the Raft ‘n Rails. Don’tlike rafting? Take a beautiful ride through the Wasatchcountryside astride a majestic steed on the Reins ‘nTrains.

Still need more excitement? Well then, dare to ride fastpaced steep inclines of the intense Wilderness Zip Line!Perhaps you would rather sit down with your loved onesand enjoy a beautiful sunset while eating a dinner fit fora cowboy on the Sunset BBQ Special.

Are you an amazing detective waiting to find out WhoDun It? Then join us on this fantastic mystery aboard theComedy Murder Mystery. Looking for a fun family out-ing around the Holidays? Then come and join one of ourmany Special Events like The Valentine’s Day Special,Chocolate Lovers Train, Magic Train, Fiddle Fest,Summer Kick Off, Day Out With Thomas, PumpkinFestival, or The North Pole Express.

Your ticket helps ensure that this priceless piece ofUtah and American history will be here for future gener-ations to enjoy. Whether you are planning to ride a trainfor the first time, or this is one of many trains you’veenjoyed, choosing to ride the Heber Valley HistoricRailroad will be a great experience.

For more information, visit http://hebervalleyrr.org

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Photos courtesy Heber Valley Railroad.

The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad was origi-nally constructed in 1880 as part of the RioGrande’s San Juan Extension, which served the

silver mining district of the San Juan mountains in south-western Colorado. 

Like all of the Rio Grande at the time, it was built to agauge of 3 feet between the rails, instead of the morecommon 4 feet, 8-1/2 inches that became stan-dard in the United States.  The inability to inter-change cars with other railroads led the RioGrande to begin converting its tracks to standardgauge in 1890.

However, with the repeal of the Sherman Actin 1893 and its devastating effect on the silvermining industry, traffic over the San JuanExtension failed to warrant conversion to stan-dard gauge. 

Over the ensuing decades it became an isolat-ed anachronism, receiving its last majorupgrades in equipment and infrastructure in the1920s. A post-World War II natural gas boombrought a brief period of prosperity to the line,but operations dwindled to a trickle in the1960s. 

Finally, in 1969 the Interstate Commerce Commissiongranted the Rio Grande’s request to abandon its remain-ing narrow gauge main line trackage, thereby ending thelast use of steam locomotives in general freight servicein the United States.

Most of the abandoned track was dismantled soonafter the ICC’s decision, but through the combined

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Two States Share Cumbres &Toltec Scenic Railroad

Coal in the firebox. Photos courtesy Cumbres &Toltec Scenic Railroad.

efforts of an energetic andresourceful group of rail-way preservationists andlocal civic interests, themost scenic portion of theline was saved. 

In 1970, the states ofColorado and New Mexicojointly purchased the trackand line-side structuresfrom Antonito to Chama,nine steam locomotives,over 130 freight and workcars, and the Chama yardand maintenance facility,for $547,120. The C&TSbegan hauling tourists thenext year.

Today the railroad isoperated for the states bythe Cumbres & ToltecScenic RailroadCommission, an interstateagency authorized by an act of Congress in 1974.

Care of the historic assets, and interpretation of therailroad is entrusted to the Friends of the Cumbres &Toltec Scenic Railroad, a non-profit, member-basedorganization whose mission is to preserve and interpretthe railroad as a living history museum for the benefit ofthe public, and for the people of Colorado and New

Mexico, who own it.When you visit us, be sure to take the self-guided tours

of the railroad yards.  For a map and tour informationabout the railroad yards, visit:

http://www.cumbrestoltec.com

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The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad has four operatingcoal-fired, steam-operated, narrow gauge locomotives.

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Transportation in Central New York underwent atransformation in the early part of the 19th centu-ry with the completion of the Erie Canal and New

York Central and Hudson River Railroads. With people and goods now traveling more easily and

more quickly than ever before across New York State, aswell as the increased pressure to utilize natural resourcesof the northern part of the state, the Adirondacks beganto experience an influx of people. In addition to loggers,trappers, and hunters, many wealthy families began toconstruct estates in the Adirondacks, today known as the“Great Camps.” Roads, difficult to construct through theheavily wooded and mountainous terrain were not prac-tical for transportation of large quantities of goods orwealthier families, accustomed to a higher class of trans-portation.

