Featuring North America!s Leading Travel Destinations

Riding the Rails

Taste & Explor

Thrilling visitors from around the world, Shenandoah Caverns is the only cavern inVirginia with elevator service! Explorers of every age and ability will discover an underground world of wonder. With level walkways and no stairs to climb, only thesights are breathtaking. The Family of Attractions includes amazing parade floats andpresidential inaugural props at American Celebration on Parade. Delightful antique animated department store window displays on Main Street of Yesteryear. Experiencethe live indoor beehive and model trains in motion at the Yellow Barn. Four attractionsat one low price! Open every day except Dec. 25th. www.shenandoahcaverns.com

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American Celebration on Parade

The Grottos at Shenandoah Caverns

The Yellow Barn

Visit the five wineries

of the Shenandoah

County Wine Trail.

re Shenandoah

Byways • 3

Shenandoah County is the second largest agricultural producing county in Virginia.

The Wine industry has established itself as agrowing force in the county, with five vineyards.

A view from Shenandoah Vineyards in Edinburg,Virginia.

Wine Tasting, Caverns, Attractions, Skiing, Snowboarding andCivil War Battlefields in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley of

Virginia 90 minutes from the Washington, DC Beltway.Shenandoah County Tourism

888-367-3965 • www.shenandoahtravel.org

Welcome to Byways’ NorthAmerican Train Tours andRiding the Rails! As a kid

growing up in the San Francisco Bayarea, I still remember those beautifulSouthern Pacific steam engines pullingthe Daylight passenger trains between

San Francico and Los Angeles. And I remember whenthe first diesel engines began to appear as the golden ageof steam gave way to the powerful diesel.

I also have fond memoriese of taking the train fromCalifornia to Portland and Seattle with my grandmoth-er, and being seated in the dining car for dinner. Withreal china and silver. I remember the white gloved wait-ers serving our meal as if we were in the most elegant fivestar restaurant in San Francisco.

The nostalgia of those bygone days still bring pleasantthoughts to my mind, and every time I see a promotionfor one of the many rail tour opportunities, I immedi-dately think back to those days.

And apparently I’m not alone. I’m one of the babyboomers. As Bob Cline of U.S. Tours says in his intro-ductory article to this issue of Byways, “Rail Tours andBoomers are a perfect match.”

“Rail Tours perfectly match the market’s adventurousdesires and aging bones. They are a chance to see ruggedand remote places, from inside safe and climate con-trolled cars.”

And in this issue of Byways we visit some of thoserugged and remote places, which also happen to be someof the most spectacular sights in North America. Therailroads united the country and the continent, but to doso, they went where no one had gone before.

The sights and sounds of rail travel are muchdifferent today. While Amtrak still serves anationwide audience, most of our rail excursionsare over shorter distances on tracks that nolonger serve mainline commerce.

But they take you to places that you just can’tget to otherwise. Travel back in time with theGhost Train to Yesterday in the Sierra NevadaMountains to a ghost town called Virginia City.

Explore the Royal Gorge of Colorado, some ofthe most spectacular scenery found anywhere inNorth America. Sit back and ride through theBlack Hills of South Dakota on the historic 1880Train. While visiting Branson, climb onboardand explore the Ozarks with the Branson ScenicRailway.

Explore West Virginia with mountains, music andrailroads. Visit the Durbin & Greenbrier ValleyRailroad, and the Cass Scenic Railroad.

With railroads, there’s always a story. The Strasburg

Rail Road in Pennsylvania purchased its first passengercar to host Abraham Lincoln on his inaugural train ride,and that’s just a small part of its history as the railroadprepares to celebrate its 180th anniversary.

North of the border, the Polar Bear Express bringsCanada’s Heritage Experience to residents and visitorsalike, with more of that spectacular scenery that seemsto follow the rails wherever they go.

We hope you enjoy this issue as much as we enjoyedputting it together. Boy, it sure does bring back thememories!

PREVIEWBy Steve Kirchner, Editor & Publisher

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The Royal Gorge Route Railroad

West Virginia!s Cass Scenic Railroad

FeaturesAdd Excitement to Your Tours by Riding the Rails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Ghost Train to Yesterday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Traveling Through Colorado!s Spectacular Royal Gorge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16South Dakota!s Black Hills Central, The 1880 Train. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20America!s Largest Celebration of Railroading Comes to Rock Island, IL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22The Branson Scenic Railway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Mountains, Music and Railroads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24West Virginia!s Cass Scenic Railroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Greater Niagara!s Country Byways and Railroad Heritage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Pennsylvania!s Strasburg Rail Road. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32The Polar Bear Express, Canada!s Heritage Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

DepartmentsByways Preview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Advertisers Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39Free Byways Subscription . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

What!s HappeningTHE RIDE Takes Manhattan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40See and Interact with All 44 U.S. Presidents in Washington, DC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Coming in future issues of Byways… America!s Main Street, Rt. 66 and the Old West, Nebraska and the Plains States, Non-Traditional

Cruise Port options, Mid-American Sights, Rocky Mountain Highs, and Great American Roads.

Volume 27, Issue No. 5, 2011

The names Comstock Lode and the Virginia & Truckee Railroad were syn-onymous with the vast wealth of gold and silver that came from the minesaround Virginia City, Nevada. Now restored to its former glory, the railroad isonce again transporting tourists to this famous ghost town. To learn moreabout the Rail Tours coverage, turn to page 8.

Byways • 5

America!s Main Street, Route 66 & the Old West

Cruise Ship docks in Norfolk, Virginia

888-733-5287 • nmn@motorcoach.com

The National Reservation CenterCharter a motorcoach anywhere in North America

motorcoach.comOzarks’ Kirkwood Tour & Travel

Sweet Magnolia ToursTrieloff Tours

6 • Byways

Byways • 7

We’re in the business of selling group travel at avery exciting time in history; it’s an incrediblemoment, it’s an era like none recorded before.

At this very moment, the largest single generation inthe history of the world: “The Boomers” are literallyexploding into our marketplace. We are selling to themwith technologies that we barely know how to use, toolsthat didn’t exist a year ago. As proof of that, you needonly consider this magazine you’re reading . . . it isn’tprinted on paper!

Our jobs are to sell travel, to produce profits. We’veread hundreds of articles on Boomers and their pendingimpact on travel. We’ve changed marketing tools so wecan reach them. We use websites (paperless catalogs)and emails (no postage cost).

But, while the marketing tools are fascinating, youcan’t be distracted from the product. The packaging oftours is basically the same. You take a hotel, add a din-ner, plug in a museum and then publish. The differencewith today’s Boomer targeted product, is that the cus-tomer wants more: better hotels, better food and moreexcitement. To survive you have to kick the packageexcitement up a notch, put a little fire and smoke intothat tour title.

