fdecarlo

Hi all, we're looking to take a rail adventure this year, preferably a multiple-day trip on an old steam locomotive with sleeping accomodations. Any first-hand experiences with these adventures would be appreciated.

starrsville

The Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad is interesting. You could go roundtrip and have an overnight in Silverton.

I took the Silver Crescent from Atlanta to Washington, DC years ago and didn't get a bit of sleep. The train was stopping all night long at little towns.

If there was still a trans-Canada trip available, I'd do that. I read about it in Glamour magazine in 1974 - and hated that I missed it (the opportunity to take rail from coast to coast).

I don't think cross-country US trips via Amtrak are all that relaxing.

Steam locomotive? Not sure you are going to find a multiple day trip available.

xrae

Agreed, don't think you'll find a multi-day excursion via Steam.

I believe Great Smoky Mountains Railway in N.C. does different steam excursions. You could stay nearby and take different excursions on different days.

Check railroad historical society websites, they may list special excursions that are not on a regular tourist railway.

LvSun

1. There is a guy who is really into them and has a website about them. Maybe he could help you out. Goto http://www.steamlocomotive.com/contact.shtml

2. There are some steam locomotive excursions in WV but no multiple-day ones. Check out http://www.wvrailroads.net/index.php..._Dinner_Trains

3. One full day (12 hr) excursion leaves out of Huntington, WV. Site says: Our destination of Hinton, WV offers a street fair each day with local food stands, arts and crafts, entertainment, a railroad museum, and many other attractions. Passengers will have approximately three hours to tour Hinton while the train is being prepared for the return trip west.

Passengers have the option of Coach, Premium, or Private Car service. http://www.newrivertrain.com/nrt.shtml

4. Amtrak runs through some really pretty land in WV and stops at some historical railroad sites..

One stop is Thurmond, WV: During the early-1900's, with hundreds of railroads cars of smokeless coal being shipped through the town daily from several nearby branch lines, Thurmond produced more freight revenue for the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway (C&O) than did the much larger cities of Cincinnati, OH, Richmond, VA, or Charleston, WV. ...
Today, the Thurmond Depot (http://www.wvrailroads.net/index.php...t_-_The_Museum), a two-story wood-frame structure from 1905, still serves as as "flagstop" for Amtrak trains, and after being painstakingly restored, the historic depot serves as a visitors center and museum. http://www.wvexp.com/index.php/Thurmond,_West_Virginia or http://www.wvepostcards.com/thurmond/

KWP

I've just returned from two luxury rail experiences in the U.S. on GrandLuxe Rail Journeys. I'm taking a group in April on the Antebellum South itinerary. Would you like to join us? If budget is no problem, I would highly recommend this fabulous all inclusive vacation.

MrsJenn

I watched a show recently on the Travel Channel that discussed a train journey of the National Parks of the West.

Here is the link to that trip:
http://www.vacationsbyrail.com/usa/l...rks/index.html

It looked really interesting, but if I were going, I'd get one of the larger sleeping cabins!

You can find several rail trips on this website. Enjoy!