Dr. William Seward Webb, a medical doctor by trade,president of the Wagner Palace Car Company, and hus-band of Lila Vanderbilt, of the wealthy Vanderbilt fami-ly, figured the best way to access Nehasane Park, hislarge hunting preserve to the north, was by train. In 1890,he financed a railroad into the Adirondack wilderness,work on the line started the next year and was complet-ed in just 18 months.

The rail line was a significant engineering feat for its

day. Starting in Remsen, the line travels up 1,135 feet toits highest point at Big Moose Lake, at 2,035 feet. Theline itself includes 17 bridges over several bodies ofwater as well as a large number of buildings, construct-ed along the line to support rail operations, many ofwhich are still standing or in use today.

The railroad later became part of the New York CentralSystem. The railroad carried the Webb, Morgan,Vanderbilt, Whitney, and Roosevelt families along withother not-so-famous families to their Great Camps in theAdirondack Mountains. It also provided freight serviceto communities along the way.

In 1961, part of the line was abandoned from LakeClear Junction to Malone. Scheduled passenger servicewas continued on the Adirondack Division from Utica toLake Placid but ended in April of 1965. In February 1968the New York Central System merged with thePennsylvania Railroad becoming Penn CentralTransportation Company. Freight service was continuedwith decreasing frequency until 1972. In that year, thePenn Central’s application to the Public ServiceCommission to abandon the line was approved. In 1975,the state of New York purchased the abandoned line. 

The Adirondack Railway Preservation Society wasstarted by a group of devoted preservationists who, in

Adirondack Scenic Railway

The Saranac Lake Station on the Adirondack Scenic Railway.

1992, banded together and proposed to fix and operate ashort section of the former New York Central line fromThendara south to Minnehaha. New York State approvedthe four mile demonstration and on July 4, 1992, theAdirondack Centennial Railroad ran itsfirst train. With a positive response fromthe public, New York State allowed the rail-road to operate again in 1993. In July of1994 the Adirondack Centennial Railroadbecame the Adirondack Scenic Railroad,and New York State has extended the per-mission to run each year since.

By the year 2000 the railroad hadrestored the line all the way south to SnowJunction. At that point it connects with afreight railroad, the Mohawk, Adirondack& Northern, and continues on to UnionStation in Utica, NY, six miles north fromThendara Station to Carter Station andbetween Saranac Lake and Lake Placid.Work to complete another section of track,from Carter Station north to Big MooseLake are underway.

Today on the Adirondack ScenicRailway you can relive the golden age ofrailroading, a time when wealthy entrepre-neurs like Vanderbilt, Carnegie, J.P.Morgan and Collis P. Huntington built fab-

ulous wilderness estates in the heart of the Adirondacks.The Adirondacks played host to the rich and famous ontheir way to these Great Camps.

To learn more, visit http://www.adirondackrr.com

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Saranac Lake Village

If you search heritage, you’re likely to find an ances-tor who had a tie to railroads or canals. The expan-sion of these transportation modes influenced our

culture, industry and history in innumerableways.

Housed in one of the last surviving wood-en freight depots in the United States, theMedina Railroad Museum features one of thelargest collections of New York CentralRailroad artifacts and memorabilia of its typein the country. The 1905 structure containsthe longest HO scale layout and diorama allon one floor, and the displays/exhibits offervisitors the opportunity to marvel at thegrowth of this industry. For a real life histo-ry lesson hop aboard a 2-hour vintage trainexcursion along the banks of the Erie Canalfrom Medina to Lockport. In Lockport you’llactually travel high over the Erie Canal on the

“Upside Down Bridge,” built in 1902. Fall foliage, win-ery and Christmas excursions will delight the young andyoung at heart.