Rail Tours and Boomers are a perfect match. Boomerswant adventure and unique experiences. But, Boomersare getting old (ages now range between 47 and 65).Like their parents before them they are buying grouptravel for economy, safety in numbers and chauffer driv-en coaches. Rail Tours perfectly match the market’sadventurous desires and aging bones. They are a chance

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Add Excitement to YourTours by Riding the Rails

By Bob Cline, U.S. Tours

The Royal Gorge Route Railroad, Colorado

to see rugged and remote places, from inside safe and cli-mate controlled cars.

Boomers are beautiful customers and there are mil-lions. They are waiting right now to buy your products;you just have to pique their interest with your tour titlesand activities. I do it with TRAINS! Whoo Woooooo!Trains travel scenic routes with beautifully descriptivenames such as the Black Hills and Royal Gorge, thePacific Surfliner and the Cheat Mountain Salamander.They are historic, nostalgic, and pretty.

This edition of Byways features several great railadventures. I challenge you to read this e-pub, look foran opportunity and create a new tour with a title thathas both Fire & Smoke.

One last fun thought: Look at Norman Rockwell’spaintings and then look at a scenic train’s website. Thepeople in all of the pictures, both then and now, areexcited about riding on a train.

Byways • 9

The Cass Scenic Railroad,West Virginia

U.S. Tours was created by Bob Cline in 1996 and istoday America’s most detailed planner of custom, self-escorted Group Tours. Visit www.ustours.biz.

Virginia & Truckee Railroad

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• Customized Itineraries

• 1 Free with Every 16 Paid

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so you can resell

• Fast Quotes

without voicemail

• Graphic & Marketing Assistance

• Route Directions & Mapping

• Private Labeled Tags & Badges

America’s Most Detailed Provider

of Custom, Self-Escorted Group Tours

U.S. TOURS 888-393-8387 www.ustours.biz

2819 Murdoch Avenue, Parkersburg, WV 26101

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Southern Kitchen

Home Cooking Since 1955

Close to Bryce Resort, Shenandoah Caverns

& New Market Battlefield

New Market, Virginia I-81 Exit

Steaks • Seafood • Chicken • Breakfast

540-740-35149576 S. Congress Street

Open 7 Days a Week

7 am - 9 pm

Come by and meet your hosts,

Randy & Rebecca Newland

12 • Byways

Ghost Train to YesterdayPhotos and story by Dr. John A. Kirchner

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Virginia City-bound No. 29 rounds abend on a March day, with the snowy

Sierra Nevada in the background.

Sixty-five years ago railroad author and publisherLucius Beebe coined this title to describe one ofAmerica’s classic railroads of the mining West.

The names Comstock Lode and the Virginia & TruckeeRailroad were synonymous with the vast wealth of goldand silver that came from the mines around VirginiaCity, the legendary hilltop mining town near CarsonCity, Nevada. When Beebe first photographed the rail-road, the short line had seen better times and was closeto oblivion. Likewise, Virginia City itself had become a

ghost town, clinging to a life once glorified by the richores of the area.

Like so many other mining railroads, as the minesplayed out, the wheels slowly ground to a halt. TheVirginia & Truckee once connected Virginia City withCarson City, Reno, and Minden, and at its peak ranmore than fifty freight trains a day, paying its owners div-idends that at times exceeded $100,000 a month!Overnight Pullman sleepers connected the ComstockLode with San Francisco, and the passengers includedthe elites of the City by the Bay, many of them made

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On a quiet winter night, Virginia City may look like theghost town that it once was, but with the growth of tourism,

the city has become a major Nevada attraction.

wealthy by theComstock Lodeitself or the busi-nesses that support-ed it.

Construction onthe original 16.7-mile railroad fromCarson City toVirginia City beganin 1869, the sameyear the FirstTranscontinentalRailroad was com-pleted.

This sectionclosed in 1938, butpart of the V&Tlimped along until1950, with final clo-sure of the line toReno. Today, happi-ly, the Virginia &Truckee hasreturned to life. Ledby a cadre of peoplewith shared inter-ests, the privatelyoperated V&T

began to rebuild in the mid-1970s. The restored railway operates from May through

October, offering short diesel-hauled rides from VirginiaCity to Gold Hill on a daily basis, and longer weekendtrips with steam to the state capital, Carson City. No.29, a Baldwin 2-8-0 built in 1916, does the honors.

Likewise, Virginia City itself has become a nationalshrine to mining history, reclaiming its glory days, andattracting large numbers of visitors. Saidto have been at one time the richestsmall town in America, the federallydesignated National Historic Districtnow lays claim to a history filled withthe legends of the American West, fromauthor Mark Twain to fabled entrepre-neurs William Ralston, Darius Mills,Charles Crocker, and Adolph Sutro,among many others. Virginia City, infact, supposedly once had more million-aires than any other town in the U.S.

Carson City also has the excellentNevada State Railroad Museum, a won-derful place to see restored V&T equip-ment and learn more about the pasthistory of the V&T.

Both the Virginia & Truckee and theNevada State Railroad Museum offergroup rates, and encourage tour and

motorcoach operators to contact them.

For more information, contact:

Virginia & Truckee Railroad P.O. Box 467, Virginia City, NV 89440775-847-0380http://www.virginiatruckee.com/

Virginia City Convention and Tourism Authority 86 South C Street, Virginia City, NV 89440800-718-7587http://www.visitvirginiacitynv.com/

Nevada State Railroad Museum2180 S. Carson St. (US 395 at Fairview)Carson City, NV 89701775-687-6953http://museums.nevadaculture.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=412&Itemid=123

About the author: Dr. Kirchner is professor emeritusof geography and transportation at Cal State UniversityLos Angeles.

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No. 29 blasts out of Tunnel No.2, a 566-ft bore opened in 1869

and restored in 2008.

Walter C. Gray, the man largely responsible for the rebirth of the V&T

stands beside old No. 29 in VirginiaCity. The engine is named in his honor.

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Traveling Through Colorado!s Spectacular

Royal Gorge

Photos courtesy Royal Gorge Route Railroad

Silver! In the late 1870s miners descendedon the upper Arkansas valley of Coloradoin search of carbonate ores rich in lead

and silver. The feverish mining activity in whatwould become the Leadville district attractedthe attention of the Denver & Rio Grande andthe Santa Fe railroads, each already havingtracks in the Arkansas valley.

The Santa Fe was at Pueblo, and the D&RGnear Canon City some 35 miles west. Leadvillewas over 100 miles away. For two railroads tooccupy a river valley ordinarily was not a prob-lem, but west of Canon City was an incredibleobstacle -- an obstacle that would result in awar between the railroads in the race to thenew bonanza.

