To go back in time and forward into beauty, nothing beats a trip on a tourist railroad. Northern New Mexico and southern Colorado offer four opportunities — the regular-gauge Santa Fe Southern Railway and Rio Grande Scenic Railroad and the two narrow-gauge lines in the region, the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad and the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.
Santa Fe Southern
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway came into New Mexico in 1879 and by 1880 had almost reached its last namesake city. Almost being the operative word. The railway stopped at Lamy, a village 18 miles southeast of the capital, built a spur line into Santa Fe and proceeded into Albuquerque on its regular route, a "slight" that has sparked many an Albuquerquean gibe at Santa Fe over the years.
But Santa Fe had the last laugh — in 1992 that spur line, which still carries freight when necessary, became the Santa Fe Southern, an investor-owned tourist railway line. The Southern offers riders trips through the high desert's sometimes-austere, sometimes-blooming beauty seven days a week.
The Southern's main station is the California Mission-style Santa Fe Depot on Guadalupe Street, just behind the popular Tomasita's Restaurant.
The rolling stock is made up of vintage club cars and a few flatbeds rescued from railroads across the country. For many years, among the Southern's eccentric charms were the fading, original paint jobs on the cars. Riders never knew whether the train leaving Santa Fe might have "Baltimore & Ohio" or "Burlington Northern" festooning the sides of the car.
However, to celebrate this year's 15th anniversary, the Santa Fe Southern has decked out its old cars in spanking new turquoise paint with red and gold trim, so they are even more festive.
The four-hour round trip from Santa Fe to Lamy runs through the capital city's central-west side, past the sprawling Eldorado subdivision and on through the high-desert ranching country southeast of town.
Smelling the chamisa, or western sage, watching jack rabbits and cottontails (and the occasional deer or coyote) scramble through the juniper and pinon trees, and seeing the light change on the mountains surrounding the Galisteo Basi make this an exciting trip for and old alike.
Rides are scheduled seven d week from April to October, w adult fares ranging from $32 f coach class to $55 for the dome (when available). Cognoscenti you should just spring for coach class — you'll want to spend your time on the railroad flatbed that serves as a large "observation; deck" anyway.
The Southern also has "Hot! rides that are shorter — half the distance to Lamy and back, but a panoramic view of the geology; uplift of the Galisteo Basin — summer Wednesdays, Fridays Sundays. The fares are cheap $28 for coach class for adults, for seniors and $14 for children (Age 2 and younger ride free.) Friday Hot Shot starts at 1 p.m., instead of morning, and includes a TGIF cash bar on board, as well as other snacks and nonalcoholic drinks for sale.
The Southern's Saturday evening trains have become justly famous for their rollicking atmosphere — cash bar, snacks and a barbecue dinner with live music at Lamy Station before starting back.
And there are some special-event trains scheduled this summer, including a family-oriented Summer Fun Train on Memorial Day, May 28; a "Graduation Station" Party evening train June 1; a Gay Pride rainbow train June 16; a daytime Father's Day Hot Shot on June 17; an evening Fourth of July BBQ & Fireworks Train on July 4; a Labor Day Train on Sept. 3 and a Fiesta BBQ Train on Sept. 18.
Cumbres & Toltec
Leaving from the small mountain town of Chama, the Cumbres & Toltec winds its way 64 miles through the southern Rocky Mountains to Antonito, Colo. Not much has changed on the little railroad since it was built as a narrow-gauge — the better to fit through mountain passes — steam railroad 126 years ago.
It was built in 1880 by the Denver & Rio Grande Railway. It is now owned jointly by the states of Colorado and New Mexico, and operates a fleet of coal-fired steam locomotives. The C&TS is widely considered the best-preserved steam-era railroad in North America, and like its similar cousin in Durango has "starred" in many motion pictures.
None of which would matter much if the ride itself weren't one of spectacular beauty — and it is. C&TS aficionados have a hard time deciding whether their favorite ride is through the verdant lushness of a high-mountain summer or the heartbreaking colors of fall, but all agree the views are simply amazing as the train runs across trestles, through tunnels and along narrow shelves above yawning mountain gorges.
Much of the grade is about 4 percent, an unusually steep grade that is one of the defining characteristics of the C&TS.
You may chance to see eagles, hawks, mule deer, antelope, coyotes, mountain lions, foxes and even bear. It's almost a cinch you'll see range cattle; the engineer often has to blow the train whistle a few times during the ride to get the cattle off the tracks.
Because the altitudes range from 7,863 feet to 10,015 feet, you'll need layered clothing, sturdy shoes and a hat and sunscreen if you plan to ride in the open observation car. Wear glasses; steam locomotives emit smoke and cinders.