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The Railroad Heritage of Greater Niagara

A motorcoach group tour arrives at the Medina Railroad Museum.

The railroad era is remembered in tribute at thePullman Memorial Universalist Church, in Albion. Builtin 1894 by George M. Pullman, manufacturer of railwaysleeping cars, the church is of “Old English Gothic”design and constructed of Medina Sandstone. Pullman(1831-1897) grew up in Albion and built the church inmemory of his parents. It is adornedwith windows created by the TiffanyGlass and Decorating Company.

Before the railroads the Erie Canalwas the information superhighway ofits time, in 1825 connecting the water-ways of the Northeast, opening uptrade and development. Today,Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruisesgives a glimpse into what it wouldhave been like to travel the canal. Thecruise boats are raised and lowered 50feet in the only double set of locks onthe Canal while the captain narratesstories and lore about its constructionand the original Flight of Five locks.

Spend a weekend delving into history, and experienc-ing the wonder that the first settlers must have felt.

For more on visiting the Greater Niagara Region ofNew York follow the link:

http://www.countrybyways.com

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A train excursion of the Niagara region departs from the Medina Railroad Museum.

The conductor announces “All Aboard!”

Photos courtesy Mike Dorofy

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Railroading’s Golden Agein Chattanooga

Photos courtesy Steve Freer, TennesseeValley Railroad Museum

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Hop aboard a vintage train at the Tennessee ValleyRailroad in Chattanooga for an experiencestraight from the past. Listen to a steam locomo-

tive hissing and snorting away as it departsfrom the station and don’t forget the lone-some wail of a whistle echoing through theridges.

The Tennessee Valley Railroad offers dai-ly rides using restored vintage rail coachespulled by a steam locomotive or a WWII- eradiesel locomotive. Each roundtrip passestwice through pre-Civil War MissionaryRidge tunnel, which was built by handbetween 1856 and 1858.

Back in 1961, several Chattanooga resi-dents joined together to form the TennesseeValley Railroad Museum, hoping to preservea sampling of both steam locomotives andpassenger trains. Miraculously they succeed-ed through perseverance and determination.One of the founding members purchased a

recently surplused steam locomotive from the Kentucky& Tennessee Railway in Stearns, Kentucky. It waspromptly rebuilt by TVRM members and leased to the

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Southern Railway which immediately began running theengine on excursion trips throughout the southeastregion.

The Southern Railway also lent an encouraging handby donating surplus land in East Chattanooga to thefledgling railroad museum. The property happened toinclude Southern’s abandoned mainline throughMissionary Ridge via a 979-foot, pre-Civil War tunnel.TVRM personnel began rebuilding the line, eventuallyconstructing a new span across Tunnel Boulevard,allowing a complete railroad of three miles from termi-nus to terminus. Events accelerated in the early 1980s asconstruction of the East Chattanooga Depot and GrandJunction Station was completed. A turntable wasinstalled at one end of the line and a wye track at the oth-er so trains could always operate with the locomotivefacing forward. A large restoration shop was also erectedto refurbish and maintain the priceless rolling stock.

Through many years of equipment acquisition andeffort, the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum hasbecome the “Largest Operating Historic Railroad in theState” and a popular tourist attraction hosting nearly

100,000 visitors annually. Where else can you hear aconductor announce “All Aboard?” Plan a trip to theTennessee Valley Railroad in Chattanooga where youcan see the “Rebuilding of Yesterday for Tomorrow.”Trains run daily mid-March through October (weekendsonly other months), offering a six-mile roundtrip, whichtakes just under an hour. Special events include extend-ed length Dixie Land excursions throughout the year,featuring Autumn Leaf Special trips complete with a din-ing car luncheon onboard the train. North Pole Limitedand Christmas trains run in November and December.“Chickamauga Turn” service to Chickamauga, Georgiaoperates on summer Saturdays from May throughSeptember. For more information check the web pageor call 423-894-8028 or tol1 free 1-800-397-5544.