West of Canon City the Arkansas River cutsthrough a high plateau of igneous rocks forminga spectacular steep-walled gorge over a thou-sand feet deep. At its narrowest point shearwalls on both sides plunge into the river creat-ing an impassible barrier. On April 19,1878, a hastily assembled constructioncrew from the Santa Fe began gradingfor a railroad just west of Canon City inthe mouth of the gorge. The D&RGwhose end of track was only ! of a milefrom Canon City raced crews to the samearea, but were blocked by the Santa Fegraders in the narrow canyon. By a fewhours they had lost the first round in what became atwo-year struggle between the two railroads that would

be known as the Royal Gorge War.On March 27, 1880, the two railroads

settled all litigation, and gave theD&RG back its railroad. The Royal

Gorge War was over. The first passenger trainarrived at Salida in 1880, and in 1882 the Royal Gorgeroute became a transcontinental rail link betweenDenver and Salt Lake.

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The Grand Canyon of the Arkansas River, known asthe Royal Gorge, was one of the highlights on the routethrough the Rockies. The Denver & Rio Grande wasthen known as the Scenic Line of the World. For morethan 87 years, passengers experienced the breathtakingbeauty, wildlife and romance of the rails until passengertrain service ended in 1967 and access through theRoyal Gorge was halted.

The Royal Gorge Route Railroad was reestablished inthe fall of 1998 and has become a premier destinationattraction carrying over 100,000 guests through theRoyal Gorge each year. The vision is to provide a quali-ty experience, combining the spectacular scenery of theRoyal Gorge, the nostalgia of 1950s train travel, withunique dining options and exceptional service.

The Royal Gorge is located two hours south of Denverand 45-minutes southwest of Colorado Springs.The Royal Gorge Bridge isAmerica’s highests u s p e n s i o nbridge, owned bythe City ofCanon City, andopen daily. TheRoyal GorgeRoute Railroadruns under thebridge along thebase of Royal Gorge.

Instrumental inpreserving this breathtaking canyon and ensuring a vitalpart of Colorado history will be passed along to the next

generation, the Railroad today takes rail travelers on atwo-hour, 24-mile visual and culinary feast. Passengers

travel deep beneath the towering 1,000-footgranite cliffs, along the tumbling waters of theArkansas River, where eagles soar, bighornsheep roam and cell service is non-existent.

Today the Royal Gorge Route Railroadprides itself on the comfort and charm ofcarefully restored railroad cars providingclassic train travel, exceptional guest serv-ice and gourmet meals.

What started as a history of rivals amidscenic splendor is now one of Colorado’smost treasured scenic railroads.

1.888.724.5748 or 719.276.4000 for reservations.https://www.royalgorgeroute.com

This is the train that the Rocky

Mountain News chose as the best in

Colorado and for good reason. Where

else can you go and enjoy a delicious

3-course meal, extraordinary service,

and luxurious surroundings and enter-

tainment, all while riding the rails?

18 • Byways

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Imagine you are immersed in the staggering beauty ofthe Black Hills of Western South Dakota, glidingover the rugged landscape aboard a vintage steam

train, like those that helped settle the Great AmericanWest. Welcome aboard the Black Hills CentralRailroad, known in South Dakota as the 1880 Train.

Located near Mt. Rushmore National Monument andCrazy Horse Memorial, the locomotive offers a westernexperience like no other on its two-hour, 15 minute trip.Onboard you feel the power, hear the bellow of theengine and the whine of the whistle as it winds its waythrough the scenic hills between Hill City and Keystoneand back again. The Black Hills Central Railroad hasbecome a popular tourist railroad in southwestern SouthDakota, near Rapid City. One reason for the little rail-road’s success is a big Mallet steam locomotive it restoreda few years ago and today is the star in its fleet. A tripaboard the railroad is a very memorable experience.

The Black Hills are a special place. Many cultures overthe centuries have come to value the region for not onlyits visible wonders, natural resources, and beauty, butalso for characteristics nearly spiritual in nature. Timehas not changed this admiration for the Black Hills.

In the history of American frontier experience, noother development was more influential than the rail-road and its iron horses. The steel rails crisscrossed theplains, ran up into the mountains, and brought settlersand town-builders to areas that had been home to nativetribes for centuries. Good or bad, the railroad was a phys-ical manifestation of America’s quest to grow and pros-per.

The Black Hills mining boom began in 1874. Goldwas discovered near the site of today’s city of Custer by amember of an exploration party led by Lt. ColonelGeorge A. Custer. By late 1877, events changing the

Black Hills forever had occurred: the Battle of the LittleBighorn; major gold strikes in the Deadwood and Leadareas of the northern Black Hills; and the area was nowa part of Dakota Territory.

Deadwood was founded following the discovery ofgold in 1876. Reached by railroad in 1891, the citydeveloped as a trading center for the northern BlackHills region. In 1989, limited-wage gambling was legal-ized in Deadwood to rejuvenate tourism.

The first steam engine in the Black Hills was broughtacross the prairie by bull team to the Homestake MiningCompany at Lead in 1879. In 1881, the HomestakeCompany created the first narrow-gauge railroad in theBlack Hills to haul its cargo and the public from Lead toseveral mining camps. In 1885, the first standard-gaugerailroad reached Buffalo Gap, Dakota Territory, and wasextended on into Rapid City the next year.

The Black Hills Central Railroad is one of the oldesttourist railroads in the country, dating back to 1957when it took over an ex-Chicago, Burlington & QuincyRailroad branch in the region originally used to minethe famous gold deposits located in the Black Hillsregion.

During the late 1940s, diesel engines became morecommon than steam. After years of declining use,William B. Heckman (a public relations man with rail-road experience) decided to start a railroad where steamactually operated, and was not just relegated to static dis-play. He and Robert Freer, a sales engineer of diesel loco-motives, organized a group who believed “there shouldbe in operation at least one working steam railroad, forboys of all ages who share America’s fondness for therapidly vanishing steam locomotive.”

On the morning of August 18, 1957, the first officialtrain operated on the Black Hills Central. Veteran

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South Dakota’s Black Hills Central, The 1880 Train

Burlington engineer Earl Coupens piloted the KlondikeCasey and its two open-air coaches away from theBurlington’s vintage 1890 Hill City depot; up the overfour-percent grade of Tin Mill Hill and on to Oblivion.The route had been nicknamed “the 1880 Train,” as itwas likened by Heckman to riding a train in the 1880s.While not quite historically accurate, the dating of theoperation stuck, and if nothing else, captured an illusionof the railroad history.

Two significant events have transformed the BlackHills landscape and not only created monuments toAmerican history, they also invite travelers to come andenjoy the amazing spirit of the Black Hills. In the sum-mer of 1927, President Calvin Coolidge dedicated agranite mountain three miles southwest of Keystone asAmerica’s Shrine of Democracy, Mount RushmoreNational Memorial.

