Great Scenic Railway Journeys 30th Anniversary Special

[ Train whistle blows ] - Get on board We're ready to go See the world from the scenic railroad From the snowcapped mountains to the sunny coast On the "Great Scenic Railway Journeys" -Greetings.

I'm Robert Van Camp, creator and producer of the "Great Scenic Railway Journeys" series.

For the last 30 years, I've been riding the rails and taking you on some amazing adventures across North America and as far away as New Zealand and Australia.

Today I'm here at one of the oldest and most historic railroads in North America, the East Broad Top.

They are just one of many railway adventures we'll take you on on our upcoming 30th anniversary special.

-We begin our anniversary special traveling on the pride of Canada -- VIA Rail.

We will venture through the majestic Canadian Rockies and experience all the luxury and services this cross-country trip offers.

Then we'll head to the foothills of Pennsylvania and visit the historic East Broad Top Railroad for a taste of America's industrial past.

Here, we'll show you all the wonders of this national historic site, which is a living time capsule and a true American treasure.

From there, we're right around the corner from another historic Pennsylvania railroad -- the Reading and Blue Mountain Northern.

We'll depart from the historic Jim Thorpe Depot for a journey through the beautiful Lehigh Gorge State Park.

Next, we'll head to the magnificent woods of North Wisconsin.

You'll experience the variety of excursions the Wisconsin Great Northern offers, including their famed overnight bed-and-breakfast train.

Our next stop features some breathtaking ocean views as we venture to the Pacific Northwest and take a steam journey on the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad.

We'll also visit the Tillamook Air Museum and see its collection of military and other aircraft housed in the largest wooden blimp hangar of its kind.

Then, an up-close look at the American bald eagle, along with a true culinary feast awaits in West Virginia.

We'll travel along the South Branch of the Potomac River and see all the wonders the Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad offers.

The mountains of Maryland is home to the largest steam engine operating in the East Coast.

We'll join the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad on a round-trip journey from Cumberland to Frostburg, pulled by the "Beast of the East," Locomotive 1309.

From Maryland, we head to Santa Fe, New Mexico, to journey on one of the newest railway ventures in the United States -- Sky Railway.

It offers entertaining trips full of adventure and stunning scenery as you pass through the magical "Land of Enchantment."

We end our railway adventures in the beautiful Rocky Mountains of Colorado.

First stop, the Royal Gorge Route Railroad.

They provide a five-star service and legendary scenery as you travel through the stunning beauty of this natural wonder.

From there, we head to Denver to board the Rocky Mountaineer for a two-day trip to Moab, Utah.

It's a journey filled with top-level service and food, along with some of the most picturesque views of the Rockies and Red Rocks.

All this and more as we celebrate some of North America's best railway adventures on our 30th anniversary special.

The Streamliner Era trains of the 1950s and '60s have long disappeared from the North American landscape, except for this one.

And we're about to take you on it on a journey clear across Canada.

-Welcome aboard, Mr. Van Camp.

-Thank you.

[ Train whistle blows ] -Welcome, everyone.

We are on Train Number One, the legendary Canadian, almost 5,000 kilometers.

[ Cheers and applause ] -You need a train, of course, to experience railroad magic.

But the real trick is to put yourself on the grandest stage possible.

Look no further than Canada.

-Canada is such a vast country, and there's so much to see, and this is an easy way to do it.

-Easy, thanks to VIA Rail, Canada's national railroad.

Hop aboard, and you can go from the Atlantic to the Pacific, across the plains, through the Rockies, from sunrise to sunset on a narrow ribbon of rail through some of the most majestic scenery in the world.

-I think it's wonderful to go through Ontario and see the wilderness and wake up on the prairies the next morning, and then this morning, wake up to see the mountains.

It's just awesome.

-Just how incredible is this trip?

Well, first of all, you're traveling through the second-largest country in the world on board the pride of Canada.

-The train that we're on, The Canadian, is an iconic train.

It's one of the iconic train trips around the world.

-The train is so famous, it's been featured on Canada's $10 note, which instills a sense of national pride here.

-As a Canadian, I'm really proud of this train because it shows the beautiful history of our country and the potential of our country to continue to go to these remote places, reach out and share this country with other people.

-Well, I boarded in Toronto, my hometown.

And I have to say, I had a moment of emotional pride when I saw the name on the train, The Canadian.

-People come from around the world to ride The Canadian.

It's a stainless-steel time capsule that encloses you in a world of beauty, history, and imagination.

-This is the most fantastic ride on the continent.

The train itself is beautiful, and the views outside are incomparable.

Every time you look out the window, there's another marvel to explore.

You go on journeys in your mind while you're on a journey on the train.

You imagine what it was like hundreds of years ago crossing the country.

-VIA Rail offers packages and services that can keep you on this train for up to 12 days, and to help keep you comfortable, they have many sleeping options for you to choose from.

There's four types of living accommodations on this train in the touring class.

So you have a lower and upper berth, which is semiprivate for one.

Then we have a private bedroom for one, which we refer to as a roomette, which has your own bathroom and your own sink and a bed that comes out from either the ceiling or the wall.

Then we have bedrooms for two.

Has an adjoining room next to it with a movable wall.

And if you take that wall down, it becomes a suite for two or for four.

Or you can have four people in it and in the daytime, just leave the wall open, put the beds away, and you have four large chairs to sit in, and you have two private windows to watch the journey.

-I'll tell you, this trip has been unbelievable.

But my favorite class of service by far is the Prestige service.

This is what folks come for.

It is completely sold out years in advance.

And there's a reason why.

-The Prestige service, which is really our luxury brand, which is the full bedroom for two with a private shower, private bathroom, and a full double bed, which comes out as a Murphy bed out of the wall with a very, very large picture window in front of it.

Prestige not only has bigger rooms, private shower, private bathroom, and all the other amenities -- It also has appetizers that are served.

There's a concierge service with Prestige as well.

The food is better, the alcohol is included, and it's just an overall luxury-brand product.

-I'm just proud about, you know, trying to provide excellent customer service to the passengers.

I feel like they deserve excellent -- You know, it's a trip in the lifetime for a lot of these people, so you just want to make sure that they enjoy it and have a great time.

-And Jake has lots of help, with a brigade of talented co-workers that ensure passengers experience the very best this trip has to offer.

-Bon voyage, tout le monde!

Have a wonderful trip on Train Number One.

Cheers.

-Cheers.

-Cheers.

-We have today 26 crew members.

And we have porters making the beds, taking care of the accommodations.

We have chefs and cooks cooking all the meals -- breakfast, lunch, dinner.

And then we have two activity coordinators making sure we catch all the highlights of each trip.

So we have to make it the best trip for them.

-The staff make the trip, really.

I mean, we always say, you know, we're selling the scenery, which we don't own, we're selling the journey, and we're selling the experience."

And the staff is what makes the experience.

If it's a trip of a lifetime, the last thing you want is to have poor service.

And we thrive on great service, and that's what keeps bringing people back.

-And we have our maple chicken with rosemary and thyme under the skin.

-Another element that sets this journey apart is the culinary feast it provides.

-The food is amazing.

It's delicious.

It's -- There are lots of options -- vegetarian, meat.

So you can choose, like, what is best for your diet.