The past lies just ahead at the Tennessee ValleyRailroad, and it is all conveniently located at 4119Cromwell Road in Chattanooga. From Interstate 75 takeexit 4, Highway 153 North to the Jersey Pike exit andfollow signs 1/3 mile to the Grand Junction Station.

Visit www.tvrail.com for more information.

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The Norfolk & Western Steam Engine 1218, one of the most powerful ever built, is on displayat the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke. Photo courtesy Roanoke Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau and Virginia Museum of Transportation.

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Roanoke’s UniqueRail Past

Rail lines weave romantically throughout, tying thetown to ports and portals, far from the beckoningBlue Ridge. Once a place called “Big Lick,”

Roanoke took its present name for an Indian word mean-ing “shell money,” not long after the railroad arrived inwestern Virginia in the 1850s.

Today, the city skyline glistens in the starlight, as wellas Roanoke’s man-made wonder – the Roanoke Star –while, at the city’s heart, rail lines shine in the summersun, providing a continuing link to the city’s past.

In nearly all ways, the railroad has spurred a sophisti-cated spin within this city and continues to inspire won-der through the mystique of its museums, train-sidethoroughfares, architectural gems and the fabulous HotelRoanoke.

Roanoke spotlights its heritage as a manufacturer ofsteam engines at the must-see Virginia TransportationMuseum on Norfolk Avenue. Situated alongside a much-active rail, the museum boasts life-size and legendarylocomotives at the site of the historic Norfolk & WesternRailway freight station. Here, you can spend a dayexploring railroad exhibits, including two of the mostpowerful steam locomotives in existence today: the42 • Byways

O. Winston Link is famous for his night shots of Norfolk & Western Steampowered trains. Photo courtesy O. Winston Link Museum.

Class A 1218 and the Class J 611. As the Official Transportation Museum of the

Commonwealth of Virginia, the facility tells the story ofwhat it takes to keep Virginia moving, especially by land.Exhibits feature antique automobiles, a restored diningcar and train collectibles plus model trains with tracks ateverybody’s eye level. More crowd-pleasers includehorse-drawn buggies and a trolley bus.

An exhibit on intercity bus transportation features thehistory of both Greyhound and Trailways, and a nearlyfull-size cutout of an Abbott Bus motorcoach honors themotorcoach charter and tour business.

Outside, take a stroll on the David R. and Susan S.Goode Rail Walk, paralleling the railroad for a third of amile, with kiosks explaining the details of Roanoke’siron horse history. Then cross the Market SquareWalkway, an enclosed glass pedestrian bridge built in1994 to catch a bird’s-eye view of massive tracks cuttingthrough the heart of Roanoke, the “Capital of the BlueRidge.”

At the center of it all, feast your eyes on the elegantHotel Roanoke. Dating to 1882, this historic hotel offersa conference center, fine dining and endless amenities,plus antiques, making it the ultimate showpiece of theRoanoke Valley. Over a century, as the city grew, so didthe hotel and its reputation for excellence. Now, thanksto a multi-million-dollar restoration in the 1990s, fundedby a package of public and private financing in conjunc-tion with the City of Roanoke and Virginia Tech, thehandsome hotel remains a draw all on its own, whetherit’s for the Hotel Roanoke’s romantic “Train Lover’sPackage” or for a busy schedule in the conference cen-ter’s 63,000-square-foot, high-tech meeting space, ableto accommodate up to 1,200 people.