And in 1948, another monumental project was begunnear a future route of the 1880 Train. South of Hill City,a granite mountain was chosen to memorialize theLakota Indian warrior Crazy Horse. A young sculptornamed Korzak Ziolkowski and several Lakota elders pro-claimed that the mountain carving would “let othersknow that the Indian peoples had great leaders, too.”

Fifty years after its inception, the Black Hills Centralis still providing what its founder envisioned -- a placewhere new generations could experience a steam loco-motive after its disappearance from everyday American

railroading; and to commemorate the vital role that rail-roads played in the development of this country.

Visit http://www.1880train.com, or call 605-574-2222.

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Coming July 21-24, 2011, the sounds of steamwhistles, the clickety-clack of steel wheels onrails and the excitement from adults and children

of all ages will take over Rock Island, Illinois inSchwiebert Riverfront Park for Train Festival 2011.

This city located in the heart of the United States onthe mighty Mississippi River, is part of a region known asthe Quad Cities, which includes the riverfront cities ofDavenport and Bettendorf in Iowa, and Moline/EastMoline and Rock Island in Illinois.

Rock Island has a rich and colorful railroad history,and tens of thousands of train lovers will descend on theQuad Cities for America’s largest celebration of rail-roading, Train Festival 2011.

Visitors will have the many options of rarely traveledpassenger train excursion routes as well as MississippiRiver excursions by boat right from downtown RockIsland in Schwiebert Park.

Steam and Diesel Locomotives from around thecountry will be on display for visitors to tour the cabs,take photos, watch demonstrations and much more.

Huge model train layouts will be on exhibit fromaround the country and railroad vendors from aroundthe globe will be selling unique, one-of-a-kind trainitems and mementos that you won’t find anywhere else.

Visitors will be able to take an all-day excursion orshorter 2-hour train rides behind various vintage loco-motives. Scaled down miniature trains will be haulingpassengers around the grounds of the event as well.Children’s areas will keep the little ones busy for hours.

Train Festival 2011 is being produced by Prestige RailMarketing and sponsored by the Quad CitiesConvention and Visitors Bureau and the City of Rock

Island. Portions of the ticket sales will go to the Susan G.Komen Foundation for breast cancer research.

For more information on Train Festival 2011, pleasevisit www.trainfestival2011.com. Check the website fornewly added train excursions and festival updates. Youcan also sign up on the website to receive email updatesdirectly from Train Festival 2011. For Group TourPlanners interested in more information and bookingsplease contact Dan Gleason at the Quad CitiesConvention & Visitors Bureau at 800-747-7800 ext.100.

Rock Island is part of the region known as the QuadCities. The area is just a 2-" hour drive from DesMoines, Iowa, and Chicago, Illinois. It is easily accessi-ble via I-80, I-74, I-88 and several major state highways.The region is also served by the Quad City InternationalAirport (MLI) located in Moline, Illinois. For informa-tion on lodging and attractions in the area, please visitthe Quad Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau websiteat www.visitquadcities.com.

22 • Byways

America’s Largest Celebration of Railroading Comes to Rock Island

America’s romance with the vintage passengertrain lives on through excursions on the BransonScenic Railway aboard a collection of unique

passenger cars that travel through the foothills of theOzark Mountains. This one hour and 45-minute triptakes passengers through tunnels, over trestles, andthrough the southwest Missouri or northwest Arkansaswilderness that is still home to much wildlife and to theruins of long-ago communities now named only on rail-road maps.

May through December on Saturdays at 5:00pm, adinner train is offered. A four-course candlelight meal isserved, and the guests are treated to traditional style din-ing that was the ultimate experience long ago when rid-ing on the rails. (Seating is limited on the dinner train;reservations are required.)

Over a century-old, the historic Branson Depot hasbeen a destination of travel for generations. Located indowntown Branson, one block west of Lake Tanycomo,its design is classic Americana, and its gift shop show-cases railroad memorabilia of all kinds, a line of Thomasthe Tank Engine™ products and other unique gifts.

It is the headquarters for the Branson Scenic Railway,and houses the administrative offices, the reservationand ticket office.

Traveling on a working commercial railroad line, thetrain’s direction of travel (depending on freight trafficand/or track conditions) is determined by the Missouriand Northern Arkansas Railroad just prior to departure.At that time, the train will go either north or south. (Allexcursions depart from the old depot.) The northernroute goes as far as Galena, Missouri, to the James RiverValley; and the southern route extends into Arkansas tothe Barren Fork Trestle. Three to four times daily,depending on the season, Branson Scenic Railwayexplores territory inaccessible by automobile and offersviews that are unattainable by any other means of trans-portation. The routes take passengers about 20 milesfrom Branson before reversing direction and returningon the same tracks.

The cars have been restored and refurbished to offer

the same first-class experience and ambiance to today’spassengers as to those they carried fifty years ago.

The comfort of the vintage passenger cars is quite acontrast to the harsh realities the railroad pioneers foundwhen they undertook bringing rail service to the Ozarks.

Laying the tracks for the White River Railway was pos-sibly the most difficult construction task ever undertak-en in the Ozarks. It meant creating hundreds of miles oflevel surface where there were only rugged hills and val-leys. It also meant stretching tall trestles across valleysand blasting long, damp tunnels through mountains ofsolid rock. But its difficulty is surpassed by the accom-plishment and the opportunities the railroad providedthe struggling Ozarks pioneers.

The town of Branson is a product of the railroad.Theconstruction of the White River Railway in the early1900s made the area accessible for tourists and is largelyresponsible for the development of Branson and theOzarks as a tourism destination.

reservations@bransontrain.com417-334-6110800-2-TRAIN-2 (800-287-2462)http://www.bransontrain.com

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Branson Scenic Railway

From May to December, the West Virginia moun-tains come alive with the vibrant sounds of musicand the welcoming wail of the train whistle.

Together, both of these experiences in the historic townof Elkins, herald in that long forgotten feeling of thegood ‘ole days that have come back home!

Conveniently located just off I-79, on US 33 East incentral West Virginia, Elkins is West Virginia’s newestgroup destination. Here you can “Ride the Train, Seethe Show!”

The downtown Elkins Depot is home to the Durbin &

Greenbrier Valley Railroad. The DGVR offersfour historic locomotives that depart fromElkins and Durbin (just an hour away), run-ning four unique excursions into the surround-ing mountains and river valleys.

Right next door is the American MountainTheater, a state-of-the-art, 500-seat theaterfeaturing “Branson-style” family entertain-ment, including comedy, music, imperson-ations, and an All-Star cast that keeps theshow moving, non-stop. Choose from the

Premier 2-hour Show, a History ofAmerican Music show, the SouthernGospel Concert Series, or theChristmas Spectacular.

Meals are served on the train, yourchoice of cold sandwich buffets orbox lunches. Dinner is available atthe Durbin Depot or a buffet at theRailyard Restaurant, located betweenthe Depot and the theater in Elkins.Multiple options are available.

