schedule that expands at peak times of the year and includes several special events on stand-alone days. Revised food options for 2012 include an optional Hobo Lunch on excursions (June-December), Flavor of Lancaster County (June-September), Amish Dinner (July-August), Murder Mystery Dinner (July-November), and the popular Wine and Cheese Train (April- November).
Titusville; Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad; 409 S. Perry Street; 814/676- 1733;
www.octrr.org: Seasonal, with six dates, one each in July and August, four in September, offering a ride-’n’-dine murder mystery with varying menus catered to the station.
Wellsboro; Sunset Limited Dinner Train; Tioga Central Railroad; Wellsboro Junction, three miles north of Wellsboro on PA Route 287; 570/724-0990;
www.tiogacentral.com: Typically seasonal (May
through October), with frequent
regularly scheduled Broadway Limited and Fall Foliage dinner trains, a 20th Century Limited lunch train, Sunday Flyer Brunch Trains, and Friday evening ice cream trains. Check web site for 2012 schedule, not set at press time.
RHODE ISLAND
Newport; Islander Touring Train; 19 America’s Cup Avenue; 800/398-RIBS (7427) or 401/841-8700;
www.newportdinnertrain .com: Seasonal (May through September) this two-unit RDC train includes the Weaver Cove Marina Village in Portsmouth. It offers scenic tours with lite- luncheons prepared on board.
Newport; Newport Dinner Train; 19 America’s Cup Avenue; 800/398-RIBS (7427) or 401/841-8700;
www.newportdinnertrain .com: Seasonal (late April through December), running on an extensive regular schedule that expands in the summer. Offers
Murder Mystery and Great Train Robbery dinner
Romancing trains
plus Rail
Rails, ’N’
Sail
Comedy and
Afternoon of Elegance luncheon excursion tours. All food cooked and served on board. New in 2012, Family Night on the Rails dinner train where kids ride and dine free.
SOUTH DAKOTA
Hill City; Black Hills Central Railroad; Railroad Avenue; 866/FOR-1880 or 605/574- 2222;
www.1880train.com: Operates a Mother’s Day Express on May 13, Wine Express into the West September 14 and 15, and an Octoberfest ride-’n’-dine on September 29.
Madison; Steam Thresher Dinner Train; Prairie Village; two miles west of town on Highway 34; 800/693-3644 or 605/256-3644;
www.prairievillage.org: Operates two dinner trains during the annual Steam Threshing Jamboree, this year on August 24 and 25, with meals catered.
TENNESSEE
Chattanooga; Dixie Land Excursions; Tennessee Valley Railroad; 4119 Cromwell Road; 800/397-5544 or 423/894- 8028;
www.tvrail.com: Year-around on a varying schedule that includes eight departures of the Valentine Special Dinner
VI JUNE 2012 •
RAILFAN.COM the
Train on four dates in February, Christmas Special
Dinner Trains Saturdays in
December, and regularly scheduled monthly Dinner on the Diner trains (June through September) offer two levels of service. Food is prepared and served on board. Luncheons served in the dining car en route on the Summerville Steam Special and Autumn Leaf Specials, and there is an option to upgrade to dining car service Saturdays on the Chickamauga Turn (early April through late-September).
Nashville; Tennessee Central Railway Museum; 220 Willow Street;
www.tcry.org; 615/244-9001: Seasonal, occasional, offering a Murder Mystery trip to Watertown (July 7), with time to dine at your expense in nearby restaurants, to DelMonaco Winery (July 21) that includes wine tastings, and to an as-yet unannounced destination (November 10).
Oak Ridge; Dinner Train at Oak Ridge; Southern Appalachia Railway Museum; Heritage Center on Highway 58 five miles north off of I-40; 865/241-2140;
www.techscribes.com/sarm/sarm.htm: Seasonal (March to September), operates once a month, two Murder Mystery Dinner Trains (April 21 and May 5), and four Valentine Dinner Trains (February). Menus vary, with food catered and served on board.
TEXAS
Grapevine; Grapevine Vintage Railroad; 705 South Main Street; 817/410-3123;
www.gvrr.com: Offers a Jazz Wine Train in March that features a wine tasting to showcase some of the best wines from Grapevine-area wineries and tasting rooms, featuring five 3-oz. glasses of wine, a delicious box dinner and live jazz entertainment.