From Hotel Roanoke, the Market Square Walkwayslips past generous samplings of public art to reachRoanoke’s central downtown business district, highlight-ed with its perennially popular farmer’s market; a wealthof shopping opportunities; and the eye-catchingTaubman Museum of Art, reaching for the sky with itspointed architecture, providing a conversation piece

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David R. and Susan S. Goode Rail Walk in downtown Roanoke.Photo courtesy Roanoke Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The Hotel Roanoke was built by the railroad,and today stands as a showpiece of theRoanoke Valley. Photo courtesy RoanokeValley Convention & Visitors Bureau.

amid bustling urban streets. The city’s active arts com-munity even extends to the world of trains, with nation-ally renowned rail artist Andy Fletcher joining theVirginia Museum of Transportation as its first artist-in-residence. Fletcher’s output has included drawings ofover 2,500 trains – from steam locomotives to moderndiesel engines, rail cars and cabooses. Often commis-sioned to paint trains for many railroad historical soci-eties and museums, Fletcher’s place at the museum nowdraws inspiration from a studio facing the rails ofRoanoke.

No visit to Roanoke can be complete, of course, with-out stopping at the O. Winston Link Museum, inside thecentury-old Norfolk & Western Railway passenger trainstation.

Named for the famed New York photographer, thismuseum demonstrates why a picture is worth a thousandwords and perhaps so many more. The late Link, the manbehind the camera, traveled the tracks of Virginia’s rail-roads during the 1950s, especially along the famed“Virginia Creeper” of Abingdon, artistically catching thedying days of steam locomotives.

Decades later, Link’s famous frames are celebrated,along with his cameras and his recordings of the highlonesome wails of train whistles, sounding every bit asmusical as the bluegrass tunes heard at whistle stops allaround Roanoke. Galleries bearing local names like“Radford,” “Pocahontas” and “Shenandoah” encapsu-late the richness of railroads in the surrounding mountain

villages, scattered like satellites from Roanoke’s shiningstar.

Music calls quite naturally across the Rail HeritageCorridor of Virginia, including the Roanoke Valley, withnotes inspired by the tapestry of tracks crisscrossing thecorridor where Southwest Virginia meets theShenandoah Valley. Roanoke serves as the gateway to

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The O. Winston Link Museum features stunning railroad photos. It is located in the city’s former passenger railway terminal, which also serves as the Roanoke Valley Visitors Center.Photo courtesy O. Winston Link Museum.

both fabled regions,and it’s not just bygeographic happen-stance; it’s simply thepath of pioneersand progress.Stretching acrossWestern Virginia,from Lynchburg toClifton Forge,Virginia’s Rail

Heritage Region encompasses the largest concentrationof historic rail facilities in Virginia, including the shopsin Roanoke, where the most modern steam locomotivesin the world were designed and built.

From anywhere, you can watch the action of down-town Roanoke on Virginia’s Rail Heritage Region WebCam. Best of all, it’s on all the time, capturing the trains

of Norfolk Southern’s busy mainlinetracks, positioned in the heart of the city.The lens looks east under the 2nd StreetBridge (Commerce Street) and refreshesevery second so that locomotive and carnumbers are easily legible.

Headquartered in Roanoke, the famedNorfolk & Western Railway made its ownlocomotives and, in turn, employed thou-sands of craftsmen in a multitude of trades,designing and maintaining the cars andengines that kept trains moving.

These craftsmen were simply the bestand helped make Norfolk & Western themost profitable railroad in America duringthe steam era. Today, while nearly allsteam trains have gone up in smoke, a cel-ebration of history remains the mission of

the Norfolk & Western Historical Society, headquarteredin Roanoke, with archives of drawings, photographs anddocuments open to the public.

The Roanoke Chapter of the National RailwayHistorical Society, meanwhile, also strives to educate,offering train excursions while restoring the antique railequipment of Roanoke and the Virginian Railway’s his-toric Roanoke passenger station.

Home to more than the Link museum, the historicNorfolk & Western Railway passenger train station rep-resents the railroad’s royalty in Roanoke. Rebuilt andredesigned, continually, as Roanoke grew, the depot’searliest portions date to 1881, though the station’s dis-tinctive columns, with a Greek design, come from a 1905reshaping. The station owes its classic yet modern look,to famed industrial designer Raymond Loewy, whoadded accents in 1947 with a $1.5 million facelift, exud-ing the influence the railroad had in bringing riches toRoanoke. Loewy’s vision prompted the placement of ter-razzo floors, 17-foot plate glass windows, and escalators,the first of their kind in the Roanoke Valley.

