The Durango & Silverton Gauge Railroad travels along the Animas River between Durango and Silverton. The 45-mile route offers travelers glimpses of former mining camps in the imposing San Juan Mountains. The trip takes three and a half hours each way and allows passengers just over two hours to explore Silverton, which features well-preserved Victorian-era buildings. Overnight stays in Silverton are recommended if you wish to explore the surrounding mining towns and mountain passes.
The Rio Grande Scenic Railroad offers several routes through the flatlands, foothills and mountains of southeastern Colorado, including the San Luis Valley and the Spanish Peaks. The narrow gauge railroad was completed in 1878. Trains today connect Alamosa with the artisan town of La Veta. During summer months, trains also travel through ranching and agricultural lands and Spanish settlements to other destinations, including Fort Garland and Antonito.
The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad connects with the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad at Antonito. On its way to Chama, New Mexico, the train travels to the 10,015-foot high Cumbres Pass, the highest mountain pass reached by rail in the U.S. Passengers can explore Osier, Colorado, mid-way through the trip before continuing to the Toltec Gorge on the way to Antonito.
The Grand Canyon Railway uses 1950s-era passenger cars along a 65-mile route between Williams and the Grand Canyon's South Rim. Strolling musicians entertain passengers during the two-hour trip to Grand Canyon National Park. Riders can then roam freely or take a guided bus trip to the West Rim during their three-and-a-half-hour stay before returning to Williams in the afternoon.
Passengers have scenic views of the Verde Canyon on the train from the old mining town of Clarkdale to the old ghost ranch in Perkinsville. The route encompasses a diverse landscape, passing close to ancient Native American ruins and through a 680-foot man-made tunnel. Vintage trains from the 1950s make the four-hour trip from Clarkdale to Perkinsville and back.
New England offers several affordable train rides that offer scenic day trips for about $20 or less (as of 2010). In New Hampshire, the Hobo Railway departs from Lincoln and travels through the scenic White Mountains. Also in New Hampshire is the Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad Train, which travels along Meredith Bay from Meredith. Passengers travel mostly downhill through the state's scenic lakes district towards Weirs Beach.
Connecticut's Essex Steam Train features coal-fired steam locomotives. Trains depart from Essex and travel through forests and idyllic towns, including stops at Deep River and Chester. In Deep River, passengers can take a scenic riverboat cruise along the Connecticut River. In neighbouring Massachusetts, vintage trains travel between Hyannis and Buzzard's Bay along the Cape Cod Central Railroad. The route offers views of cranberry bogs, sand dunes and Cape Cod villages.
Affordable train trips throughout the eastern U.S., include the Cass Scenic Railroad State Park in West Virginia. Departing from Cass, steam-driven locomotives travel through the state's mountain wilderness along a route originally built in 1901 to haul lumber. Travelers can take a four-and-a-half hour ride to Bald Knob, the third highest point in West Virginia at 4,700 feet.
The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad goes through 32 miles of stunning scenery in the Allegheny Mountains. Passengers are guided by an on-board narrator as they travel from Cumberland to Frostburg, where they can spend time exploring the town, enjoying a meal or shopping.
To the north, Pennsylvania's Strasburg Rail Road is recognized as one of America's most significant examples of early 20th-century railroading. Founded in 1832, the train travels through Pennsylvania's Dutch Countryside on a 45-minute journey between Strasburg and Paradise.