It's great.

-The taste of the food, the presentation have all been excellent.

The staff has made it as if it's my home, and they've welcomed me, and it's just great.

It's the best food I've had in a long, long time.

[ Sizzling ] -Food prepared and cooked in a 1950-era dining car.

One thing that has not changed since then -- the fact that you are moving.

Well, the challenge is, like, when the train is going really fast, you know, and you're cooking and carrying some hot stuff, it's kind of -- You know, you have to be able to do it with being jerked around.

-The challenges in tight quarters, along with serving hot meals at 100 kilometers an hour, has somehow drawn his team closer together.

A tight-knit family here.

-I love the family factor.

There's no teamwork like on the train.

You won't find that in a restaurant because... You won't.

-A team with a common goal, making your 4,400-kilometer journey from Toronto to Vancouver a memory that will last forever.

-This train is a classic.

It's gorgeous.

And especially now at a time when we're trying to really appreciate retro beauty, this train has really got it.

-It's -- It sort of stands for what a Canadian is.

It's -- You know, it's been here a long time.

And we give good service.

It's just a beautiful train that I hope lasts forever.

It'd be nice for our children to be able to go on this train in another 50 years and see it the way it is.

It's excellent.

-There are very few places in the world where you can literally step back in time.

And I'm at one of them -- East Broad Top Railway here in Rockhill Furnace, Pennsylvania.

It is a living time capsule that the Smithsonian itself described as one of the most intact 19th-century industrial sites in the country.

Nestled in the lush foothills of South Central Pennsylvania lies a diamond in the rough, a railroaders' heaven, where you are truly afforded a glimpse into our rich railroading past.

[ Train whistle blows ] -It's just an amazing place where time is frozen.

There's so few places where you can see what a railroad used to be like.

And so much of the original buildings, the original equipment, it's all still here.

-East Broad Top is the oldest operating narrow-gauge railroad in the United States.

Started back in 1872, the railroad has hauled everything from pig iron, coal, ganister rock, timber, U.S. mail, and, of course, people.

They'd come from all corners of the earth.

-The enormous volume of traffic that it carried at its peak in the 1920s, '30s, '40s.

It was a big railroad in every way except for its gauge.

It had modern equipment, modern locomotives, and heavy traffic that was crucial in World War II to the national defense.

-The East Broad Top steam whistles echoed through these parts until the mid-1950s, when the coal business finally gave out.

-In 1956, the railroad shut down, and it was simply pretty much a matter of people laying down their tools and going home and locking the doors.

So it was pretty much captured in time.

-Like many railroads at that time that shut down, it was sold to a salvage company, destined to be scrapped.

But this one didn't get torn up.

After the owner of the salvage company visited the site, seeing all the historic equipment and buildings still intact, he just couldn't bring himself to tearing it all down.

-The legend is that the locomotives were -- He heard the locomotives talking in the roundhouse that -- you know, who would be the first one to be scrapped.

And Number 12 said it was the oldest and said that she'd go first.

And Mr. Kovalchick came in, which is Joe's dad, Nick Kovalchick, and just didn't have the heart to do it.

That's the story that Joe tells, but I think they saw the significance of it.

-In February of 2020, the Kovalchick family passed the torch to a new owner, the EBT Foundation, for them to carry on the vision -- a full restoration of this National Historic Landmark.

-You're preserving a part of history.

A part of history that's not sanitized.

It's dirty work.

Everything's, you know, got a layer of soot or dust or grease on it.

Yeah, it's -- it's authentic.

-Charles Wooten is part of an army of over 1,800 volunteers, all part of the Friends of the East Broad Top.

Their group plays a key role in helping restore this railroad back to its 19th-century glory.

-Rebuilding structures, reroofing structures, rebuilding windows.

Basically anything that the buildings need, we've got either the expertise, or we find the expertise to get it done.

-My God, with the small staff we've had, what we have done is truly nothing short of monumental.

Mains are running cold.

We're good.

-David and his team have their own monumental task -- to bring back to life one of EBT's steam engines.

The last time Number 16 operated was back in 1956 when the railroad shut down.

It was put in the roundhouse behind me with the other locomotives, not sure if it would be scrapped or ever see service again.

Fast-forward 67 years, and thanks to the loving efforts of the EBT to restore it, she's now back under steam for all of us to enjoy.

It took just over 2 1/2 years to complete the rebuild.

-Steam is what makes the East Broad Top the East Broad Top.

in many ways.

People have been waiting a long time to see steam return to the East Broad Top.

This is really that -- that moment that people have been waiting for.

-Watching this locomotive in action is truly a sight to behold.

The steam engine is just one of many things the East Broad Top Railroad has brought back to life.

They also have over two dozen structures that have been in or are in the process of being restored, along with a fleet of rolling stock, including passenger cars, diesel locomotives, and gas-electric motorcars.

One of the most fascinating parts of the collection is housed inside the depot.

-We are in the East Broad Top Railroad passenger station vaults.

These are a series of bound volumes that came from the offices in Philadelphia after the railroad closed in 1956.

Above me, the voucher registers, transfer registers, everything that you could imagine.

And the financials and organizational records are found right here.

The archives is an estimated 5,000 linear feet of materials, and these include bound volumes, ledgers, maps and drawings, train orders, and all of the organizational records of the East Broad Top Railroad.

-Everything comes to life here at East Broad Top Railroad, including their machine shops, that are powered through an amazing array of belts from a stationary steam engine that's nearly 200 years old.

-Yeah, it's very simple to engage the machine.

It just slides the belt from an idler pulley to the drive pulley.

And it's just as simple as moving the lever.

[ Train whistle blows ] -Truly, East Broad Top is a sprawling museum in motion, no better appreciated than hopping on board one of its vintage trains.

The railroad offers beautiful rides through pastoral Central Pennsylvania, its postcard beauty pristine and untouched... just like all of the East Broad Top shops and buildings.

The 9-mile round trip is so rewarding, both on and off the narrow tracks.

-It's pretty incredible.

You just don't get to see stuff like this come back from the dead.

And that's really what it is.

Most of this stuff gets scrapped, and that's it.

It's a picture in Grandpa's scrapbook.

But it's a piece of local history.

It's a piece of Americana.

This was such a huge part of America becoming what it is.

And, yeah, I love it.

I'm here for it.

-On a cool winter day through the bare branches, Number 16 blasts clouds into the sky.

Another successful resurrection by the East Broad Top Railroad.

This is truly a one-of-a-kind place and a one-of-a-kind experience.

-There's very few places where you're continuously doing something new at a 150-year-old historic site.

We have the benefit here of having new old things happen a lot.

We have lots of firsts.

Today was a first, and we'll be expanding the railroad to places that haven't seen a train since 1956.

New cars, more locomotives.

There's so much that's gonna come down the pipeline.

-Our next stop was once nicknamed the "Little Switzerland" of North America and later the "Gateway to the Poconos."

I'm here in the historic town of Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, home to the Reading and Blue Northern Railroad, which gives its passengers a glimpse into the rich history of this area.

This small town is nestled between deep green forests just 90 minutes northwest of Philadelphia.

It was originally called Mauch Chunk -- a native name meaning "Mountain of the Sleeping Bear."