Passenger service might have ended in 1972, andwhile the station was once abandoned in the 1990s, thecherished structure was lovingly saved and restored,finally entering its current life as the site of the LinkMuseum and the Roanoke Valley Convention andVisitors Bureau.

Roll into Roanoke: Discover the depot, the museums,the busy railroad, Hotel Roanoke and all the history thatgoes along with this city with the star on the hill. Evenbetter, mark your calendar for National Train Day, heldalong the tracks on the second week of May; the leaf-changing and life-thrilling train excursions of theRoanoke Chapter of the National Railway HistoricalSociety on the first weekend of November; and all thefamily fun of “Santa By Rail,” with St. Nick rolling intoRoanoke on the first weekend of December.

For more on visiting Roanoke, follow this link.http://www.visitroanokeva.com

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The Virginia Museum of Transportation featuresrailroads, airlines, autos, motorcoaches (seeabove) and much more. Photo courtesyRoanoke Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Georgia’s Blue Ridge Scenic Railway

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Tucked into the charming mountain villageof Blue Ridge, Georgia in the lushChattahoochee National Forest, the area is

known as the “antique capital” of Georgia withfriendly folks and an old-time atmosphere.

It all starts at the historic 100+ year-old BlueRidge Scenic Railway and depot in downtownBlue Ridge and heads north from there. As thetrain winds through the mountains through his-toric Murphy Junction alongside the beautifulToccoa River, Car Hosts share the history of therailroad and sights along the way. The views arespectacular from both the vintage climate-con-trolled coaches and from the open-aircar. Need asnack? Visit the concession car for snacks, drinks,and souvenirs.

After a leisurely one-hour trip, the train stops inthe unique twin border towns of McCaysville,Georgia and Copperhill, Tennessee.

Copperhill/McCaysville is one town with twonames because it is split by the Georgia/TennesseeState Line. Visitors have a two-hour layover withplenty of time to eat lunch, shop for unique craftsand antiques, snack on ice cream, visit the modelrailroad layout, or walk across the old bridge intown to view the river. Then, reboard the train forthe one-hour return trip.

Byways • 47Photos courtesy Blue Ridge Scenic Railroad.

It’s a great family adventureon the Blue Ridge ScenicRailway, chugging along in anhistoric rail car during the fun26-mile roundtrip, arriving backat the Blue Ridge depot, built in1905.

At the end of the trips, theengineers have been hostingtours of the engine as long as theweather is nice enough. Thesteps are tall, but children of allages manage to climb up for alook.

In 1990, after many new own-ers and name changes, the linewas purchased by a group oflocal investors who stepped in topreserve rail service into northGeorgia. As a result, passengertrains are operating once againinto the beautiful North GeorgiaMountains.

Since excursion service beganoperating in 1998, the train has been staffed with dedi-cated volunteer Car Hosts from all over the surroundingarea.

Railroads played a significant role in the developmentof this area between the 1800s and the early 1900s, asthey determined the routes of local roads, saved an ailing

mining industry, contributed to the growth of smalltowns as resort communities, and made it possible to logthe last remaining virgin timber in the area.

To learn more, visit http://brscenic.com.

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888-733-5287 • nmn@motorcoach.com

The National Reservation CenterCharter a motorcoach anywhere in North America

motorcoach.comTrieloff Tours

www.arrowstage-lines.com

The Civil War was the first major conflict whererailroads played a prominent role, and the B&Owas the major line that straddled a divided coun-

try. Between April 19, 1861 (The Baltimore Riot of1861) and April 21, 1865 (Lincoln’s funeral train leavingBaltimore for Illinois), the B&O stood as witness andparticipant in the greatest conflict the United States hasever faced.

