, which includes the Polar Express train ride where folks can see Christmas lights around the grounds and enjoy hot chocolate, ne of the finest excursions you will find anywhere; the, One of the California's finest train rides can be found in Fremont at the Niles Canyon Railway. Call the Ticket Office at 877-893-3874 to reserve your ticket. In all, they total nine locomotives! Colebrookdale Railroad (Boyertown):  A relatively new tourist railroad, the Colebrookdale Railroad, also known as the Secret Valley Line, began in 2014 operating 8.5 miles between Boyertown and Pottstown (here an interchange is established with Class I, Norfolk Southern Railway). Please visit their website to find out all of their offerings. Since then they have acquired a growing list of rolling stock, including seven steam locomotives; perhaps the most famous is Ely-Thomas Lumber Company 2-truck Shay #6, built by the Lima Locomotive Works in 1927. kids get to see Santa and his elves, sing songs, and hear a Christmas Kentucky Railway Museum (New Haven):  The Bluegrass State's premier museum can be found in New Haven. The other three include Alabama Power 0-4-0F (fireless) #40, Alabama By-Products 0-6-0 #4046, and Woodward Iron 2-8-0 #38. This railroad was Arthur Keddie's dream of opening a second major rail corridor between Salt Lake City and San Francisco/Oakland. Florida Railroad Museum (Parrish):  Recognized as one of Florida's three official railroad museums the organization began in 1981 as the Florida Gulf Coast Railroad Museum. Finally, after Christmas a Holiday Excursion is offered in late December. Please note! Trains depart from the town's beautifully restored depot in New Hope built in 1891. St. Nick gives everyone the first gift of Christmas – a silver sleigh bell (only believers can hear ringing!). during a one-hour train ride and receive a small gift from the Jolly For many years the property was owned by the Baltimore & Ohio, our nation's first common-carrier. cookies, a visit from Santa, and receive a small gift and Journey to the North Pole. With his death in 1950 the property was acquired by F. Nelson Blount. For the Christmas season they host official The Polar Express trips. All ages can enjoy the warmth and fun of the Christmas season as you depart for a trip to the North Pole. Famous names found here included the C&NW, Milwaukee Road, Soo Line, Rock Island, Burlington, and Chicago Great Western. Today, SRI is a educational enterprise, teaching the public about steam-era technology. After more than a year of construction, 43.5 miles was opened from Wiscasset to Albion on November 4, 1895. Northwest Railway Museum (Snoqualmie): The Santa Train has been  hosted by the Northwest Railway Museum since 1969. Don't worry: Our list covers train rides east to west, meaning you'll find something that you and your family will enjoy. Its activities and entertainment venues are also open to the public. The PRR acquired the section through Lebanon, then known as the Dayton, Lebanon & Cincinnati Railroad (organized in 1887), in 1915. Danbury Railway Museum (Danbury): This organization got its start in 1994 when it acquired the town's former New York, New Haven & Hartford brick station (built in 1903) from Metro-North Railroad. It was the vision of Ellis D. Atwood who opened a tourist attraction on his 1,800-acre cranberry plantation in South Carver, Massachusetts in 1947. The train ride is 4 hours to Leavenworth, you get 3 hours in Leavenworth and then a 4 hour ride back. All ages can enjoy the warmth and fun of the Christmas season as you depart for a trip to the North Pole. The Sumpter Valley currently operates two narrow-gauge examples; White Pass & Yukon 2-8-2 #19 (built American Locomotive in 1920) and W.H. It began excursions in 1990 and today is a highly successful tourist attraction hosting public trips from May through December. No other place in America features a finer collection of historic, two-foot gauge saddletank steam locomotives; there are currently eight in their collection and four operational. It is an all day event! It began as the Railway Historical Society of San Diego and in 1955 acquired its first true addition, San Diego & Arizona Eastern 2-8-0 #104 (C-8), which was donated by Southern Pacific. Letters to Santa at Ohio Railway Museum: Worthington, Ohio. Take a night-time train ride through the Blue Ridge Mountains. A major Canadian railroad, the Canadian National, even served