But that changed in 1954, when this became the final resting place and the namesake of Jim Thorpe, the first Native American U.S. Olympic gold medal winner.

An incredible athlete who also became a pro football player.

For many, the journey to Jim Thorpe's yesteryears begins here at the beautiful historic depot with a train ride blending past and present.

-There was actually a solar panel next to a telegraph pole.

And to be able to see that and see how far we've come with our technology, but yet trying to preserve the past and where we've come from, is just so important, and it's so important to know and learn the stories of people before us and appreciate what they've been through so that we can live, hopefully, a richer and fuller life.

-History is captured outside and in on this trip.

The Reading and Blue Northern fleet is a very large and impressive collection of freight and passenger equipment.

It includes diesel and steam locomotives, along with beautifully restored cars.

And a back deck perch, a caboose -- something that's very rare and unique to be able to ride in these days.

-This was our daughters' first train ride for both of them.

And to experience the joy on their faces has been so memorable, and to see the fall foliage in combination with being on this authentic, historic train has just been a great experience.

It's gonna be a memory that we'll take with us forever.

-Up to six passengers can have this 1933 caboose all to themselves.

-Families really enjoy riding in the caboose.

The closeness.

You're not near other people.

They could get together, sit on the back platform, look out at the scenery.

They could sit up in the cupola, look out the windows there.

It's a completely different experience than riding in another coach.

-The train's historic cars are varied and offer a welcoming spot for every kind of passenger, including man's best friend.

-You're very limited on where you can take dogs.

So it was nice.

Everybody was super-friendly, welcoming.

They've gotten a ridiculous amount of pets.

Pats, treats.

-The open-air cars are a favorite for many on this trip.

Your senses come alive here.

-You can feel the air, you can smell it, you can see the mountains, you can see the gorge, along with, of course, the history.

So it just brings all your senses to life.

-The equipment is one aspect of your journey.

The other is its employees.

-It's a lot of work, but it's very rewarding.

We enjoy seeing our passengers having a good time.

Our employees have a good time doing the job, making people happy.

We have a car host in each car.

-Here.

Hi, guys.

Tickets, please.

-Hey.

How are you?

-How are you doing, guys?

-I don't have $10.

-William Solomon spent many years as a conductor on this railroad.

After retiring, his love of the rails brought him right back, this time as a car host and ticket agent.

-It's just so much fun.

I was born in Mauch Chunk, so I'm what's known as a Chunker.

So I lived here my whole life.

Just the best job in the world.

I live only a mile away, so it couldn't be any better.

Hope you enjoy your ride.

-Employees on this line say they love what they do, perhaps because the railroad is a part of their past, as well as their present.

-I grew up in Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, right along the Reading and Northern main line.

And I got to ride my bike to all the crossings and the yard and get to meet the guys.

And throughout my years of hanging out in the railroad, I knew I wanted it to be a career.

I knew the right people at the right time.

I applied, and I became a freight conductor in 2007.

It's -- I've always wanted to do it.

I enjoy doing it.

And every day is a new adventure.

-I work with the best crew.

I mean, I couldn't get better people to work with and for.

And I love working with the passengers and just being helpful and giving them some insights and just having an exciting time on the train.

-The 70-minute ride carries you 16 miles through lush forests, across the towering bridge high above the rambling Lehigh River, then towards the Lehigh Gorge State Park with its beauty and wildlife.

Passengers can also experience another part of railroading -- a runaround.

This is when the engine changes positions at the halfway point, moving from the front of the train to the rear for your return trip.

And on the way back, watch for a different mode of transport -- cyclists, who can ride up to 165 miles on this bike path, which was once the old Central Railroad of New Jersey.

There are many things to do and see here in Jim Thorpe, but one of my favorite places to come to is right here at the Mauch Chunk History Museum.

They have an unbelievable collection of artifacts and information detailing the history of this area.

Including a model of a switchback railroad that was once a top tourist attraction in North America, second only to Niagara Falls, all because of an innovative way to move coal off the mountain.

-Uh, people would get up to the Switchback Depot, which is on the heights, above where we are right now.

They would get on the car, but there's no power on the car because the only thing that's powered on the Switchback Gravity Railroad is the barney car.

Once the car got to the top, the barney car would stop, but the passenger car would start falling just with the force of gravity, picking up speed until it was going 50 miles per hour.

Nothing on Earth went 50 miles per hour in the 1840s.

-The Switchback drew people from around the world, including four presidents.

It's long gone now, but trains remain a focal point here in Jim Thorpe... a reminder of when coal was king.

Mauch Chunk.

Jim Thorpe.

Then and now.

A place where the past and present come together in fascinating layers.

-I think we need this.

Yeah, definitely.

[ Laughs ] I would hope to keep this forever -- the train, preserve the nature around, everything.

-To experience the history of Jim Thorpe and the train, and just to take in all of everything that this is, it's been a great experience.

-Our next stop is here in Northwest Wisconsin, where the air is so fresh, here in the legendary Northwoods.

We're about to introduce you to a determined family that never says "we can't."

And over the last 25 years, they have created some of the most unique rail venues in North America.

-Thank you.

[ Indistinct conversations ] -Dining, lounge, and sleeping cars bring back fond memories of America's railroad past, mostly only seen in history books and old movies today.

But a family in the small town of Trego, Wisconsin, have re-created parts of that era, along with introducing an array of new venues, to catch the imagination of current generations.

-What you'll find here at the Wisconsin Great Northern is absolutely unique in the industry.

Different services, different equipment.

Every time you come back, I can pretty much guarantee it'll be a different experience.

-Different than any other tourist railroad in North America when you experience all the venues they offer, with wine tastings and a historic dome car, pizza trains for the kids, fine dining for the adults, a one-of-a-kind bed-and-breakfast, and on the horizon are a restoration of a streamliner that seemed more a sky-flying rocket ship than railroad-bound.

-People want something unique to experience.

And so that's what we're trying to present to the public, is a unique opportunity that they can't get anyplace else, whether it be by the service we provide or by the equipment that we operate, that it's different from everybody else.

-The Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad has been running since 1997.

In those early days, it was a multitask operation running on fumes.

-There were times when we just simply didn't have the money, and she'd sell tickets in the ticket office, hand me 20 bucks out of the till.

I'd run to the gas station and get 15 gallons of diesel fuel, drive around the back side of the train, and pour it in.

And that was enough to make the trip.

-Sheer persistence helped the railroad grow, along with the elimination of a certain word.

-There is no such word as "can't."

You may say, "Oh, I can't."

Well, you just find a way to do.

And so it might be a convoluted way of doing something, but you try your darndest to find a way to get it done.

-I don't recognize the word "can't."

Don't tell me it can't be done because we'll show you how fast it can be done.

-Greg and Mardell's son, Alexander, has grown up around trains his whole life, and because of that, he bluntly dismisses more popular teen pursuits.

-Cars suck.

Trains rule.

And sports are overrated.

All right.

We are now coming into the Namekagon River and Veazie Springs.

-Like his parents, Alexander wears a lot of hats on this railroad.

Tonight, he's a server and is impressing his guests.

-He was an anomaly.

An amazing young man.

-Yeah, another day of Alexander fan club.

-You see a little bit of that funny, ha-ha sarcasm.

