Virginia's Most Renowned Fall Views Are On A 4-Hour Train Trip Open For A Limited Time Annually

Imagine a romantic ride in a vintage locomotive, gazing out the window as it steams leisurely through an autumnal wonderland of foliage colored by shades of red, orange, brown, and gold. Beginning on September 26, for five weekends only, The Norfolk & Western Railway offers idyllic train rides through Virginia on a 1950s steam engine known as "Queen of the Steam." Although the train technically retired from the tracks nearly 60 years ago, visitors can relive her glory days once again. Traversing through the Shenandoah Valley, home to one of the beautiful national parks that burst with vibrant fall foliage in late October, the four-hour excursion will transport travelers on a rare journey through time and scenic beauty. This fall, if you're longing for the nostalgic lull of train travel, carried along by the wheels of a legendary locomotive, hop aboard the Shenandoah Valley Limited for a stunning ride through alpine autumnal foliage.

Departing at 9:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. from Victoria Station in Goshen, a tiny town about 70 miles north of Roanoke, Virginia's "Star City of the South," the round-trip journey will operate from Friday through Sunday from September 26 to October 26. Passing through the magnificent George Washington & Jefferson National Forests, the ride covers approximately 50 miles of railroad, lasting 3.5 to four hours per trip. Along the way, expect to see fall at its finest, with a tapestry of brightly colored leaves decorating the trees before they descend to the forest floor. Reversing its course in Staunton, a charming Virginia city full of artistic energy and unmatched local character, the mighty train will showcase its illustrious horsepower, chugging along at speeds reaching up to 40 mph.

When booking your ticket, you have several options. A Standard Coach ticket costs $128, with a four-person seating pod that showcases magnificent vistas of the Shenandoah Valley. If you'd like to spread out a little, you can book a Table Class booth ticket starting at $181, which offers a private table and booth accommodations. For those who want a more luxurious experience, upgrade to the Upper Dome level for $318, where you'll have an elevated viewpoint of the fall foliage in all its glory. Whichever ticket you choose, you'll be granted complimentary refreshments on your journey, and you'll get your fill of breathtaking scenery. 

Not only is the ride legendary, but so is the train. A Class J No. 611 locomotive, the vintage steam engine is the last of its kind, built in 1950 amidst the golden years of railroad travel. When it's not on the rails, you can find the streamlined beauty on display at the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke, where it was moved in 1962 after retiring from its services in 1959. A fine example of technologically advanced steam engines of its day, the Class J 611 was crowned as a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in 1984, and has been back in operation since 2015, intermittently.

After you've completed your excursion on the Shenandoah Valley Limited, it's worth it to visit the Virginia Museum of Transportation to marvel at its other beauties. Wandering around the Outside Railyard, you'll see an impressive collection of historic locomotives. Meanwhile, the indoor exhibits boast a stunning gallery of vintage automobiles, from Model Ts to Mustangs, as well as a thrilling Aviation Gallery. Head to the gift shop, where you can pick up trinkets modeled after the 611 train to commemorate your locomotive journey.