the state through subsidiary Grand Trunk Western. While they have three steam locomotives in their inventory, unfortunately none are currently operable; they include Stine Coal 2-4-4T #2, Southern Pacific 2-8-2 #771, and Southern Pacific 4-6-0 #2248. ", "PJ's With Santa," and "Breakfast With Santa." Naugatuck Railroad (Thomaston):  Operated by the Railroad Museum of New England, the "Naugatuck Railroad," pays homage to the same corporate entity which originally built the corridor in 1849. This small town was then served by four major railroads; the Pennsylvania, New York Central, Erie, and Chesapeake & Ohio. You can choose from a wide selection of festive These trips offer an hour train ride while allowing kids to enjoy hot chocolate and The Steam Train's accommodations are second to none as they feature several restored coaches (including first class options) and first class lounges. Escape the stresses of the festive period back home and treat For train enthusiasts you can see several preserved diesel switchers and two steam locomotives, Carbon Limestone 0-4-0T #17 and Cliffside 2-6-2 #110. Prices for this event are very reasonable. And while some journeys are already cancelled this year, there are still options for taking a yuletide ride everywhere from upstate New York to Texas and Arizona. Then the Christmas Train chugs its way through the Holiday season on certain nights throughout the month of December. Cape Cod Central Railroad (Hyannis):  A fabulous place to ride a train along the southern New England coast, the Cape Cod Central departs from the historic New York, New Haven & Hartford depot in Hyannis. These include Deep River Logging Company 2-4-4-2 #7 (built by Baldwin in 1909, named "The Skookum"), McCloud Railway 2-6-2 #25 (built by American Locomotive in 1925), Polson Logging Company 2-8-2 #2 (manufactured by Baldwin in 1912), and Curtiss Lumber Company 2-truck Heisler (60-ton) #2 (a 1910 product of Heisler). Please contact each organization regarding their current status. The South Carolina Railroad Museum (SCRM) began in 1973 when a group of enthusiasts wanted to tell the Palmetto State's interesting rail history through a museum. Gates open at 6:00 pm, guests with Advance Registration may be allowed early entry. Finally, after 40 years of delays track-laying began in October, 1894 with intentions of reaching Burnham and Pittsfield. 20 . Its most popular Christmas train is the North Pole Express, which runs after Thanksgiving through late December. Chartered on March 20, 1874 the NCNG was built to the typical narrow-gauge of 3 feet and intended to serve the ongoing gold rush. Their prized piece is the preserved Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern (Northern Pacific) depot in Snoqualmie, a beautiful Victorian design completed in 1890. His finished design was impressive; it contained 4.47 miles of track with a maximum grade of just 3.5%. This was established along the Central Pacific at Colfax with the line running roughly due north. Arkansas & Missouri Railroad (Springdale):  Some of the nation's finest train excursions do not operate official The Polar Express trips. offers Christmas train rides pulled by these steam locomotives. Their North Pole Adventure lasts about an hour and a half where kids can enjoy hot cocoa and cookies, meet Santa and Mrs. Claus, hear a Christmas tale, and sing songs. Its list of buildings and equipment is extremely impressive. You will be hard pressed at finding a better online resource regarding diesel locomotives than Craig Rutherford's TheDieselShop.us. Midwest Central Railroad (Mt. Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway Museum (Alna):  Simply put, this is one of the coolest museums you can visit, countrywide. The trains operate between John F. Kidder was the chief engineer who had completed 22.5 mile to Nevada City on May 14th (service began on May 24th). These continued for more than a decade until the then-Chessie System elected to abandon the branch. By 1891, 22 miles was opened to McEwen and eventually reached Bates, boasting an impressive network of 60.2 miles! runs from late November until late December with daytime and of service; trips run daily from mid November through December. The Shore Line Trolley Museum began as the the Branford Electric Railway Association (BERA) formed in August, 1945. Southeastern Railway Museum. This is the only officially licensed Polar Express event in the State