He's always learned sarcasm.

He's learned it good.

I like to describe him as my 83-year-old farmer.

He is very straight-faced around people he doesn't necessarily know.

-Just a sponge.

He just picks up data and information about the various pieces of equipment like I can't even imagine.

He knows more about the equipment than I do.

-The family stays very busy doing a variety of jobs for each of its unique trips.

There is one constant in all of them, though -- experiencing the splendor and beauty of the Great Northwoods.

-You can't beat the view.

It's so beautiful in the fall, especially when the tamaracks start to change.

-Through the pastoral landscape and deep woods, guests take in all the beauty this trip offers.

One of the favorite spots is so serene and peaceful, the train comes to a stop to allow all to take in the natural wonders of the Namekagon River.

-When we stopped at the watershed earlier, we just thought it was like someone had painted the sky and the brush.

Like, it was just so beautiful with the sunset and the moon over top.

I just love every moment of it, honestly.

-And what could add to these moments?

How about a meal prepared and served in your own private dining room?

-The dinner was amazing.

It was just beyond expectations, honestly, to get to spend time with family here, to look out and see this painterly landscape that just glistens and is golden with autumn light.

I just love every moment of it.

-Fine dining is just one of the many options here on the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad.

-Here's your pepperoni pizza, Mr. Van Camp.

-Thank you, Jose.

The other is their pizza train, and it is definitely a hit with families.

-It's very unique.

The kids love it.

They get to go on a train, and they get to have their favorite meal.

They are cheeseaholics, being from Wisconsin.

[ Laughs ] It's very nice to have -- have this here and keep that in our culture.

-Speaking of culture, the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad also offers a sophisticated wine and cheese pairing trip aboard the Sky Parlour, a 1956 dome car that was once part of the famed El Capitan that operated from Chicago to Los Angeles on the Santa Fe Railroad.

-It's definitely a rolling piece of history.

It's really neat to be on something like this.

Unique experience, for sure.

The wine was great.

The train ride experience was awesome.

-The various train rides run about 2 1/2 hours.

And for many guests, they can't bear to leave.

So leave it to the Wisconsin Great Northern to offer something for them to stay -- a unique experience with their bed-and-breakfast package, where delighted travelers ride and dine and get to sleep overnight in their historic cars.

-It way exceeded my expectations.

It was first-class all the way.

The staff was awesome.

Last night's supper -- The hors d'oeuvres, the drinks, the food was awesome all the way to the end, to the dessert.

Then we had our own sleeping car.

It was awesome.

[ Laughs ] And it was a queen-sized bed.

First-class, first-rate.

-After a restful night's sleep in one of the beautiful railcar suites, guests awake to the wonderful smells of a country cooked breakfast, compliments of Chef Greg, truly a Renaissance man.

Mmm.

Mmm-mmm-mmm.

-We believe that we are continuing to create the history of these pieces of rolling stock.

100 years from now, hopefully these cars will still be here and still be usable because of our efforts.

-Of course I'm proud of all of this.

How could you not be proud of it?

'Cause if I weren't proud of it, I wouldn't be a part of it.

-Thanks to Greg and Mardell and Alexander, along with the rest of their staff, you can be a part of something very special -- experiences that are created by a dedicated family, preserving and presenting many one-of-a-kind railroad journeys deep in the Northwoods of Wisconsin.

Next stop takes me here, to the Oregon Coast in the beautiful town of Rockaway Beach, home to Engine Number 25.

We're gonna introduce you to it, the people that run it, and take you through some of the most beautiful scenery in this part of the country.

[ Bell clanging ] The Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad is a rarity in the tourist railroad world -- a breathtaking journey by steam along the sea.

-The absolute beauty and the relaxation of it.

This is just what God created out here in this beautiful country here of the Northwest, and we're just enjoying every minute of it.

-You really can't ask for better.

We have views of the bay, of the ocean.

But then you turn around and you look on the other side, and there's mountains that take up the skyline.

And even then, you see people waving and walking by, and it's -- You can't ask for better.

You really can't.

-True, you can see the ocean from your car, but nothing compares to skirting the sea on steam.

One of the highlights of the trip is the legendary sea stack called The Three Graces.

-Just something about them when you come around that corner and you see them there.

You know, Arch Rock, it's its own enclosed ecosystem.

It has trees and plants that are thriving there, even though it's completely cut off from the rest of the land.

The Three Graces themselves, each of the individual rocks, all of them are bird habitats where birds come and roost on them.

-Just the scenery and the ocean and the -- the nice clear air that's out here.

Where we're from in Arizona, it's over 100 degrees.

It's just nice to be out of that in some -- some fresh air.

-This historic railroad travels the ocean's edge on the north Oregon Coast.

It's a remote area, and, thus, its charm, for you are swinging back in time.

-It definitely throws you back to a time that was more romantic, slower-paced, a little bit more class and elegance.

-In 2003, the railroad had about 2,000 riders.

Now they average over 45,000 a year.

And that number keeps growing.

-We've had people from South Africa, from Europe itself.

We just had somebody from Hong Kong last week.

-Young and old cherish this trip.

-Smith Lake is about 26 acres in size.

It's all freshwater.

They stock it twice a year with trout.

-Bruce Cardin fills them with the history of the area.

-There you are.

Thank you.

Over here.

-And conductor Lauren Lozier collects the tickets from the happy passengers, including some four-legged rail fans.

-I love the dogs.

So we allow dogs in every single car on this train, so long as they are happy being there, they're not gonna be aggressive or anything.

So that pretty much means you can have a dog wherever you'd like on here, and it means I get to pet many dogs and get to see all different types of dogs, which I love a lot.

-Being able to bring my dog with me not only on the train, but there's been lots of shops down here that you can take him into.

I just like having him with me, so it was really nice to be able to bring him.

[ Train whistle blows ] -Pulling you through the magic is McCloud Railway Number 25, a 2-6-2 configuration "Prairie"-type steam locomotive built back in 1925.

Its grandeur even attracted Hollywood.

And this locomotive has been in several movies -- most prominent, the coming-of-age tale "Stand by Me."

And like any movie star, old Number 25 commands a lot of attention.

You know, a steam locomotive is a fascinating thing when you sit in the cab here.

But most people don't realize there's over 3,000 moving parts throughout the whole locomotive and tender.

And it takes crews nearly two hours just to get it ready for service.

-You can really see all the mechanical components out there moving around.

It makes noise.

It feels alive to an extent.

I know a lot of people say that, but, you know, to many of us who work on them, they feel alive, and they have their own soul, their own personality.

Why it is so popular here is, you have the engine rolling into an extremely populated area, a touristy area down at the beach.

They see this thing come in billowing smoke and steam, making all this noise.

It draws people in.

It's an attention grabber.

[ Bell clanging ] -Speaking of historic attention grabbing, when you get off your train ride, you'll want to visit the nearby Tillamook Air Museum, once a busy military installation, but now home to a variety of combat aircraft housed in Hangar B, a former blimp hangar and the largest of its kind in the world.

-So the building itself is a huge part of our exhibit.

It's 1,000 feet long.

It's 192 feet tall.

And the entire structure and trussing is all wooden.

There's really nothing like it.

One of our main goals and missions is education through interaction.