The B&O Railroad Museum exhibits “The War Cameby Train,” the largest Civil War railroad exhibit in theworld, now through May 2015. This exhibit tells the sto-ry of how railroads and railroaders shaped the course ofAmerican history.

The Museum’s guest curator, prominent Maryland his-torian and author Daniel Carroll Toomey, has justreleased his latest Civil War book commemorating thishistoric railroad story, The War Came By Train – TheBaltimore & Ohio Railroad During the Civil War.

The B&O Railroad Museum has been called one of themost significant collections of railroad treasures in theworld and has the largest collection of 19th-century loco-motives in the U.S. The museum is located in the50 • Byways

The B&O Museum:The War Came by Train

The B&O Museum Roundhouse in Baltimore.

Car shop and grounds at the B&O RailroadMuseum. Photo courtesy © James G. Howes.

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad’s old Mount Clare Stationand adjacent roundhouse, part of the B&O’s sprawlingMount Clare Shops site begun in 1829, the oldest rail-road manufacturing complex in the United States.

It has been over seven decades since Festus P.Summers wrote The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in theCivil War, which was primarily a corporate history of therailroad during war years. It begins with the B&O’s reac-tion to John Brown’s Raid in 1859 and ends with thedemobilization of the Union Army in 1865.

Toomey’s new book is a highly detailed, yet readablehistory of America’s most famous railroad during theCivil War. The author blends the overall strategy andpolitical aims of that time period with the battles, raidsand daily operational challenges of a Civil War railroad.He introduces an array of little known personalities whoworked for, attacked, defended or travelled on the B&ORailroad.

He also shows in numerous instances how the railroadand the telegraph combined to conquer time and distanceon the battlefield and ushered in the era of modern war-fare with the introduction of armored railcars, hospital

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“Memnon” #57, an 0-8-0 built in 1848 byNewcastle Manufacturing, one of the oldest

surviving freight locomotives. Photo courtesy © James G. Howes.

trains, and large scale troop movements.Courtney B. Wilson, Executive Director of the B&O

Railroad Museum, wrote the forward for the book andstates about its publication, “In this book Toomey bringsto life real human interest stories. It is definitely an epicnovel that will continue to remain in society long after

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B&O’s “Big Mike” #2705, a 2-8-4 Class K-4 “Kanawha” builtby Alco in 1943. Photo courtesy © James G. Howes.

B&O equipment of the 1950s–1960s.Photo courtesy © James G. Howes.

the Museum’s Civil War railroad exhib-it, ‘The War Came By Train’ closes inMay 2015.”

The Baltimore & Ohio RailroadMuseum, an affiliate of the SmithsonianInstitution, is dedicated to the preserva-tion and interpretation of American rail-roading and its impact on Americansociety, culture, and economy.

The Museum is home to the oldest,most important and comprehensive col-lection of American railroad artifacts inthe world including an unparalleled ros-ter of 19th and 20th century railroadequipment.

The 40-acre historic site is regardedas the birthplace of American railroad-ing and includes the 1851 Mt. ClareStation, the 1884 Baldwin Roundhouse,and first mile of commercial railroadtrack in America.

For further information please call410-752-2490 or visit:

www.borail.org

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Early Baltimore and Ohio Railroad passengerequipment of the 1830s. Photo courtesy © James G. Howes.

Mount Clare Station, theBaltimore and Ohio Rail-road’s original passengerstation. Photo courtesy © James G. Howes.

54 • Byways

For the 86th year, the Shenandoah Apple BlossomFestival ® welcomes spring – the birds, the bloomsand the swarm of people ready to celebrate the sea-

son. Springtime in the Shenandoah Valley is a breath of

fresh air, both figuratively and literally. The warmbreezes carry with them the sweet perfume of flowerscrowded in boxwood gardens in the colonial town. Thelush green of the rolling countryside provides the perfectback drop for orchards resplendent with the delicate pinkand white of apple blossoms.

The Festival is held in Winchester - Frederick County,Virginia, in the beautiful and historic NorthernShenandoah Valley, just 75 miles west of Washington,D.C.

