Staunton's new train ride offers scenic views, meals and more

Laura Peters, Staunton News Leader
·3 min read
A Buckingham Branch Railroad locomotive moves rail connects with railway cars near the train station in downtown Staunton on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2014.

STAUNTON — All aboard! Get ready to take a scenic train ride through the Blue Ridge and Alleghany mountains thanks to a new railway service starting in Staunton.

The Buckingham Branch Railroad is now offering passenger car rides through the Shenandoah Valley with a new business venture called the Virginia Scenic Railway. The railroad is offering two separate routes — one through the Blue Ridge Tunnel and another through the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests.

Rides start Aug. 4.

“We are launching this new service because we see this as a way to share our love for the railroad and Virginia’s railroad heritage with all the people who love trains,” said Steve Powell, president of the Buckingham Branch Railroad, in a release.

Enjoy a three-hour ride in a modernized 1940s passenger car through the mountains. The ticket price of $110 per person includes a meal, dessert and choice of coffee, soda, tea or water. The three-hour round trip departs at 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The Buckingham Branch Railroad is the largest short-line railroad in Virginia with four divisions and 280 miles of track, according to its website. Trains depart twice a day (Thursday through Sunday) from Amtrak's Staunton station in the Wharf district.

The train rides will also feature special events, including in December train rides with Santa.

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Two routes, one train each

The Blue Ridge Flyer, which departs at 3:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, heads east allowing riders to go through the Blue Ridge Tunnel. On this route, you will see Staunton, Fishersville and Waynesboro ascending roughly 1,000 feet up to the entrance of the nearly one-mile long Blue Ridge Tunnel, the website said.

Making its way over Afton Mountain, the train will turn around in Ivy, making a second pass through the Blue Ridge Tunnel.

The Alleghany Special, which departs at 10:30 a.m. Thursday through Sunday, will head westward from Staunton traversing the farmlands of the Shenandoah Valley heading towards the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. The ride will provide views of working farm and the Alleghany Mountains. The train will turn around in Goshen and head back.

“This will be the first regularly-scheduled railroad passenger excursion program in Virginia in at least the last 30 years. Right now, Virginians have to travel to West Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland or Pennsylvania if they want to ride an excursion train," Powell said in the release. "Starting in August, train lovers from all over the country to come to Virginia to ride our one-of-a-kind excursion train."

More information on the ride

  • There is a bathroom on the train.

  • Guests will be able to select their table size based on the size of their party and the layout of the passenger car.

  • The passenger car is climate controlled — including air conditioning and heating.

  • Passengers cannot get off the train once the ride has started.

  • The train goes about 25 to 30 mph.

  • No alcohol and or any other food/ beverage may not be brought on board the car.

“We are thrilled to welcome this special new travel experience to Virginia, which is sure to delight train lovers and travel enthusiasts alike,” Rita McClenny, president and CEO of Virginia Tourism Corporation, said in the release. “The Virginia Scenic Railway will be Virginia’s only regularly-scheduled tourist train, and will provide travelers with an extraordinary new way to explore the Commonwealth. These beautifully designed passenger cars evoke 1940s glamour and nostalgia while boasting all of the modern amenities travelers have come to expect. With stunning views of the Allegheny and Blue Ridge Mountains, spectacular sightseeing opportunities and delicious tabletop meal service, this is truly an enchanting new way to discover why Virginia is for Lovers.”

For more information visit virginiascenicrailway.com.

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Laura Peters is the trending topics reporter at The News Leader. Have a news tip on local trends or businesses? Or a good feature? You can reach reporter Laura Peters (she/her) at lpeters@newsleader.com. Follow her @peterslaura. Subscribe to The News Leader at newsleader.com.

This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Staunton train rides to showcase Shenandoah Valley includes meals and more