[Willie Green]

For this year's summer vacation, see America by train!!!

[catman67]

New Hampshire has screwed up the Mount Washington Cog Railway by replacing the woodburning steam engines with “clean burning” diesel; causing the trip to lose much of its aesthetic appeal.

Article should have included the Cass (WVA) Scenic Railway, as well.

[mountainlion]

Too long of a drive to catch a train. This is the one I would take though.

http://www.cumbrestoltec.com/

[Verginius Rufus]

I didn’t even know you could take a train from Alaska to New Hampshire, or I might have tried it.

[a fool in paradise]

All that money spent on Houston’s rail and we STILL didn’t make this list!

[Rufii]

In 1995, when I visited Chama, NM, where one can catch the Cumbres & Toltec train mentioned in the article, I saw steam locomotives being used to haul freight. Visiting that town was like traveling through a time warp to the 1920’s.

[TexasCajun]

If the Houston Transit Rail System was a private entity, the Federal Government would have shut it down long time ago.

It has to have the highest accident/incident rate of all the world's rail systems.

[Rufii]

There's also the Fillmore and Western Railroad, which operates between Fillmore and Santa Paula, Calif. The trains are pulled by a diesel locomotive, but some of the vintage cars date back to 1918.

[Eye of Unk]

Its been said that children with Aspergers Syndrome are absolutely attracted to the sound of train wheels going by.

I have found it true in my case as I have recently found that I and my son have it. The reason I say this is for most of my life I have always tried to live near train tracks and in my young adult years I hopped freight trains all over the western US.

My favorite train ride is from Roseville, CA to Sparks, Nevada on a freight train, about 17 tunnels you go through.

I agree the Princess Cruise Denali Express up here in Alaska is superb, especially when the weather is good. I have a complete set of the authentic painted colors of the Alaska Railroad car set.

[mountainlion]

I think most would agree that if these were converted to electric that it would be worse than the diesel engines. The smell of burning coal and the untamed scenery would not be the same with overhead wires, the horrible whine of electric motors and the smell of ozone.

[gop4lyf]

If you ever get the chance, don’t pass up the Durango-Silverton railroad in Colorado. Awesome, awesome experience!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durango_and_Silverton_Narrow_Gauge_Railroad

[The Great RJ]

I am planning a trip on the Black Hills Central Railroad in a few weeks. My previous ride was nothing short of spectacular.

However, I would also add the Boone and Scenic Valley RR in Boone, Iowa to the list. They have the last steam locomotive produced (made in China) and the scenery is fantastic particularly in the fall.