So we have a lot of interactive displays.

We also have about 25 aircraft on display.

Some of the more prominent to note are the Mini Guppy, which was a cargo aircraft used by NASA.

So one of our most interesting pieces is our F-14 Tomcat.

People really love to see that.

It was featured in the original "Top Gun" movie in 1986 with Tom Cruise.

-There's so much to do here on the Oregon Coast.

All this running around can sure make you hungry.

And the railroad has that covered for you as well... with a three-course gourmet meal on board their dinner train.

-It just parallels Tillamook Bay, and then it parallels Nehalem Bay.

And it's a beautiful ride going about 10, 15 miles an hour.

Nice and relaxed.

-It just makes everything slow down on the outside because we're going so slow on the inside.

Just to be able to, like, slow down and enjoy the person in front of me, the beautiful food, the beautiful nature views of the sunset and the gentle rocking on the train.

[ Bell clanging ] [ Train whistle blows ] Across Tillamook Bay, Number 25's whistle echoes throughout this vast wonderland.

Steam swirls through the coastal forests of Sitka.

Summers come and go, but personal memories are etched upon the rocks here, never to be abandoned.

[ Bell clanging ] -Well, I think the more fancy technology gets, the more fascinating this stuff is.

So the education factor is really important to me and the rest of the people in our organization, try to preserve you know, that dying era of our history.

-Rich Civil War history, beautiful mountain scenery, the American bald eagle, and a luxury train that lets you take it all in.

We're about to experience all of that on the Potomac Eagle Scenic Railway here in Romney, West Virginia.

Bald eagle nests were first spotted here back in the early 1980s.

In the decades since, this discovery has helped create one of the most immersive railway adventures in the country.

We've seen a lot of them -- I think probably 20 to 25 eagles.

It's the natural environment for them.

It's been fantastic.

-The highlight of the trip is always the eagles, because the first thing that people ask us when they come up to get on the train is, "When will we see the eagles?"

And we have to say, "We never know where they'll be."

-There's an eagle across the river on the left about a half a train length ahead of the engine, 50 feet up in that bald tree.

Over.

-Train engineers on the lookout for bald eagles?

Clearly, this is no ordinary rail journey.

Since 1991, the Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad has been taking people deep into the Shenandoah Valley.

Locals love to ride this train and talk about its rich history.

-Track goes in areas that aren't close to the roads, so you get a chance to see houses and homes that you wouldn't ordinarily see if you're driving around.

Like, our house here, you know, we had the 7th Virginia camp there during the Civil War.

We had Ashby die -- you know, die in our house there.

So it just gives you a chance to see history that you wouldn't see normally here just by driving around.

-Intimately, the train weaves through the small towns and historic farmlands.

Passengers become new neighbors.

And friendly waves abound.

You travel a leisurely 10 miles an hour upon a steady clickety-clack of track.

-To me, the scenery and watching the river in this area and going back and seeing the history of the railroad and visiting places like this, and the leisure part of the ride.

It's a comfortable way to travel.

-Oh, it's like traveling back in time.

You know, you -- It's a slower pace 'cause your everyday life is just like, boom, boom, boom.

You're running, running.

And when you get on a train, it's just like things just slow down and it's a nice relaxing day.

[ Train horn blares ] -One of the highlights on this trip is the crossing of the Sycamore Bridge.

It provides expansive views down the river valley.

It's also a place where one of the largest natural disasters happened on this line back on November 4, 1985.

Torrential rainfall dumped over 6 inches in a 12-hour period, washing everything in its path downriver to this bridge.

The debris trapped by it caused the water to dam up.

The immense water pressure pushed this bridge to its breaking point, creating a wall of water that destroyed everything in its path.

-In the trough, the -- the water rose over 60 feet high.

It poured into sector at 100 miles an hour.

And the state almost abandoned the railroad because the trestles were gone, and in the trough, the rails actually hung like suspension bridges.

-The railroad seemed damaged beyond repair, but the state of West Virginia knew it was too vital of a line for commerce and tourism and rebuilt it.

By doing so, it's helped save a part of history and continued a magical gateway.

-It's just cool.

And then to know that there's only three ways in -- you know, through the river, walk, or through the train.

You know, that's kind of cool.

-The only thing in that trough is the Potomac River, the railroad, and the eagles, so it's just great.

It's the most fabulous scenery east of the Mississippi River.

-And taking on that journey, a collection of historic passenger cars.

-We have four classes of service.

Our top service is the Superior service.

That's our club cars.

We have two of those cars, and we seat from 32 to 38 people.

They're in nice lounge chairs and comfortable seating, you know, nice big windows.

-The second class of service, a Premium tabletop offering, followed by Standard and Coach offerings.

-We've introduced dining because we feel like with a three-hour trip, the added service with the dining gives people the experience of eating on the train.

We feel like we needed to add more than just a coach ride.

-And some of the railroad's recent acquisitions helped them accomplish that.

-Well, we have two dining cars -- one, an ex-Southern Railway dining car, and a second car that was a Southern Pacific dining car.

Those two cars provide us the kitchen space that we need in order to prepare the food to be able to distribute it throughout the train front and rear for our four classes of service.

-I need prime rib with rice, salmon with rice, going to Walters, party of two.

-And the meal offerings are amazing.

-Good morning, everyone.

Today is the all-day Petersburg trip.

We have 308 passengers on the train.

-Getting all that food out is Page Hines' responsibility, along with a talented crew.

Talk about a juggling act here.

-My girls right now are serving the lunch portion for our Superior dining for our all-day Petersburg trip.

They are very skilled, nimble at what they do.

-You kind of have to learn just to sway with it.

You learn to dance.

You got to have the moves.

You guys enjoy.

-After your meal, I highly recommend coming out here to the open observation car.

This is definitely the best place to spot the bald eagles.

The bald eagle -- icons of the sky, American symbols of strength, courage, and freedom.

Once endangered, now they have flourished in this area.

It's fitting that bald eagles fly here with the White House less than three hours away.

But as a passenger on the Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad, you are far from the big city traffic.

Just the song of the crickets broken by the slow rumbles of steel wheels, for this is a map of rail and river, lone country roads and cornfields, and, of course, the national symbol of America.

-We're creating an experience that they'll never forget.

Memories that last a lifetime.

[ Train whistle blows ] -In Cumberland, Maryland, steamy ghosts still roam loudly through century-old tunnels, reminding us of another time when this area was truly the genesis of transportation in the United States.

The story of the rail lines in this region was linked to a race between steam and water power.

-Cumberland was really a very important city and a transportation crossroads in many ways because of the National Road, the C&O Canal, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.

-The canal was more of a family business, with generations steering the boats and manning the lockhouses.

That's all gone now.

[ Bell clanging ] But these days, Mountain Thunder continues spanning the past to the present.

And while much of this area's history is preserved in static national parks and dusty black-and-white photos, there is a sound from the 1800s relentlessly echoing through the dairy lands and high mountain ridges here.

The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, with its massive steam locomotives transporting dazzled passengers, who realize time travel never looked so good.

Bill, you know, when I when I look at you, I mean, I look like I could step back to 1940, and you would be boarding me on my train.

-Well, that is what I try and portray.

And, in fact, that is my era.