The train runs seven days a week starting May 26 and going through October. Departure time for all trips is 8:30 a.m. It takes about 6.5 hours to make it down the entire 64-mile line, including a one-hour lunch stop at the Osier'dining hall. Lunch is provided in the cost of the ticket.
Many riders choose to stay overnight in Antonito or Chama and return to the other depot the next day. You also can choose to be bused back to your starting depot, in which case your total trip will take about eight hours. There is a concession car on each train, with snacks and beverages complementary in the parlor car, which costs more. Neither smoking nor alcohol is permitted on the train.
There is an open gondola car on each train that passengers are encouraged to enjoy.
Fares for coach seating range from $62 to $76 for adults and $31 to $38 for children ages 2 to 11. Parlor car fares range from $115 to $129.
In the summer months a shorter trip designed for children, called the "Cinder Express," runs on Thursdays, includes a picnic box lunch, and the fares are $48 for adults and $24 for children under 12. Adults must be accompanied by a child.
A special feature on the C&TS this summer is the return of a Galloping Goose, a funny-looking (well, in the eyes of the beholder) railcar built in 1929 and used for mail runs and some passenger runs on narrow-gauge lines in Colorado through the 1930s and '40s.
The Galloping Gooses were converted to strictly passenger service in 1950 and the flock of Geese scattered throughout the West; one is at Knott's Berry Farm in California and others are in railroading museums. The C&TS Goose is on loan from Dolores, Colo., and will make a limited appearance with five runs from June 20 to June 24, costing $65 to $85.
Durango & Silverton
The Durango & Silverton is another arm of the old Denver & Rio Grande Railway, built from 1879 to 1882 to haul freight and passengers.
The line was constructed to primarily to haul silver and gold from the San Juan mountains, but it began scenic tourist rides as early as 1882. Early railroad owners had recognized that the views were worth more than cargo.
This historic train, with headquarters in Durango, just north of the Mexico-Colorado border, is now investor-owned, and it has operated continuously for 125 years. It offers daily steam service to Silverton, 45 miles from Durango, from May through October, and has many of the same mountain views and exciting curves.
Narrow-gauge rails, after all, often were used in the Rockies because it was easier and less expensive to install them around sharp mountain curves and on narrow shelves of rock. Narrow-gauge rails are three feet apart, while standard-gauge rails are four feet, 81/2 inches apart.
The trip from Durango to Silverton (or vice versa) takes about 31/2 hours. Fares depend on whether the riders want to be bused back, and also vary according to the class of service, which ranges from Standard Class through First-Class Parlor Car and Silver Vista Class to Presidential Class Cinco Animas. The fares run from $74 to $149 for adults.
The D&SNGR also plans an Independence Day Express ($92 adults, $52 children) that will make the run to Silverton for a day of small-town fun and return to Durango after the Silverton fireworks.
Rio Grande Scenic Railroad
The scenic San Luis Valley of southern Colorado has long been the backdrop for stunning travel by rail. But for a stretch of some 50 years, there was no passenger service on the standard gauge tracks that wind through the valley and the nearby Sangre de Cristo Mountains.
Last year, the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad began providing daily, round-trip passenger service on diesel locomotives from Alamosa, Colo., to La Veta, Colo., and round-trip weekend service from Alamosa to Antonito, Colo.
The railroad is kicking off its second year of operations with the addition of the SP 1744, a fully-restored 1901 2-6-0 historic steam locomotive that comes from Rio Grande Pacific with a storied past.
The SP 1744 spent most of its career in California in the 1920s through 1940s and was recommissioned to appear in the 1959 Rock Hudson movie "This Earth is Mine." Most recently, the locomotive ran on the New Orleans & Gulf Coast Railway as the "Big Easy Steam Train."
The SP 1744 will provide weekend, holiday and charter service from Alamosa over La Veta Pass to La Veta. Weekday and non-holiday travel service from Alamosa to La Veta will be provided by a diesel engine, and weekend service from Alamosa to Antonito will be provided by the diesel engine the Toltec Gorge.
Once a day on weekends, Rio Grande Scenic Railroad train passengers can ride a round trip from Alamosa by catching the narrow gauge Cumbres & Toltec railway in Antonito, riding it through Chama, N.M., and back through Antonito, where they will catch the Toltec Gorge and ride it back to Alamosa.
The two passenger railways have collaborated to make their schedules compatible for the round trip, but tickets must still be purchased from the separate railways, says Rio Grande Scenic Railroad spokeswoman Tonya Poole.
The Rio Grande Scenic Railroad is a collaboration of the San Luis and Rio Grande Railroad, the Denver and Rio Grande Historical Foundation and the Alamosa and La Veta chambers of commerce.