UTAH
Heber City; Murder Mystery Buffet and Sunset BBQ Special; Heber Valley Railroad; 450 South 600 West; 800/888- TIXX (8499), 435/654-5601 or 801/581-9980;
www.hebervalleyrr.org: Seasonal (June to early November) on a varying schedule, operates Comedy Murder Mystery, monthly Sunset BBQ Special (June-September), Cowboy Poetry Express (November 2 and 3) a daily (with a few exceptions) Reins ‘n Trains (June 5-August 30) excursions, and Fiddlers and Fireworks (July 24), all with food service consisting of either a ride-’n’- dine experience or catered food served on the train. Box lunches available for purchase for all rides.
VERMONT
Rutland; Vermont Dining Train; Amtrak Station; 25 Evelyn Street; 800/292-7245 or 908/688-7277;
www.railandcruisetravel.com: Operates on selected Sundays, mid-June through mid-December, using ex-ATSF Pullman dining car Epicuris attached to Amtrak’s Ethan Allen as far as Fort Edward, N.Y. Four-course dinner menu changes each week. Complimentary return to Rutland via Amtrak.
White River Junction; White River Flyer; Union Station; 102 Railroad Row; 800/707- 3530 or 802/463-3069;
www.rails-vt.com: Seasonal, on Wine Wednesday (September 21-October 19) sample Vermont wines and
cheeses; on Thirsty Thursday (September 20-October 25) try five Vermont microbrews with snacks; plus the FarmWay Shopping Excursion (June 2), Father’s Day Express (June 17), Murder Mystery Train (July- October), Tea Train on the Connecticut (August 19-October 7), and Glory Days Dinner Train (September 9), all with some form of food service included.
VIRGINIA
Cape Charles; The Dining Car; Bay Creek Railway; 202 Mason Avenue; 757/331-8770;
www.baycreekrailway.com: Typically seasonal, Dinner Trains Friday, Saturday, and occasionally Sunday(late May to September), then Saturdays only (to December), plus Lunch Trains Saturdays and occasionally Sunday (to December). The event takes place in a restored a 1913 Interurban Dining and Excursion car. See website for 2012 schedule.
WASHINGTON
Chehalis; Chehalis-Centralia Railroad Assoc.; 1101 Sylvenus Street; 360/748- 9593;
www.ccrra.com: Seasonal (May into September), five-each Murder Mystery Dinner Trains and Ruth Brunch Trains on a varying monthly schedule, plus ten Ruth Dinner Trains. Each trip includes a catered meal served in the dining car.
Elbe; Cascadian Dinner Train; Intersection of State Routes 7 and 706; 888/773-4637 or 360/569-2505; www.rrdiner .com: Typically seasonal (Memorial Day through Labor Day), on a regular schedule, departing late afternoon, with meals prepared and served on board. Trestle repair and testing continue to hamper operations. Check web site for updated schedule information.
Elbe; Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad; 54124 Mountain Hwy E; 888/783-2611 or 360/492-5588;
www.mrsr.com: Seasonal, offering a Mother’s Day Brunch, and a Father’s Day BBQ ride-’n’-dine, plus, on Fridays and Saturdays in July and August), a BBQ Train that features live music and a BBQ meal at the lake.
WEST VIRGINIA
Cass; Saturday Evening Dinner Train; Cass Scenic Railroad; Cass Depot on Main St.; 800/225-5982 or 304/456-4300;
www.cassrailroad.com: Seasonal, with most Saturdays (late-May through September) offering a ride to Whitaker Station that includes the Bluegrass Barbecue, featuring a self-serve barbecue buffet dinner; and every other Friday (late May-mid September), Ribs & Rails featuring a self- serve ribs buffet, both accompanied by live bluegrass performances.
Elkins; Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad; 315 Railroad Ave; 877/686-7245 or 304/636-9477;
www.mountainrail.com; All seasonal and on regular schedules, the New Tygart Flyer (April through October, with service expanding seasonally) departs at 11:00 a.m. and offers a four-hour trip that includes a cold sandwich buffet, plus limited Parlor Car upgrades (no children under 12); the Cheat Mountain Salamander (May through October) departs at 10:15 a.m. and offers a cold sandwich buffet in the dining car on a 6.5 hour ride; and the
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