I love the '40s and even the '50s.

So, yes, I try and dress the part.

But I hope you will explore the -- the car and enjoy every feature you encounter.

-Conductor Bill Hatrick not only works on the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad -- He actually leases one of the vintage cars he has, a 1949 Southern Pacific club/lounge car, to the cause with one goal in mind.

-Yeah, that is exactly what I'm going for, that they'll feel like they are on a time machine.

-There are many time capsules on this train.

One of them literally lifts you up higher than all the others.

If you want to experience all the beauty that this rail journey offers here on the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, you got to take one of their dome cars.

As you can see, it's a panoramic view everywhere you look.

-What I like about the dome car is the fact that you can see so much more.

You can see in front of you.

You can see behind you.

You can see up, the skies, the clouds.

It's such a lovely day with the white clouds against the blue sky.

-"Ride the scenic line" -- That's the marketing phrase used by the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad.

And oh-so true.

The 32-mile round trip from Cumberland to Frostburg climbs 1,300 feet, passing by Lover's Leap, skirting past the mysterious Bone Cave, plunging 916 feet into mountain tunnel darkness, and, of course, the legendary bend at the famous Helmstetter's Curve -- one of the most treasured train photo opportunities in the world.

-So Helmstetter's Curve, is -- is unique because it's a horseshoe curve.

If all the trees were cleared, you could see the entire train from one side of the curve all the way around the farm and all the way headed up the mountain.

It's really where the grade picks up.

It's really impressive to be riding in the train, and you can look out and see the steam engine pulling you around, and you're almost parallel to it.

It's kind of cool.

-There's a lot of reasons to bring a camera when going on this trip, not only for the beauty and history outside your window, but also inside the train as well.

This is definitely a first for me in my 30 years.

I've never been on a train that has a barbershop in it.

Bill has done a tremendous job re-creating what it really was like to ride on these trains back in the '50s.

-That was the -- the zenith of services offered on the great first-class trains of old.

And I thought, "Wow, this is the car I want."

-Oh, it's a throwback to the golden age of train travel.

The '50s were the highlight of train travel, and this car is impeccably restored.

It is like riding in a time machine.

-Now, while the barber chair is an interesting photo op, the biggest star is literally at the front of the train.

-The 1309 is the largest steam locomotive on the East Coast.

It's a wonderful thing -- the years and years they spent on restoration and just the enthusiasm, the talent that we have here, the skill.

-This locomotive has been named the "Beast of the East" for a very good reason.

Look how big it is.

It's huge.

And it was specifically built to haul out the coal out of the West Virginia and Kentucky mountains.

It took the railroad seven years to rebuild the 1309.

The crew here is very proud of that accomplishment and enjoy sharing interesting facts about this locomotive with its patrons.

-This is the boiler.

-Okay.

-All right?

At the at the other end of the boiler is the firebox.

It's a chamber that is surrounded by water.

-I really didn't understand how the wheels were turned.

I love steam trains, coal-fired trains.

They're loud.

They're big.

And they have so many parts, I understand, because it's pretty mechanical.

You know, there's water, and there's coal, and there's fire.

And the steam turns the wheels, and you can kind of see all the parts.

-She's just so unique.

She's the only engine of her kind operating in the United States certainly of her size.

She is the largest compound Mallet, which is complex steam engine talk, but she's an incredible, incredible machine.

And we haven't put a train behind her here at the Western Maryland that is heavy enough to tax her going up the hill.

- This train going up around Prospect Way -Yeah!

- I don't care what all the people say -Who knows?

Maybe even a song will break out on your trip.

- Yeah -You just need to come here and experience it for yourself.

- Going up the trail on the 1309 [ Rhythmic clapping ] -There's something for everyone here at the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, from a variety of passenger car classes and services -- they can offer you luxury to coach -- from dome views, to sticking your head out and feeling all the elements this journey offers.

-Look how slow it's going.

We have plenty of time to just see everything around us.

It's beautiful.

I love it.

[ Laughs ] -It's like a step back in time.

Like, I was born in the '50s, and this is just sort of a neat experience seeing how they traveled back then.

[ Train horn blares ] -It's all here for you, from historic diesel locomotives... [ Train whistle blows ] ...to the largest operating steam engine on the East Coast.

The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad truly offers a taste of everything railroading for you to experience, taking you away from the hustle and bustle of the modern-day world and allowing you to slip back in time for a few hours to the golden age of railroading.

"We need to be bold, wild, and exciting with something different up our sleeves" -- That's the motto of our next railway adventure.

I'm here in old Santa Fe, New Mexico, about to take a journey that's filled with entertainment, great food, music, along with some breathtaking scenery.

It seems like a ride through a Hollywood movie set on a giant steel dragon snaking its way across the beautiful Desert Southwest.

But this is more than a scene.

It's a story that you're a part of as you ride the Sky Railway through one of the most picturesque landscapes in America.

The vivid characters that decorate the train come from the mind of one of its owners, George R. R. Martin, the author and producer behind the "Game of Thrones" and other blockbuster hits.

-The only thing George requested was a wolf and a dragon.

That is an ode to his creation of "Fire and Ice."

-It was the largest project that artist Joerael Numina had ever done, taking him around 9 months and 700 cans of spray paint to complete.

Not the kind of thing you'll see on any other trains.

-This humbles me to be able to paint this train for the historical context that it's the first time that graffiti culture and railroad culture had come into alliance to create something beautiful.

And I hope that's an opening for more railroads to do the same because railroads aren't going anywhere and graffiti isn't going anywhere.

-The look isn't the only thing that sets this experience apart.

It's the stories, the people, and the history that offers new generations a chance to experience something that could have been lost forever.

-We get people that come from all over the world that have been on dozens of trains, and it blows our mind to this day, and it's flattering to hear people tell us that, "Wow, I've been on trains all over the country, and this is the best one I've been on."

-The Sky Railway line stretches across 18 miles, from Santa Fe, New Mexico, to the tiny historic town of Lamy.

A group of investors, including Martin, decided to give it another chapter in its rich history.

You see, years ago, Lamy was a bustling community with several thousand residents and an original stop along the line.

Some of the buildings there date back more than a century.

-Just, you know, 25 minutes' car ride outside of Santa Fe, but... much different architecturally and just untouched, really.

I mean, it's never been built back over.

You know, this is authentic Lamy, New Mexico, like it was, you know, 120 years ago.

-The Legal Tender may have started out as a saloon, but nowadays it's known as a destination for high-end cuisine.

-The Brunch Run is extremely popular.

They do a wonderful buffet spread.

And when you walk inside the Legal Tender, you're just taken back in time.

It's -- The bar is from Germany.

They brought it here by boat.

-If you truly want to relive the golden age of railroading, I highly recommend you ride in this car -- the Acoma.

It is gorgeously restored with a beautiful Art Deco interior that will truly give you a taste of what it was like to ride in that time period.

-Well, this is 100-year-old car that has been restored to its original beauty.

It's a different experience to get on a car like this when it's on a railroad track and then going in to see it in a museum.

It's just a remarkable thing to sit in a car that has so much history literally just oozing out of the side walls.

-This is a rare opportunity to ride in style like the greatest stars of the Golden Age.