of Kansas. During the holidays they host the Holiday Express; a Christmas-decorated train allowing kids to see Santa and The railroad also hosts the Holiday Lights Express, using their restored Doodlebug railcar. They now also offer a second holiday-themed train, the North Star Limited. The museum's Santa Train One of their specials is the Christmas Prelude, held on select dates in early December. In 2000 the group was recognized as Georgia's "official transportation history museum." During the holidays they offer a number of Santa-themed events. The museum's The North Pole Express/Santa Special It is difficult to truly articulate just how much material can be found at this website. The gravel pit ceased production in 1923 and operations generally wound down over the next twenty years; when restrictions on gold mining began in March, 1942 the railroad applied for total abandonment and all service ceased on July 10th that year. Black River & Western Railroad (Ringoes): The Black River & Western was a startup tourist attraction conceived by William Whitehead who initially wanted to build a railroad along a section of the old Rockaway Valley Railroad. They also have another 2-8-2T under restoration, Long Bell Lumber Company #803, built by the same company in 1925. Previously, the Fillmore & Western offered its own Christmas production from November through late December. They have since obtained some unique diesel locomotives including a U.S. Army MRS-1 (Alco/EMD), U.S. Army H12-44 (Fairbanks Morse), an Illinois Central Gulf GP8 "Paducah Geep," and a Norfolk & Western GP9. While there you can visit Santa, and walk through their Winter Wonderland. For much of the way the route is breathtakingly scenic as it hugs the Connecticut River's western shore. During the month of December, on select weekends, the railroad hosts Santa’s Reindeer Roundup Express where kids can meet Santa, take pictures, and enjoy a festive holiday experience. ), and Breakfast with Santa Train (as the title suggest, guests and kids take a quick ride out to the Lake Blackshear Trestle to enjoy breakfast with Santa). Grand Canyon Railway: Operates official The Polar Express events from early, November through early January on select dates. Train of Lights Cancelled for 2020. THE POLAR EXPRESS™ 2020 holiday schedule consists of train departures in November and December leading up to Christmas from the downtown Railroad Depot in Elkins, West Virginia. During the holidays they offer two different events, the Santa Claus Express (The train is quite festive and decorated for Christmas. It was born in 1952 during a great transition within the railroad industry; the iconic steam locomotive was being retired in favor of the new diesel-electric while Americans were abandoning rail travel for automobiles and airliners. The train is hosted during select dates from late November until just before Christmas. He began his quest during the late 1950's by acquiring a defunct Shay geared steam locomotive from Virginia and then leased 200 acres on the Big Trees Ranch in Santa Cruz County near Felton. With your ticket, you will: Meet Santa in his own home — made of gingerbread, and filled with candied furnishings. Today, the HVSR operates 12 miles of the C&O's old Armitage Subdivision from Nelsonville to East Logan. travelers a unique and memorable experience. is easier to find in the right setting. One other notable railroad served this area, the Chicago & North Western. Kannapolis’ Celebration of Lights and Winterland Express returns for 2020, at Village Park, 700 West C Street.. Edaville Railroad (South Carver):  This heritage railroad is one of the few built entirely from scratch and does not utilize a former right-of-way. The joy they experience (and give us) during this season is immeasurable. 1 Hour Experience. Alaska Christmas Train Rides, 2020. Five years later PRR successor Penn Central sold the property to the BR&W, thus allowing the little short line to enter the freight business. Following its opening it was acquired by the P&R and remained a branch until the formation of the Consolidated Rail Corporation in 1976. THE POLAR EXPRESS™ 2020 holiday schedule consists of train departures in November and December leading up to Christmas from the downtown Railroad Depot in Elkins, West Virginia. The holiday festivities begin in late November and last throughout most of December. 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