THIS 2012 LOOK at rail dining operations — the 16TH ANNUAL RAILFAN & RAILROAD GUIDE TO DINNER TRAINS — highlights 91 operations, ranging from the high-end Class I’s —the year-around on a regular schedule operations — to the seasonal/occasional ride-’n’-dine picnic trains. As it has been for several years, the number of operations remains stable, but within that number are some new arrivals as well as departures. And innovative operators continue to push the envelope, offering new services and expanded services to attract new guests. Entries are arranged alphabetical by
state, then by city of origin. Each entry then names the train and/or railroad orperator; notes the boarding location; lists the infor- mation and/or reservation telephone num- ber(s); and provides the operator’s Web ad- dress. We have constructed each entry to include only a brief description of the train schedule and food service. Frequency is de- scribed as either year-around (11 or more months in the year) or seasonal (ten or few- er months), and either on a regular sched- ule —every Friday and Saturday, for exam- ple — or on a varying schedule — such as one different Saturday each month. Note: Dates of operation refer to food service only; the host railroad may have more extensive excursion operations. Food service is either cooked on board, cooked on the ground and finished on board, catered, or eaten off the train (a “ride-’n’-dine”). If you live in, or plan to visit, any of the lo-
cations listed, we hope you will use this Guide to include a rail dining experience in your itinerary. Please mention that you learned of the operation through RAILFAN & RAILROAD. Because a varied schedule of de- partures, numerous forms of entertainment, and frequent menu changes characterize these operations, you are encouraged to go to the web site listed, or call the train opera- tor for full current information before arriv- ing. Remember, too, that virtually all trains can, with notice, accommodate special di- etary or lifestyle menu preferences. Most are available for group charter at times oth- er than those scheduled throughout the year, with some operators then filling the empty seats by opening the date to the pub- lic (with permission of the group making the charter). So even if you don’t see your date on a train’s schedule, call anyway. Every effort has been made to insure ac-
curacy in the information presented. Errors or oversights, if any, are mine and are unin- tended. Contact me (Jim Porterfield, 763 Cricklewood Drive, State College, PA 16803; 814/238-7989;
jamesdporterfield@mac.com) with corrections or to call my attention to a dinner train not included.
UNITED STATES ARIZONA
Clarkdale; Verde Canyon Railroad; 300 N. Broadway; 800/293-7245 or 928/639- 0010;
www.verdecanyonrr.com: Year-
around, partial week, varying schedule, often tied to holidays, special events and/or the seasons. Lite fare with menu items are prepared in the railroad’s kitchen and served on board.
ARKANSAS
Eureka Springs; Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railway; ES&NA Depot; 299 North Main St.; 479/253-9623;
www.esnarailway.com: Seasonal, partial week, regular schedule. Offers lunch and dinner train, with food prepared in the trackside commissary and plated on the train.
CALIFORNIA
Felton; Moonlight Steam Train Dinner Party; Roaring Camp & Big Trees Narrow-Gauge Railroad; 831/335-4484;
www.roaringcamp.com: Seasonal (June, then August through October), once a month, Saturday evenings enjoy a BBQ meal in camp before taking a redwood forest train ride and returning to dessert and an evening of dancing, plus one Saturday in September to Santa Cruz.
Felton; Santa Cruz Beach Train; Santa Cruz, Big Trees & Pacific Railway Company; 831/335-4484;
www.roaring
camp.com: Seasonal (early April through early September) on a varying schedule (then daily June 9-August 19), departs Roaring Camp to Santa Cruz to layover from one to five hours and allow dining at your own expense at restaurants, snack and dessert kiosks on the Boardwalk.
Filmore; Filmore & Western Railway; in Central Park; 800/773-8724 or 805/524- 2546;
www.fwry.com: An extensive year- around schedule offers numerous themed lunch and dinner trains on varying days/dates. All food cooked on board. Menus vary with schedule. Daytime weekend excursions (April through September, and November portion of the schedule only) include food service for purchase on the 1928 Pullman parlor car Powhatan.
Fish Camp; Moonlight Special; Yosemite Mountain-Sugar Pine Railroad; 56001 Yosemite Highway 41; 559/683-7273;
www.ymsprr.com:
Seasonal (late-May
through mid-October), partial week, regular schedule, enjoy a steak barbecue and live
Fort Bragg and Willits; Northspur Barbeque and BBQ Dinner; The Skunk Train; 866/457-5865;
www.SkunkTrain .com: Seasonal, Memorial Day through Labor Day, on a frequent schedule out of Fort Bragg and each Saturday out of Willits, ride through the redwoods to Northspur and detrain for a barbecue dinner respectively, with live entertainment on selected evenings. Several seasonal special events also offer food service.
Los Angeles; Santa Barbara Daylight Vino Train; 800 North Alameda Street; 800/539-7245 or 714/546-6923;
www.larail .com: Seasonal (April through December), on various Saturdays or Sundays, the ex- Southern Pacific streamlined lounge-club car Overland Trail accompanies a scheduled Amtrak passenger train to Santa Barbara, where passengers enjoy an escorted walking tour of tasting rooms before re-boarding the Overland Trail for the return to Los Angeles. Both breakfast and dinner are served on board the car.
Napa; Napa Valley Wine Train; 1275 McKinstry
Street; 800/427-4124;
www.winetrain.com: An extensive year- around regular schedule that includes a la carte casual dining in an open-air car, plus Sunday brunch, weekday and weekend lunch, and weekday and weekend dinner trains. All food is prepared onboard. Menus showcase Napa Valley wines, emphasize local ingredients, and change seasonally.
Oakdale; Sierra Railroad Dinner Train; Sierra Railroad; 220 South Sierra Street; 800/866-1690 or 209/848-2100; www
.sierrarailroad.com: An extensive year- around schedule of regular and special runs of dinner, lunch and brunch trains, as well as wine tastings and other special events.
Woodland; Sacramento RiverTrain; E and Main Streets; 800/866-1690;
www.sacramentorivertrain.com:
Year-
around on a varied schedule that includes dinner, lunch and brunch trains as well as murder mystery, seasonal and special events trips.
COLORADO
Alamosa; Rio Grande Scenic Railroad; 610 State Street; 877/726-7245 or 719/587- 0520;
www.riograndescenicrailroad.com:
I
music “in camp,” then a steam excursion through the woods. On July 15 and August 12, a professional theater group performs a Moonlight Melodrama at the canyon layover.
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