With the downtown location ofboth attractions, lodging couldn’t bemore convenient. A Holiday InnExpress is located just behind theRailyard Restaurant. A new

24 • Byways

Mountains, Music,and Railroads

The Mountain Explorer Dinner Train

American Mountain Theater performance

Photos courtesy Pocohantas County Convention & VisitorsBureau and Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad

Hampton Inn is not far away. Other bus-friendly hotelsand resorts are nearby.

Ample parking between all facilities allows easy accessfor the buses and to individuals in the group. Groupsdepart buses at the Depot, are welcomed by the friendlyDepot staff, and board the train from the Depot. Busparking in the large, adjacent parking lot allows ease and

accessibility at alltimes.

A step-on guide,versed in the histo-ry of the area, isavailable uponrequest.

26 • Byways

The New Tygart Flyer

The Durbin Rocket

The Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad’s profes-sional staff can customize the package you want. Specialgroup pricing is extended to groups of 20 or more. Twocomplimentary tickets will be provided to all groupswith a minimum of 30 paying passengers.

For more information, contact Naida Vonne Simpsonin Group Sales. 304-636-9477, ext. 100 or email: group-tours@mountainrail.com

Durbin & Greenbrier Valley RailroadP.O. Box 702, 315 Railroad AvenueElkins, WV 262411-877-MTN-RAIL (686-7245)www.MountainRail.com

The Cheat Mountain Salamander

Byways • 27

Nestled in the mountains of West Virginia, CassScenic Railroad State Park offers excursions thattransport you back in time to relive an era when

steam-driven locomotives were an essential part ofeveryday life.

Trips to Cass are filled with rich histories of the past,unparalleled views of a vast wilderness area, and close-upencounters with the sights and sounds of original steam-driven locomotives.

Today the town of Cass remains relatively unchanged.The restored company houses now rented as vacationcottages, add to the charm and atmosphere of the town.From the company store and museum to the train depot,you’ll find an abundance of things to do prior to yourdeparture on the historic CassRailroad.

The Cass Scenic Railroad is thesame line built in 1901 to haul lumberto the mill in Cass. The locomotivesare the same Shay locomotives usedin Cass and in the rainforests ofBritish Columbia for more than ahalf-century. Many of the passengercars are old logging flat-cars that havebeen refurbished.

Invented to do the impossible, theShay logging locomotive wasdesigned to climb the steepest grades,swing around hairpin curves andnegotiate frail temporary tracks. Inaddition, they had to haul incrediblyheavy loads, from woods to mill.Power was all-important. Back in

1911, West Virginia led the nation with more than3,000 miles of logging railroad line. All is gone now,except for the 11 miles at Cass, restored just as it was inthe early 1900s, making Cass Scenic Railroad State ParkAmerica’s authentic operating museum of lumber rail-roading.

Once you board the train, the real excitement begins!The great pistons of the carefully restored Shay locomo-tive will start pulsing, driven by hundreds of pounds ofsteam pressure. The shaft begins turning, the wheels findtraction, and the locomotive begins to move. Withthick, black smoke belching from its stack, the trainpulls away from the station, passing the water tower fromwhich the locomotive tanks are filled. As the train

28 • Byways

West Virginia!s Cass Scenic Railroad

Cass Log Train

rounds the curve up Leatherbark Creek, you’ll pass theCass Shop, where the locomotives are serviced andrepaired, and a graveyard of antiquated but fascinatingequipment on sidetracks.

As the pressure builds, the locomotive is driven at fullsteam, and the laborious journey up the mountaintoward the two switchbacks begin. The loud huff of thestack, the clanking of gears and pistons, the furiousscream of the whistle at the crossings, and the ever pres-ent clackety-clack of the rails will indeed make you feelas if you have been transported back in time. The trainsoon passes through the first switchback, reverses up asteep grade, and ascends to the second switchback wherethe process is repeated, and then finally into open fieldsand Whittaker Station.

Whittaker Station is located four miles up the trackfrom Cass. At Whittaker Station you have the opportu-nity to leave the train and enjoy a breathtaking view ofa vast wilderness area. Visitors can rest, eat lunch, andtake a tour of the authentic logging camp recreated bythe volunteers of the Mountain State Railroad &Logging Historical Association. The camp shows boththe living quarters and the equipment used by the log-gers. The centerpiece of Camp One is a Lidgerwoodtower skidder, one of only two examples left in theworld. These huge railcar-mounted machines carriedlogs out of the woods on aerial cables for distances up to3000 feet.

The switchback process allows the train to gain quickaltitude, and in this instance, the train is traversing agrade of up to 11 percent, or 11 feet in altitude for each100 feet of track. A 2 percent grade on conventionalrailroads is considered steep!

You will want to dress warmly for high elevations.Except for The Leatherbark Car and cabooses, the carsare unheated.

If you take the full 4 " hour trip to Bald Knob, youleave Whittaker Station and proceed to Oats Run forthe engines to take on additional water at a spring. Thetrain then climbs up the mountain, finally reaching BaldKnob, the third highest point in West Virginia. Theoverlook at Bald Knob provides a spectacular view at analtitude of 4,700 feet.

Cass Scenic Railroad State Park is a first-rate livingmuseum, where a priceless collection of antique steamlocomotives running much longer than ever intended, iskept on a railroad that is surely one of the most interest-ing and challenging in the world. Journey back in timeto the days of company towns, geared locomotives andlog trains...You’re invited to visit and for a ride in histo-ry.

Cass Scenic Railroad State ParkP.O. Box 107, Cass, WV 24927304-456-4300cassrailroad@wvdnr.govGroups: Geraldine.E.Bartels@wv.govhttp://www.cassrailroad.com

Byways • 29

Cass Shay Locomotives

Photos courtesy Pocohantas County Convention & West Virginia Department of Commerce (www.wvcommerce.org)

30 • Byways

I ! "#$ %&'()* "#$( *&(+,'-&, "#$’(& .+/&." ,# !+01 an ancestor who had a tie to railroads or canals. 2 e expansion of these transportation modes in3 uenced

our culture, industry and history in innumerable ways.

Housed in one of the last surviving wooden freight depots in the United States, the Medina Railroad Museum features one of the largest collec-tions of artifacts and memorabilia of its type in the country. 2 e 1905 structure contains the longest HO scale layout and diorama all on one 3 oor, and the displays/exhibits o4 er visitors the opportunity to marvel at the growth of this industry. However, railroads weren’t the only method of transporting people and goods.

2 e Erie Canal connected the waterways of the Northeast, opening up trade and development. Today, Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruises gives a glimpse into what it would have been like to travel the canal, complete with stories and lore concerning its construction.

Now you can spend a weekend delving into history, and experiencing the wonder that the 5 rst settlers must have felt. We’ve put together the perfect tour to get you started.

