| I'm not sure why on scenic train rides you | | | | Interestingly, the train descends some |
| can have a beer, but you can't on a bus. In | | | | streches of track caboose-first. There's a |
| any case, this is one of the reasons to take | | | | lunch stop in one of the small mountain |
| a train ride. Another reason is that they go | | | | towns. When we took the train (May 2004), it |
| where the roads don't, so you'll see scenery | | | | was limited to 40 passengers, and tickets |
| you miss when driving. Trains don't have to | | | | sold out quickly.Agawa Canyon RailroadOne of |
| stop at traffic lights, and you can get up | | | | the more scenic train rides in the north, |
| and walk around. Finally, trains are relaxing | | | | starts and ends in Sault Saint Marie, |
| for all the reasons above AND the rythym of | | | | Ontario, Canada, just over the border from |
| the rails.Amtrak has scenic sections, and | | | | Sault Saint Marie, Michigan. It's an all-day |
| there are also numerous dinner trains | | | | trip that goes through a rocky and |
| operating around the United States now. | | | | heavily-wooded wilderness, along the Agawa |
| However, the most scenic train rides are the | | | | River, to Agawa Canyon. At the canyon, you |
| classics. Below are a few to whet your | | | | can have a picnic in a beautiful meadow, or |
| appetite.The Silverton-Durango Narrow GageI | | | | just relax and enjoy the scenery, before |
| first caught this train far from any road. I | | | | reboarding for the return trip.Autumn, when |
| was in the Weminuche Wilderness Area, next to | | | | the maples have all changed color, is the |
| a footbridge over the Animas river, where | | | | most beautiful time to take the train. It's |
| they stop if backpackers there flag them | | | | also the most difficult time to get tickets, |
| down. More recently, my wife and I took the | | | | so plan far ahead. The route is also run as |
| train from Silverton to Durango. Wherever you | | | | the scenic "Snow Train," in winter.The |
| catch this train, it will be an experience | | | | Thunder Mountain LineThunder Mountain Line |
| you won't forget.It is a classic steam | | | | has scenic train rides that take several |
| locomotive that goes through Colorado's San | | | | routes in Idaho, starting from Horseshoe Bend |
| Juan Mountains, along the Animas river. At | | | | and Cascade. Depending on the route you |
| times you'll look out the window, over the | | | | choose, you'll travel through dramatic narrow |
| edge, to the water hundreds of feet below. In | | | | canyons, sagebrush-covered hills, mountain |
| Silverton you can eat good food, buy | | | | meadows, or pristine evergreen forests. The |
| souvenirs, and see an old-west mining town | | | | tracks follow the mountain trails settlers |
| that hasn't much with time.La Nariz Del | | | | used a hundred years before. You may see |
| DiabloTrain rides on this line, which goes | | | | deer, fox, elk, blue herons, osprey, and bald |
| from Riobamba to Alausi, Ecuador, are scenic | | | | eagles. Rides vary from three to five hours, |
| and adventurous. On our recent trip, my wife | | | | depending on the route.Amtrak's Scenic Train |
| stayed inside, but I rode on the roof for the | | | | RidesThe California Zephyr, Amtrak's train |
| first half of the ride. Despite the | | | | from Chicago to San Francisco, passes through |
| occasional rain, there were twenty other | | | | the Rocky Mountains and the more beautiful |
| travelers up there. I highly recommend you | | | | (in my opinion) Sierra Nevadas. The Coast |
| pay the dollar to rent a pillow to sit on. | | | | Starlight goes from Seattle to Los Angeles, |
| Your final destination is a valley with a | | | | with views of snow-covered mountains, thick |
| view of a rock formation high above, called | | | | forests, and long stretches of Pacific Ocean |
| "La Nariz Del Diablo," or "The Devil's | | | | shoreline. Amtrak's Auto Train is a unique |
| Nose."Be careful of tree branches if you're | | | | scenic train ride that allows you to take |
| on the roof, and be prepared for a five-hour | | | | your car with you from Lorton, Viginia, to |
| ride. It starts in downtown Riobamba, in the | | | | Florida.Steve Gillman hit the road at |
| highlands of the central Andes Mountains. | | | | sixteen, and traveled the U.S. and Mexico |
| You'll travel through "cloud forests" and | | | | alone at 17. Now 40, he travels with his wife |
| finally down to a much warmer climate. | | | | Ana, whom he met in Ecuador. |