A small city with a rural atmosphere, Winchester iswithin easy driving time from Philadelphia andPittsburgh, PA, Baltimore, MD and Richmond, VA.Crowds in excess of 250,000 attend the Festival eachyear.

“Love to Bloom” is the theme for the 2013 spring cel-ebration, set for April 26 to May 5.

Bring your group, friends or family to share in the cel-ebration of springtime by attending the 86th ShenandoahApple Blossom Festival ® in Winchester, Virginia.

During the Festival, Winchester residents open their

The Shenandoah AppleBlossom Festival

Photos courtesy Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival.

doors to tens of thousands of new guests and old friendswho gather in this All American Community for the tra-ditional celebration of a promising apple crop.

From the pomp and pageantry of the Queen’sCoronation to the mechanized wonder of theFirefighters’ Parade; from the glitter and glow of ourtremendous Fireworks Show to the serene beauty of thefloats in the Grand Feature Parade, the Festival hassomething for the entire family.

Carnival; midway; dinners; dances; displays, shows –make plans for your family to be part of the fun at theShenandoah Apple Blossom Festival®.

The first Festival was held Saturday May 3, 1924 andwas just one day.

This year marks the 81st Anniversary of theFirefighters’ Parade (originally called the Torch Lightand Mummers’ Parade). The first Torch Light andMummers’ Parade stepped off at 8:00pm, Thursday,April 18, 1929.

Each participating firefighter carried a flaming torchnot only to give light, but also to achieve a dramatic pres-entation. The first parades exhibited the finest firefight-ing equipment, decorated vehicles, marching units,bands and floats.

Today, fire and rescue units from many East Coaststates exhibit pieces of their antique firefighting equip-

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What’s HappeningWhat’s Happening

Celebrity Mario Lopez greetsthe crowd during the parade.

ment as well as the latest state-of-the-art equipment. TheFirefighters’ Parade is one of the nation’s largest paradesof its kind and one of the major attractions of theFestival.

Celebrities appearing as Firefighters’ Marshals includeDottie West, Kitty Kallen, Tanya Tucker, Jim Ed Brown,Bill Anderson, and Marty Stewart, to name a few. In1965 sports celebrities wereinvited, the first being JackDempsey, followed by SammyBaugh, Whitey Ford, WillieMays, Hank Aaron, DarrellGreen, Bobby Allison, JackieJoyner-Kersee, Johnny Benchand Jerry West, among otherswho have appeared as SportsMarshals.

A Wine Fest weekend kicksoff the festivities and will beheld April 26 and 27, with localwineries, artisans, live musicentertainment and vendorslocated in two food courts.

The Festival continues April29 through May 5, 2013.

For more information, contact:Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival®135 North Cameron StreetWinchester, Virginia 22601540-662-3863www.thebloom.com

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The Apple Bloosom Festival features one of thelargest Firefighters’ Parades in the world.

The Budweiser Clydesdales will beparticipants in the 86th annual

Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival.

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Byways is published bi-monthly by Byways, Inc. and distributed electronically throughout North America.Byways is emailed to more than 4000 tour operators and 13,000 travel agencies through the internet. Subscriptionsare complimentary. An iPad version is available for consumers in iTunes and Newsstand in the App Store.

Byways’ distribution includes motorcoach companies, tour operators, travel agents, bank travel managers, schoolband and athletic planners, and meeting planners. For advertising rates, editorial deadlines, or to place advertisinginsertions, contact: Byways Magazine, 42 Cabin Hill Lane, Mount Jackson, VA 22842. Telephone 540-477-3202.Fax 540-477-3858. Toll-free 800-469-0062.

©Copyright 2013 by Byways, Inc. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be duplicated in anyform without express written permission of the publisher.

Editor and PublisherStephen M. Kirchner

Advertising Director1.800.469.0062 • 540.477.3202 • Fax 540.477.3858

Internet:bywaysmagazine.com byways@motorcoach.com

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