8:00am Depart Batavia, NY hotel district8:45 Arrive at the Lockport Locks & Erie Canal

Cruises. A unique narrated cruise along the Old Erie Canal, which will pass through historic sites and ! ve original 1825 locks.

11:30 Conclude your cruise and begin lunch at the Lift Bridge Café. Dine dockside in casual elegance along the Erie Canal towpath.

1:00 Depart Lockport on a one-hour train excursion along the Erie Canal to the Medina Railroad Museum, featuring memorabilia from the New York Central Railroad and an unbelievable HO Scale train layout.

2:30 Depart for the Medina Stone Farm for country music entertainment in the parlor. Enjoy a special mid-day snack, and listen to a country legends tribute.

4:00 Depart for Albion and a step-on guided tour of Courthouse Square - including the Pullman Universalist Church, built by George Pullman, inventor of the rail sleeping car.

5:00 Depart for LeRoy and the D&R Depot Restaurant for dinner. Dine in a restored train depot, where the food is homemade, the service is friendly, and even the background music is old-fashioned. Try the chicken-pot-pie, you won’t be disappointed.

7:15 Depart for your Batavia hotel. Turn in early, or try your luck at the slot machines you’ll discover just down the road at Batavia Downs Casino.

D & R Depot Restaurant

– “Grand Canyon of the East” – 3 amazing waterfalls, overlooks, in-park dining overlooking the middle falls - step-on guides available!

– How fun!? We’re the birthplace of JELL-O...just follow our JELL-O brick road!

– Wine & cheese tasting for your group.. plus shop in the cheese store for award winning cheeses and New York’s Finger Lakes wines.

– Explore the world’s only cobblestone museum complex

– get a behind-the-scenes tour of this local’s favorite chocolate factory and gift shop. Custard ice cream on site too!

hotels, shopping areas, and gaming in the Batavia area hotel district.

We invite you to tour Country Byways – Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming Counties in Western New York. Located just 40 minutes east of Niagara Falls, the Country Byways take in all of those “fun to poke around in” tour stops that you may not be familiar with when visiting the Western New York area.

Here’s just a sampling of what you’ll ! nd:

Give us a call to receive your free This 48-page brochure is full of suggested itineraries, attractions, maps, dining accommodations and more!

Country Byways

Letchworth State Park, “Grand Canyon of the East”

Medina Railroad Museum

View the digital version of our tour planner online or watch a quick video as we follow along a group tour while they visit some of these fun stops!

"M#F $A#%:&'PM EST(

Byways • 31

I ! "#$ %&'()* "#$( *&(+,'-&, "#$’(& .+/&." ,# !+01 an ancestor who had a tie to railroads or canals. 2 e expansion of these transportation modes in3 uenced

our culture, industry and history in innumerable ways.

Housed in one of the last surviving wooden freight depots in the United States, the Medina Railroad Museum features one of the largest collec-tions of artifacts and memorabilia of its type in the country. 2 e 1905 structure contains the longest HO scale layout and diorama all on one 3 oor, and the displays/exhibits o4 er visitors the opportunity to marvel at the growth of this industry. However, railroads weren’t the only method of transporting people and goods.

2 e Erie Canal connected the waterways of the Northeast, opening up trade and development. Today, Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruises gives a glimpse into what it would have been like to travel the canal, complete with stories and lore concerning its construction.

Now you can spend a weekend delving into history, and experiencing the wonder that the 5 rst settlers must have felt. We’ve put together the perfect tour to get you started.

8:00am Depart Batavia, NY hotel district8:45 Arrive at the Lockport Locks & Erie Canal

Cruises. A unique narrated cruise along the Old Erie Canal, which will pass through historic sites and ! ve original 1825 locks.

11:30 Conclude your cruise and begin lunch at the Lift Bridge Café. Dine dockside in casual elegance along the Erie Canal towpath.

1:00 Depart Lockport on a one-hour train excursion along the Erie Canal to the Medina Railroad Museum, featuring memorabilia from the New York Central Railroad and an unbelievable HO Scale train layout.

2:30 Depart for the Medina Stone Farm for country music entertainment in the parlor. Enjoy a special mid-day snack, and listen to a country legends tribute.

4:00 Depart for Albion and a step-on guided tour of Courthouse Square - including the Pullman Universalist Church, built by George Pullman, inventor of the rail sleeping car.

5:00 Depart for LeRoy and the D&R Depot Restaurant for dinner. Dine in a restored train depot, where the food is homemade, the service is friendly, and even the background music is old-fashioned. Try the chicken-pot-pie, you won’t be disappointed.

7:15 Depart for your Batavia hotel. Turn in early, or try your luck at the slot machines you’ll discover just down the road at Batavia Downs Casino.

D & R Depot Restaurant

– “Grand Canyon of the East” – 3 amazing waterfalls, overlooks, in-park dining overlooking the middle falls - step-on guides available!

– How fun!? We’re the birthplace of JELL-O...just follow our JELL-O brick road!

– Wine & cheese tasting for your group.. plus shop in the cheese store for award winning cheeses and New York’s Finger Lakes wines.

– Explore the world’s only cobblestone museum complex

– get a behind-the-scenes tour of this local’s favorite chocolate factory and gift shop. Custard ice cream on site too!

hotels, shopping areas, and gaming in the Batavia area hotel district.

We invite you to tour Country Byways – Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming Counties in Western New York. Located just 40 minutes east of Niagara Falls, the Country Byways take in all of those “fun to poke around in” tour stops that you may not be familiar with when visiting the Western New York area.

Here’s just a sampling of what you’ll ! nd:

Give us a call to receive your free This 48-page brochure is full of suggested itineraries, attractions, maps, dining accommodations and more!

Country Byways

Letchworth State Park, “Grand Canyon of the East”

Medina Railroad Museum

View the digital version of our tour planner online or watch a quick video as we follow along a group tour while they visit some of these fun stops!

"M#F $A#%:&'PM EST(

32 • Byways

Step back in time as you enter East Strasburg station, circa 1915. Photos courtesy Strasburg Rail Road

Pennsylvania!s Strasburg Rail Road

Founded in 1832, the Strasburg Rail Roadis nearing the 180th Anniversary of itsrailroad charter. Precisely when the rail-

road first turned a wheel is still a matter ofpatient research, but the earliest timetablefound to date indicates Strasburg trains werescheduled as of December 1851.

On February 22, 1861, President AbrahamLincoln made a stop at Leaman Place on hisinaugural train ride, en route to Lancaster. Hisfour-minute visit brought nearly 5,000 peopleout to cheer for the President and Mrs.Lincoln.

To prepare for the President’s visit,Strasburg Rail Road had purchased its firstpassenger car, which ran on a special train totransport people to and from Leaman Place.