-You know, it's just the nostalgia, I mean, the way that it feels.

It's just like it takes you way, way, way back.

And it's just -- It's been so much fun today.

We've had a blast.

-It's wonderful.

Wonderful.

Slow things down.

Feel the rails.

See the beauty outside.

Meet the people.

It's the way life should be.

[ Cheers and applause ] -And Native Americans used them in cooking.

They flavored their meats with that.

And... -Another popular trip is the Lore of the Land, a back-to-nature trek that combines music and stories that help you understand how the scenic wonderland evolved.

-I am a docent at our botanical garden.

I really enjoy ethnobotany.

I love talking about that along this trip, all our plants along the way, the trees that we have, and how they were used historically by the peoples of New Mexico.

[ Up-tempo music plays] -And music is as much a part of the journey as the surrounding scenery.

A ride on the Sky Railway is a feast for the senses.

No matter what class of service you book on this train, everyone has access to the open-air car.

This is by far the best place to be if you want to absorb all the beautiful scenery this trip offers.

-Everybody's favorite car is our flatcar.

It's my favorite place to be.

Most people, once they discover that it's there, it's where they spend the rest of the trip.

-This is where you not only feel the breeze and see its incredible sunsets -- It's a great place to relax.

It's easy to understand why artists, writers, and creators have come here over the years to experience the natural beauty close up.

It's breathtaking.

-New Mexico is the "Land of Enchantment."

And as the light changes, like, minute by minute, you're watching it.

And you're out there with your hair blowing in the air.

You're on an open-air car.

You see everything.

It's incredible.

-Just like a novel, the Sky Railway is creating its own story with many chapters, interesting characters you love to meet, exotic locations, and plenty of memorable moments.

-We have all these different experiences that you can ride once and you don't feel like you've really experienced all that we have to offer, right?

And you can come back time and time again and experience a different experience.

And we're always evolving and adding on to that.

-The Sky Railway is a rare chance to see some of the most spectacular scenery in the Southwest while riding on a one-of-a-kind train.

The stories and moments it creates are timeless.

-A five-star culinary feast, beautiful Rocky Mountain scenery all around you, all while traveling on a true engineering marvel.

I'm on board the Royal Gorge Route Railroad in Caon City, Colorado, which offers all of this and a lot more.

It's a sight to behold.

Colorado's Royal Gorge is a place only nature could create.

-It's one of the most spectacular train destinations in the world.

I am passionate about that.

And I've ridden trains around the world.

I lived in Europe for a couple of years.

Nothing comes close to this.

-It's a total experience, with a variety of sights and sounds along the way, with a view that inspired one of America's most colorful presidents.

-What I like particularly about this canyon is just the size of everything.

1,053 feet below the Royal Gorge Bridge -- raging rivers, tremendous rock formations.

You get a really good sense of the Earth's power through the geology that's been created here.

-The walls of the gorge are steep, stretching nearly 1,200 feet high in some spots.

At the bottom, you have the rushing waters of the Arkansas River.

While that made it a challenge to build, the natural beauty brings visitors from around the world.

-So we came all the way from Syracuse, New York, and we wanted to see some beautiful views.

And the open-air is just really unbelievable, the views you can see, and hear the sounds of the water of the Arkansas River.

-It's different on any given day.

To see it in the wintertime, it's beautiful.

To hear people enjoying it, when you're out in the open-air cars and just listening to people, you know, and talking to their kids about just the natural beauty.

-Most of the fleet here dates back to the 1950s.

They've all been renovated and rebuilt, along with eight stunning Vista Dome cars offering panoramic views from every seat.

-I've never had any kind of dining experience like this before.

It's very open, and you get to see all the good, great views.

And there's a river, so it's really nice.

-They also have these custom-built open-air cars, which is a favorite for many.

-Just coming out here and just being able to stand around everyone and just take in the beauty of this -- this scenery has just been an awesome experience.

Breathing in crisp air, watching everything from the left and to the right side.

I mean, you can't get these views anywhere else, so it's been an amazing experience, just standing out here in the open air.

-If you're wondering how this railroad keeps all their beautiful equipment in such great shape, it's done here in their shops.

They have a skilled set of employees that can pretty much do anything needed to keep it all on the rails.

-We pretty much run off of about a 13- to 15-person crew.

-But that includes, you know, your locomotive mechanics, your railroad carmen program.

We have HVAC technicians on staff, as well as a master electrician.

-Going up.

-Up.

[ Machinery whirring ] -They even have the capability to lift and service their locomotives, some weighing in at over 300,000 pounds.

-What I love is being able to pass on an item to the next generations and being able to make sure that it's safe, reliable.

I go home feeling proud that, you know, I made something, you know, continue to run.

Some children have a story they're gonna tell their kids in the future.

-They'll also be telling others about the food because it's one of the bright spots on this trip, full of choices designed to leave everyone with a full belly and a smile.

-We have done trains before, and this is the top of them all.

The waitress is wonderful.

The atmosphere is beautiful.

It's a gorgeous train.

-We're somewhat new to Colorado, and this is the great way to see the absolute beautiful landscape, take it in in such a relaxing way, and have a good meal, some good wine, and be able to sit back and relax.

-The best thing I realized -- ease of coming in.

Romantic trip.

And the gorge is just -- It does not disappoint.

This has been a beautiful, beautiful day with all the colors.

-Chicken, Welly, Welly, salmon -- heard!

-It's hard to believe they can pull off this kind of variety and quality inside a kitchen in motion.

But it's an everyday thing around here.

-Okay, so this right here is my Colorado-raised Atlantic salmon, served on quinoa and wild rice.

-The service was amazing.

I would encourage anyone to come just for the service alone.

Our servers were so kind and gracious and attentive, and that's very important to me, especially on a special day like this for his birthday.

-The food was amazing.

The people were amazing.

The other passengers were amazing.

So we've had just a blast all day.

-Yeah, for sure.

-I'm very proud of what I do, mostly because my guests could come on board for, like, a birthday, an anniversary, have a great experience, go home, and they have a memory to look back on.

-Sir, I am above you, next to you, around you.

-Still, all the crew on board have to contend with these tight quarters, and it leads to a dedicated dance down these aisles.

-Oh, it's all kind of about spatial awareness.

We're all pretty good about telling each other "behind," "in front," "corner," things like that.

But after a while, with working with the same people over and over, you just kind of get used to, you know, they're gonna take this path and I'll take this path, and you're used to the train swaying, and it just makes it a lot of fun.

It also keeps it really entertaining for guests to see us kind of weaving in and out of things, so... -Kind of like baseball, it's a game of inches.

-The White Sox baseball team posing [Laughs] in 1910 on this very place.

-No way.

-Oh, my gosh.

-You can feel the history here, especially when they take a moment and stop on the Hanging Bridge.

When it was first constructed, the design was revolutionary, made to carry trains through the narrowest part of the gorge.

Teddy Roosevelt stopped here in 1905 and took an iconic photo, reportedly saying that the beauty and the views bankrupted the English language.

-It's nice to come out here.

It's a different atmosphere.

The air feels different.

The light's different than anywhere else.

You get on the train in Caon City, it might be sunny and warm.

You come up here, and you feel like you're in a different world.

-And it gives people a time and a chance to relax.

