Located in Eureka Springs, the North Arkansas Railroad is one of the largest vintage railroads in the Arkansas Ozark mountains. When you ride on this excursion train, you are taken out of the modern world and thrown back into a turn-of-the-century experience. The train cars have been recreated to look as they did in the late 1800s, so you can experience train travel as it was then. The excursion, which begins and ends at the Eureka Springs train depot, is a four-and-a-half mile journey through the Ozark mountains, which surround Eureka Springs. The Eurekan Dining car is available with some trips, or you can buy refreshments from the Snack Car. For railroad souvenirs, the Baggage Room Gift Shop is the place to go. In 2010, the excursion cost range was from $6.50 to $13.
Another railroad that let passengers travel in style is the Arkansas & Missouri Railroad. You have the choice of riding in an 1800s luxury car, or a 1950s style parlor car. The 134-mile round trip excursion from the train depot in Springdale to Van Buren allows you to travel through a tunnel, over trestles, to the top of the Boston Mountains, and down into the Arkansas River Valley. In each car, there is a passenger conductor who entertains and narrates historical facts associated with the railroad. A three-hour stop in Van Buren allows you to shop in the many antique stores. In 2010, the cost ranged from $25 to $90 depending on age, the type of ticket, and the type of excursion.
This round trip, also with the Arkansas & Missouri Railroad, begins at the Trolley Museum in Fort Smith and takes you over the Arkansas River Bridge, through the Boston Mountains, through a 1,702-foot tunnel, and past the town of Van Buren, where a number of movies, including "Biloxi Blues," have been filmed. While in Fort Smith, there are some "must see" sites, such as the Belle Grove Historic District, the U.S. National Cemetery, and the Fort Smith National Historic site. This four-and-a-half hour round trip has concessions and a hillbilly lunch that riders can purchase if desired. As of 2010, the cost varied from $18 to $75.
