Dec
1
Experience the Railways of Montana
December 1, 2014 | Leave a Comment
Many have been saddened by the shutdown of the Montana Rockies Rail Tours way back in mid-2000. Prior to its demise, the Montana Rockies Rail Tours offered memorable tours that covered about 478 miles of rail link. The multiple day tours, on its way from Livingston, MT to Sandpoint, Idaho traversed through the Big Sky’s magnificent Montana Rockies. It featured rail cars that have been restored from the 1940’s and 1950’s. Because its trips are only by day, travelers have to lodge in hotels along its route during the night.
At present, you can enjoy the railways of Montana through the Amtrak. Amtrak’s Empire Builder have trips to Whitefish, MT twice in a day. The Empire Builder also offers a 30% discount on trips for those who will book in advance for their planned trip for Whitefish, which is very common for its glorious mountains as well as serene lakes and streams.
The U.S. National Park Service also has a partnership program with Amtrak Empire Builder called “Trails & Rails”. Its purpose is to let vacationers and travelers enjoy the cultural and natural beauty of a particular locality in the U.S. by encouraging the use of the railway transport system. Empire Builder trips under the “Trails & Rails” program traverse the Seattle, WA to Havre, MT route and the Minot, ND to Havre, MT route.
There are volunteers giving presentations on any given route, briefing travelers about local history. Travelers may also be treated with artifacts and traditional musical performances. Volunteers may also be dressed up in local historical costumes.
American Rail Excursions also offer “The Montana & Glacier National Park Special” on selected dates of the year. It offers private rail cars, with hotel accommodations inside the rail cars while in Whitefish, MT. This railway tour also guides participants to the shops, restaurants, and galleries in Whitefish, which are all within easy reach of the railways.
Whether you travel by rail through the regular Empire Builder trip, the Trails and Rails trip, or the private Montana & Glacier National Park Special, the railways of Montana is one sure way of seeing firsthand the magnificent natural scenery that can only be seen in the Big Sky.
Photo Information: This photo is provided by and given credit to Loco Steve – on Flickr.com with permission via Creative Commons Licensing.