You know, we're all going at 1,000 miles an hour, and I find that people will hop on this train, and maybe they've had a tough week at work, maybe they're a little stressed, but I guarantee by the end of the train ride...

It's just nostalgic.

It's awesome.

It's everything Colorado that is packaged into a two-hour trip.

It's here.

-No matter how they discovered the Royal Gorge Route Railroad, it has become a bigger hit than ever, and people want to share the experience.

-So I think it's good to learn a little bit about history, especially for kids this age, for families to see how these old cars hold up so well over time.

Engineering is definitely one of the coolest things about all these old cars and trains and things like that.

-The vintage technology that helps you get away from it all ends up bringing people closer together.

-The most important thing for me for the guest is that they walk off this train happy.

Not just satisfied, but I want their expectations exceeded.

And that's how we train our staff.

You have to exceed expectations, especially in this day and age.

-The Royal Gorge Route Railroad is steeped in history.

But there's something new to discover here on every single trip through this natural wonder.

-The Royal Gorge Route's two-hour journey showcases some of the beauty of Colorado's Rocky Mountains.

Our final trip takes you on a two-day journey that crosses the Rockies and takes you through the stunning Red Rocks of Utah.

The Rocky Mountaineer trips in the Canadian Rockies are known worldwide as one of the best rail adventures in North America.

In 2020, they brought their legendary services to the United States to showcase one of the most scenic routes in the American West.

They are all unforgettable -- the views that encompass the most storied features of the Rocky Mountains... the food, from a menu that rivals the best restaurants... and the memories, the friendships, and the stories you bring home from a trip on the Rocky Mountaineer.

-All right, everybody, if we can raise our glass.

I have an Irish limerick for us.

"So there are wood chips.

There are good ships.

There are ships that sail the sea.

But the best ships are friendships.

And may they always be made right here on the Rocky Mountaineer."

Cheers.

-Cheers!

-Cheers!

[ Glasses clink ] -Rockies to the Red Rocks.

It's a journey that starts with something you'll notice about this entire trip -- a personal touch.

-Three, two, one.

And go.

Love it.

-Thank you.

-[ Laughs ] All aboard!

-All aboard!

-It's in my nature.

I love to share my enthusiasm and my love for this -- this product, this rail.

It's just exciting.

And it's the guests that give that for me.

I don't smile when I'm just sitting by myself.

[ Laughs ] It's truly -- It's truly everyone that brings that out of me.

-The two-day trip lets you unwind along the way.

Just outside of Denver, you start to gain elevation.

The landscape starts to reveal a first look back over the plains.

Then you get to see one of the challenges of building this line in the first place -- the tunnels that lead directly through the mountains.

It's not the kind of thing you would experience flying overhead at 30,000 feet.

-You don't get up close and personal with the scenery.

The coyote we just saw or the moose that went by an hour ago -- You don't get to see that.

And when was the last time you made a friend on an airplane?

I see people making friends and connections on the trains all the time.

-Those connections just come naturally.

-It feels like an instant cocktail party.

People just start talking.

I've learned about people's dogs, their grandchildren, the trips they've been on.

It's wonderful.

And on top of that, the staff.

Amazing stories.

Stories I would never have known had it not been for the fact that I was rolling through that exact part of the world and that exact part of American history.

-46.

47.

-Food isn't just part of the trip -- It's something they celebrate.

Working with local ingredients, the selections speak for themselves.

-Our lunch on the Rocky Mountaineer is one of everyone's favorites.

We have our short rib in a green chili sauce which has the flavor of the chilies, not the spice, or our baked chicken breasts in an apricot glaze.

Both are gonna be accompanied with a polenta cake, broccolini, and roasted carrots.

-The staff works to create an experience because this isn't just a way to get from one place to another.

This is the destination.

-So what you're looking at are the Indian Peaks and the Indian Peak Wilderness.

We're also looking at the Continental Divide, folks, right there.

-It's not like traveling where you're trying to get somewhere.

You're trying to make sure you make a connection.

Once you get here, you sit down, your needs are looked after.

You just get to sit back, relax.

And we don't often do that.

You don't often in this day and age get sort of put into a position where you sit back, you relax, and you watch the scenery go by while our team is providing that great service.

-It has exceeded our expectations, really, just from the level, the courtesy of all the personnel we've met, all the service staff, the meals, the scenery.

It's almost too much to try and put into words.

It's been fabulous every step along the way.

-The Rocky Mountaineer has offered a luxurious ride through some of Canada's most spectacular terrain for more than 30 years now.

When they chose to add a route through the American Rockies, it had to be something special.

And it is.

-Well, I'm from Texas, and we don't have a lot of mountains down there.

Being up here is just something that God made.

Phenomenal.

Breathtaking.

You just have to come see it for yourself.

Just absolutely gorgeous.

-The range of scenery would be hard to match anywhere else, and the only way to take it all in is on this train.

-The views out the window are constantly changing, the scenery, the topography, the geology.

-Having the opportunity to watch the sun come up over the hills and the rocks and illuminate them with the trees and the fall foliage, all that beautiful yellow color.

And then the Colorado River was literally steaming as the sun rose.

I mean, it was a pretty epic landscape.

-The cars are built for viewing, wide and open, just like the landscape here.

-Our seats are extremely comfortable, plenty of legroom.

We have windows that are 6 foot wide, 6 foot deep.

And then, of course, there's a dome window above, so you get practically 360 views.

When you're on a scenic train, everything is about the view.

-So having a high-domed car where you can look up, you can see out, you can cross the aisle, you can look almost in every direction, gives you the benefit of, like, a full 360 of enjoying the landscape that you're traveling through.

You don't have a narrow window.

You can really take it all in.

-This trip offers something no other mainline train can -- an opportunity to step out in the vestibule, open the door, and take it all in.

Here you can feel all the elements in your face -- the warmth of the sun, the fresh mountain air, along with taking pictures without any glass reflections.

And that's why photographers love to take this trip -- to get that perfect shot.

-This is the only place where you can just open up the Dutch door and look out the side of the train, watch it go around the curves, and look right out on some of the rapids, the mountains.

-It's an exciting journey with something new around every bend.

You can just feel it.

-How do you describe these colors?

Aspen is a shade of gold.

I don't think I can actually find the words for it.

The blue sky is bluer than any blue sky I've ever seen.

These red rocks.

The whole place is just -- It really does defy description.

-It's always nice to discover something you weren't expecting.

After a trip on the Rocky Mountaineer, a lot of people say they were able to just relax and get rid of a lot of stress.

This can only happen on a venture like this.

-It's such an enjoyable way to travel that maybe we've lost a little bit of that.

We're always trying to get to a destination and not enjoy the journey, and this is a great way to enjoy it, to connect, and to start off your vacation.

You arrive there relaxed and and ready to see some sights.

-The Rocky Mountaineer turns the Rockies to the Red Rocks from a dream to an experience that will bring you back in time and time again.

-And everything that we've been exposed to so far today and will carry through tomorrow, I can't put a price on that.

It's immeasurable.

It's absolutely fantastic.

[ Train whistle blows ] - Get on board We're ready to go See the world from the scenic railroad From the snowcapped mountains to the sunny coast On the "Great Scenic Railway Journeys"