First used for passenger and freight transportation, therailroad’s main purpose became a freight interchangewith the Pennsylvania Railroad. Following World WarII, improved highway transportation decreased the needfor the railroad. By the mid-1950s, the Strasburg RailRoad was nearing the end of its usefulness. In 1957,destruction of the tracks caused by a series of storms

placed an immediate embargo on the carload freight.The owners were unwilling to invest in the necessaryrepairs.

While petitions for abandonment were being consid-ered, Henry K. Long, an industrialist and railfan fromnearby Lancaster, along with Donald E. L. Hallock,another enthusiastic railfan with a vision, formed agroup of interested individuals to save the railroad. With

Byways • 33

Strasburg Rail Road Engine 475

Wine & Cheese is served.

perseverance and a creative idea, theStrasburg Rail Road was saved.

After repairing the worst spots on thefour-and-a-half mile track, the ownersbegan acquiring an inventory of historiclocomotives and passenger cars from allacross North America. Using the old feedmill as a station, the ambitious band of “railbarons” opened the railroad to visitors in1958. The Strasubrg Rail Road is recognizedas one of America’s most significant exam-ples of early 20th century railroading.

Today you can stroll through the historicEast Strasburg Station and the neighboringtown of Strasburg, exploring the enginesand rail cars up-close. Riding beautifullyrestored trains is so much fun that you’llalmost forget that you’re immersed in a richly educa-tional experience -- learning about steam railroading,agriculture, Amish culture and Pennsylvania Dutch her-itage.

The larger-than-life coal-burning steam train is justthe beginning. Ride the Cagney Steam Train, a minia-ture version; operate a hand-powered Pump Car orwatch the little ones “steer” the pint-sized Cranky Car.Browse the Thomas™ Toy Store. Discover an amazing

34 • Byways

Byways • 35

Authentic structures such as this switch tower,offer visitors a genuine railroad experience.

railroad bookstore and railfanshop filled with apparel and mer-chandise. Enjoy a visit to thelocal shops.

And bring your appetite. Enjoyfood, drinks and entertainmentwhile riding aboard StrasburgRail Road, or grab a bite at theTrackside Café.

Across the road is the RailroadMuseum of Pennsylvania, whereyou can explore a world-class col-lection of more than 100 locomo-tives and rail cars on display,including the pricelessPennsylvania Railroad HistoricalCollection. And nearby is theNational Toy Train Museum,another world-class collection.

The 45-minute train ride willtake you through some of themost beautiful, peaceful and productive PennsylvaniaDutch Countryside, with a stop in Paradise, PA. Fromthis unique vantage point, you’ll see Amish farmersworking in their fields, Amish children playing nearby;livestock grazing and farm produce waiting to be har-vested. You’ll come to appreci-ate why so many people chooseto live in Lancaster County, PA.

More than saving land, theStrasburg Rail Road wishes topreserve the beauty, productivi-ty and way of life that this landprovides for our Amish andEnglish farming neighbors.

Climb aboard the historicStrasburg Rail Road for a diningexperience flavored with turn-of-the-century charm and firstclass service.

Seated in the elegantlyrestored “Lee E. Brenner”Dining Car, you will journeythrough rolling hills and pictur-esque farms in the heart ofPennsylvania’s Amish country.

From the authentic steamlocomotive to the luxuriousappointments of the vintageDining Car, dinner aboard theStrasburg Rail Road is a memo-rable escape to the golden age ofsteam railroading.

The Strasburg Rail Road is agreat place for groups. Include ameal aboard the train duringyour 45-minute ride, and your

group will have an even more memorable day. For moreinformation on group luncheons, please call 717-687-8421 or email groups@StrasburgRailRoad.com.

srrtrain@strasburgrailroad.comGeneral Information: 717-687-7522Groups & Students: 717-687-8421

36 • Byways

Accommodations range from theclassic Coach to First Class fares.

Lunch in the dining car.

Ride the rails for a unique Canadian HeritageExperience! Step back in time and discover thefascinating history of Canada’s Northland as the

Polar Bear Express takes you through scenic forests andwetlands, and across mighty rivers once navigated byearly Aboriginals, explorers and fur traders.

This spectacular excursion will take you 186 miles, tothe edge of the Arctic and back. From your departurepoint in Cochrane, Ontario, you’ll relax as the PolarBear Express winds its way throughsome of the most fascinating and cul-turally significant areas in Canada.Along the way, you will witness themajestic Abitibi River, the main furtrade route of bygone days, nowenjoyed by modern adventurers.

The Polar Bear Express is aCanadian passenger train operated bythe Ontario Northland Railway inNorthern Ontario. Service was intro-duced in 1964. Ontario Northland’sPolar Bear Express connects residentsof the coastal communities ofMoosonee and Moose Factory toCochrane and is one of NorthAmerica’s last remaining “flag stop”train services.

The Polar Bear Express runs daily Monday throughFriday and during the summer season, service is Sundayto Friday (no service on Saturday).

The climate-controlled Polar Bear Express featurescomfortable passenger cars with large viewing windows,and a dome car affording panoramic views of the majes-tic scenery. During the summer, the Polar Bear Expressfeatures a full dining car in which you may enjoy a spec-tacular meal, in addition to the snack car.

Byways • 37

The Railroad Station in Cochrane

The Polar Bear Express, Canada!s Heritage Experience

Explore the manyamenities aboard thetrain, including an enter-tainment car with livemusic. And make sure tovisit the popular FamilyCar, which will keep yourkids engaged with family-friendly movies, gamesand crafts, all supervisedby Passenger Attendants.

The popular returnexcursion allows you tospend an afternoonexploring Moosonee andMoose Factory any num-ber of ways: from guidedand self-guided walkingtours to an engagingAudio Tour developed bythe Discovery Channel, for a nominal fee.

The Polar Bear Express railway excursion will allowyou and your family to get away from all of the hassles ofmodern living and spend time discovering the history ofthe people and the landscape of the North.

Package excursions include train transportation,accommodations, meals and an Audio Tour by

Discovery Channel. For reservations and more informa-tion, please contact:

1-800-268-9281 (English/Francais) TTY/ATS: 1-866-472-3865Email: tours@ontc.on.cawww.OntarioNorthland.ca

38 • Byways

Moosonee is the final destination.

The Dome Car on the Polar Bear Express

Byways • 39

Byways is published bi-monthly by Byways, Inc. and distributed electronically throughout North America.Byways is emailed to more than 4000 tour operators and 21,000 travel agencies through the internet. Subscriptionsare complimentary.

Byways’ distribution also includes motorcoach companies, tour operators, travel agents, bank travel managers,school band and athletic planners, and meeting planners. For advertising rates, editorial deadlines, or to placeadvertising insertions, contact: Byways Magazine, P.O. 1088, Mount Jackson, VA 22842. Telephone 540-477-3202. Fax 540-477-3858.

