What's the most exciting and spectacular train ride you've been on ??

Question

What's the most exciting and spectacular train ride you've been on ??

Answer 1

Soarin at Epcot

Answer 2

Whitefish MT to Everett WA - it's so beautiful, especially about an hour east of Everett right into Everett!

Answer 3

My vote goes to the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, where I rode it from Chama, NM, to Osier. Great scenery, and a great insight into history.

Answer 4

never been on a train ride but i sure would like to in the near future, thanks for asking though

Answer 5

A motor car meet on the Algoma Central from Sault Ste Marie to Eton.  I had a hy-rail truck equipped with a radio, so the Algoma Central trainmaster rode in my truck and we were in lead position.   The scenery was unbelievable.  

There was one particular adventure with a freight train.   We're heading south with the freight 30 miles behind us and closing.  A company hy-railer derails and takes some motor cars with it.  The hy-railer is damaged so we need to back up 8 miles to Montreal Falls to get another hy-rail truck parked there.  Before the freight gets there.  In reverse.  In a hy-rail truck. On sharp curves.  Yieeee!

Anyway, we get to Montreal Falls, grab the other hy-railer, and get outta dodge.  Freight is breathing down our neck.  Yes, all this is cleared with dispatcher and the freight won't actually hit us, but the name of the game is don't delay him.  Anyway, we stop about a mile before the siding and set out torpedoes, it's procedure.  We get down to the siding.  Not 10 minutes later, off in the distance, the whine of EMD diesels running wide open against the hill.   BOOMmmm BOOOMmmm go the torpedoes.  Wait... wait... finally we hear the big diesels spool down.  A couple minutes later the freight pulls up onto the siding, does his business, and leaves.  

Finally, it's dark, we're late, and I'm hustling back, can't see the motorcar ahead of me around the curve, and suddenly there he is. I mash the brakes and nearly hit him (rubber on wet rail doesn't stop so good :(  I figure OK he's broken down.  Is everything OK?   He's transfixed on the sky.  "Look!  The Northern Lights!"

Answer 6

Glacier National Park in Montana is really pretty.  The train goes right through.

Answer 7

New York City Subway. WAYYYYY too many bad experiences there. Least to say, it's exciting.

Answer 8

Cairns - Kuranda  years ago and most recently the Lithgow Zig-Zag.

Answer 9

The truth be told, I have had lots of exciting rides.  But, the one on one New Years' Eve a few years ago was the most exciting of all, that three other railroaders shared with me.

Click on my smiling face and go to my profile page.  Then navigate to my 360 Blog, and read the post of January 1, 2007.

It's dry, but interesting, and certainly qualifies for the most exciting trip the four of US ever made............

It is titled, "Runaway."

Answer 10

The West Highland Line, from Mallaig to Glasgow in Scotland.  Beautiful!

Answer 11

The runaway mining train at Disney World.

Answer 12

Hi, I would have to nominate 2, both are through the Western Highlands of Scotland from Glasgow to Mallaig & Inverness to Kyle Of Lochalsh.

Answer 13

The "California Zephyr" (Amtrak train number 5) from Chicago to Emeryville down the Colorado river canyon.

Answer 14

Worldwide I'd go with South Africa's Blue Train, Incredible scenery, spectacular service, food and accomodations, big, big bucks though and no day trips.

In the USA, I agree with the answerer's that voted the for the Cumbres & Toltec or Durango & Silverton.

If you can get on the first trip of the day on the D&S after a big snow storm.  Watching and listening to those old engines push their 100 year old 10 foot tall steam powered rotary plow through 8 feet of snow is an awesome experience and a testament to the power of steam.

Answer 15

While working on the B&A mainline, through the Berkshires in Massachusetts, I was coming down the mountain eastbound, and we were going by the 7 Whistler Bridges.  I stepped out on to the "back porch" of my engine and climbed up on to the top of the engine for a better view.  Trains are restricted to 25 MPH at this area, so the wind wasn't too bad, but the noise and the diesel fumes really took away from the experience.

Answer 16

Sometime during summer 2002 when I was doing a work experience placement on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, and blagged a footplate pass to ride on the footplate of 60532 "BLUE PETER" - the largest preserved Steam Locomotive in the UK, and the last A2 Pacific Steam locomotive in existance.

Passed through the spectacular scenery on the North Yorkshire Moors between Grosmont & Pickering (and back), passing through GOATHLAND STATION along the way - better known to most people as the location used for HOGSMEADE STATION in the Harry Potter movies.

Answer 17

There is a coal powered, narrow gage, steam train that runs between Durango and Silverton Colorado.

The train stops in the middle of the run at a place called Needelton bridge to take on water. If you are a backpacker you can buy a half ticket and get off at the bridge to start your backpack trip. When you are ready to get back to civilization, you simply meet the train at the bridge and it will take you which ever way you want to go.

A very spectacular ride through the mountains!