Was planning to take the Acadian railways fall foliage trip from Maine to Montreal in Oct. They have suspended operations according to their phone message. Does anyone have any suggestions on other train services that offer fall foliage packages? Thanks!

I went on a 96 mile (r/t) steam train ride several years ago in PA, on the "Kane, Marienville, & Kinzua" Railroad. (I might not have the name exactly right) ... I do remember that I stayed overnight before the early train at Brookville, and that the train started a bit NE of there, in Marienville. It was beautiful in the summer, winding thru the Alleghany forest, so I know it would be nice yet in the fall.

They had "caboose rentals", where you could rent a caboose overnight. They pulled you in the caboose to a "camping area" near the Kinzua Bridge, and left you & your caboose there, bringing you back the next day. I think the cost was about $175.

2 Amtrak routes I like for foliage is the Adirondack to Montreal, and the Lakeshore Limited from Albany to Pittsfield MA.

Check Amtrak for the Montrealer (sp?)

This train travels up the conneticuit river valley from Springfield MA to Montreal, and is spectacular.

A shorter day trip is on the North Conway scenic railway in North Conway NH. They run a route up into Pinkham Notch which is supposed to be beautiful, as well.

Amtrak from NYC to Montreal is also another route. The train travels beside the Hudson River for the first three hours, then through the Adiondacks along Lake Champlain. Scheduled time of trip is about 9 hours.

The "Montrealer" is no more.

However, the "Vermonter" (trains #55,54 northbound, 55,57 southbound) have departure times of 7:30am from Washington DC, arriving at St Albans VT at 8:40pm, from where you shuttle by bus to Montreal, arriving at 10:20pm. Trains stop at NYC at 10:40am.

Southbound buses leave Montreal at 8:15am, arrive at St Alban at 9:45. Trains leave for NYC (8:20pm arrive) then continue to DC shortly after midnight.

Amtrak (www.amtrak.com) is not the type of train I think PSCSB was looking to ride ... maybe VIA (Canada's answer to Amtrak)( http://www.viarail.com/ ) might be more to your liking? Maybe Toronto to the eastern coast? There are many smaller trains lines in the Northeaster US, but most are shorter length trips.

Regarding the steamtrain I wrote of earler: Knox, Kane, Kinzua Railroad, P.O. Box 422, Marienville, PA 16239, 814-927-6621. I just read the Kinzua Bridge collapsed last month, but that was just at the end of the train route, so the rail still runs. Just called and found that in Aug it runs Tue-Sun, but closed 8/26-8/28 ... I don't know about October, as I got an answering machine.

http://www.knoxkanerr.com/

for the railroad. Upcoming schedule: September: Friday, Saturday, Sunday. October: First two weeks: Wednesday thru Sunday; Last two weekends: Saturday & Sunday.

Marienville to Bridge (96 miles) Adults $22.00 Children 3-12 $14.00

Kane To Bridge (32 miles) Adults $16.00
Children 3-12 $ 9.00

The Caboose still avail: 2 days (1 night) $230.00 or 3 days (2 nights) $330.00 -- based on 2 people