©Copyright 2011 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

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Advertisers Index

Byways Magazine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Franklin Hotel, Deadwood, South Dakota. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21Louisville MEGA Cavern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11motorcoach.com/National Reservation Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Greater Niagara Country Byways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31Shenandoah County, Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3Shenandoah Caverns Family of Attractions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Shenandoah County Tourism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Southern Kitchen Restaurant, New Market, Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Staunton, Virginia Convention & Visitors Bureau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11U.S. Tours. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

THE RIDE is a new entertainment experience thatturns the streets of New York into a stage. Andyou’ve got front row seats.

THE RIDE will move you through the city, turningfamous NYC landmarks into back-drops as a live show plays out right infront of you. Through advanced audioand video technology, amazing per-formances, local insider informationand non-stop excitement, THE RIDEwill transform the way you see NewYork.

You never know what you’ll see orwho you’ll meet along the 4.2-mileroute. No matter how many times youtake THE RIDE, it’s never the sameshow twice.

“The sidewalks of New York areactive all year long and our performershelp turn them into the world’s bigeststage,” say President and CEOJonahtan Danforth. “The Ride pro-vides front-row seats for every seasonof the year.”

From Grand Central to Central

Park, THE RIDE provides a look at New York and itspeople in a way that you’ve never seen before. You’lllaugh, you’ll be wowed, you might even learn some-thing.

40 • Byways

What’s Happening

What’s Happening

THE RIDE Takes Manhattan

Actors portray the soldier and the nurse from Alfred Eisenstaedt!siconic V.J. Day photo during a performance on THE RIDE.

A unique perspective on the alwaysbustling Times Square is one of themany vistas audiences get on THE RIDE.

What’spart of the show and what’s

everyday life in the big city? The fun’s in figuring itout. So get on and find out for yourself.

THE RIDE audiences see Times Square, the ChryslerBuilding, Grand Central Station, Bryant Park, NYCMain Branch of the Public Library, Empire StateBuilding, 42nd street, Shubert Alley/Broadway theaters,

6th AvenueSkyscrapers, Carnegie Hall, Columbus Circle

and Central Park. All in about 75 minutes.As the tallest mode of transportation allowed on the

streets of New York by federal law, THE RIDE will makeyou look twice.

The custom-made vehicles feature stadium-style seat-ing that turns Riders sideways. As THE RIDE movesalong, Riders look out massive windows to famous NYClandmarks turned backdrops to THE RIDE’s amazing

entertainment experiences. THE RIDE is fully loaded with the

best in audio, video and wirelesstechnology to amp up whatever ishappening on board, while keepingRiders connected to what’s going onoutside. From performers to passers-by, THE RIDE can interact withanyone and everyone it meets alongthe way.

THE RIDE starts and ends at theMarriott Marquis Hotel located inthe heart of Times Square, at 1535Broadway. THE RIDE Box Office islocated outdoors on the ground lev-el of the Marriott Marquis,

646-289-5060 info@experiencetheride.comGroup Sales: groupsales@experi-

encetheride.comhttp://www.experiencetheride.com

Byways • 41

What’s Happening

What’s Happening

Photos by Marc Bryan-Brown.

An unassuming delivery man shows impressive dance moves as the audience on THE RIDE cheers him on.

In New York, art happens in the unlikeliest of places. Classical ballet amidstthe Columbus Circle traffic rotary is one of the magical sites on THE RIDE.

The ultimate three-dimensional tribute to Americaand its commanders-in-chief isWashington, D.C’s newest

attraction, as Madame Tussaudsopened its new $2 million-plusU.S. Presidents Gallerywhich houses wax figuresof all 44 U.S. presidents.The launch of theGallery makesMadame TussaudsD.C. the onlyplace in theworld wherepeople can seeand interactwith all 44 U.S.presidents.

“It’s a uniqueopportunity toexperience all ofthe U.S. presi-dents in a wayunlike everbefore,” said DanRogoski, GeneralManager of MadameTussauds WashingtonD.C. “As the only placein the world where peopleare able to meet and interactwith all 44 U.S. presidents, historybuffs, students and the general public

alike enjoy a truly unique and enriching educationalexperience at the Gallery.”

Since the Gallery was announced a yearago, Madame Tussauds studio artists

have been working tirelessly tocreate entirely new wax figures

of 28 U.S. presidents. In anticipation of theopening of the

Presidents Gallery, fig-ures of presidentshave been poppingup across the coun-try. Throughoutthe year, figuresightings havei n c l u d e d :President GeraldFord at theGerald R. FordP r e s i d e n t i a lMuseum for the97th anniversary of

his birthday; found-ing fathers George

Washington andThomas Jefferson at the

Independence VisitorCenter in Philadelphia over

the July 4th holiday; and mostrecently, Presidents Washington,

Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt andAbraham Lincoln, took a road trip to

Mount Rushmore in honor of the 69th anniver-42 • Byways

See and Interact with All 44 U.S. Presidents in Washington, DC

The Kennedy Presidency

sary of the monument’s completion. A lightheartedvideo of the trip can be viewed at Madame TussaudsWashington D.C.’s Facebook and YouTube pages; and aphoto of the figures at the monument with their stonevisages in the background can be viewed at newscast.

A tremendous undertaking, each figure takes aboutthree to four months to complete and requires an exten-sive amount of work. In order to make the figures as life-like as possible, Madame Tussauds artists have to studyhundreds of photographs, and when available, hours ofvideo footage. Of course in some cases, the artists didnot have the luxury of photographs or videos, and need-ed to rely on historical accounts, even paintings.

The U.S. Presidents Gallery serves as a rich educa-tional resource and includes a curriculum focused on thehistory of the U.S. presidents. Thenew curriculum fully complements theattraction’s existing and free compre-hensive Educational CurriculumGuide, which was developed in accor-dance with the U.S. Department ofNational Social Studies Standards andNational Council for the Social CivilRights Movement Studies Standards.

The guide was designed to empowereducators with the tools they need todeliver exciting lessons in areas such ashistory, political science, social studiesand media -- before and after visitingthe attraction.

Madame Tussauds Washington D.C.is a fully interactive, full-sensory expe-rience, where visitors are able to touch,see and hear major historical events

and celebrities in a way unlike any other Washington,D.C. attraction.

Recent additions to the attraction include musicsuperstar Rihanna; actress, singer and teen sensationSelena Gomez; music megastars and teen sensation, theJonas Brothers; superstars Michael Jackson, BritneySpears, Penelope Cruz and Tyra Banks; as well asPresident Barack Obama and First Lady MichelleObama. Madame Tussauds is located on the corner of Fand 10th Streets, NW, within walking distance of theNational Mall and the White House.

To learn more, visit www.madametussaudsdc.com orcall 202-942-7300 or 888-WAX-IN-DC.

Byways • 43

Washington Crossing the Delaware River

The Lincoln Years

44 • Byways

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