Learn about the dinner trains throughout the United States and where to find them.
While dinner trains may be relatively new in many areas, they are increasing in popularity since they allow passengers to enjoy dinner while going on a leisurely train ride. The purpose of a dinner train is just for entertainment and relaxation, as opposed to a conventional train where the purpose is to take passengers from one destination to another. Throughout the years, dinner trains have gained popularity in many areas.
About The Trains
Today more than 80 dinner trains are currently offering this type of service in North America. The actual train ride usually lasts anywhere from 2-4 hours at a time. Many of the trains operate only a couple of days a week, but there are some that offer service 1-2 times a day throughout the year. The trains usually run a lot slower than most passenger trains at only about 10-20 mph. This is because the track standards are much lower and the train is only trying to provide the passengers with an entertainment type of experience and not trying to get them from point A to point B as quickly as possible.
Big Business
Dinner trains can be quite profitable for cities since they can provide quite a few jobs and positive revenue annually. For instance, in the Seattle area, the Spirit of Washington provides around 80 full-time jobs for those involved in the train and it produces about $10 million dollars each year. This can have a huge impact on local economies.
Additional Features
In addition to providing dinner, many trains offer other forms of entertainment. A popular activity is a murder mystery event. This activity allows passengers to get involved in a fun “figure it out” game while enjoying their meal. Some trains will provide opportunities for passengers to get married on the train or even hold their wedding receptions. Some dinner train rides will be more intimate in nature while others will be livelier and will strive for the passengers to be involved in the experience as much as possible. Dinners often include 3- or 4-course meals and the food available will depend on the particular train and whether or not there’s a theme behind the ride or not. Most dinner trains use older, passenger cars with some of them being steam locomotives. The overall goal of dinner trains is to provide its guests with an enjoyable time that includes a scenic itinerary and an exquisite dining experience that they won’t forget.
What are the most popular Dinner Trains in the U.S.?
The Napa Valley Wine train and My Old Kentucky Dinner train are currently the most popular. Other dinner trains include riding the rails through the heart of Dixie in Alabama, Nevada Northern Railway, Newport Dinner Train in Rhode Island, Sierra Madre Express, Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railway, Cape Cod Central Railroad in Massachusetts, the Essex Steam train in Connecticut, the Sierra Dinner Train and Filmore & Western railways in California.
