Rail Call
This holiday season, let the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad transport you back in time
At the turn of the twentieth century, riding the rails was a romantic adventure, set to the cheery whistle of the steam engine and the rhythmic clacking of the train’s wheels chugging along the tracks, connecting people and places as never before. These days, when folks prefer to fly to their destinations, the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad in Bryson City, North Carolina, recreates that romance in several different excursions.
The railway runs on a fifty-six-mile track built in 1891 as part of the Western North Carolina Railroad. Known as the Murphy Branch, the line was eventually sold to Norfolk Southern Railway, who abandoned it in 1948. Today, the historic route from Dillsboro to Andrews, North Carolina, has been preserved, allowing its riders to appreciate the scenic beauty and adventure that lies along its tracks.
The railroad’s main year-round trips include the 4.5-hour Nantahala Gorge Excursion, which reveals brilliant fall foliage as it crosses the Fontana Trestle bridge spanning Fontana Lake and travels west into the Gorge. Passengers on this excursion often ride behind the railroad’s restored steam locomotive, the #1702, built in 1942. Train enthusiasts love to hear its steam whistle and see its smoke billow as the train curves around the track. Heading east, the thirty-two-mile (round-trip) Tuckasegee River Excursion passes through the historic Cowee Tunnel en route to a layover in quaint Dillsboro.
Riding the Rails to the North Pole and Beyond
All excursions include several different classes of service, from coach to first class, with open-air gondola cars also available. For longer trips, riders can order boxed lunches in advance or purchase food on board (depending on class of service). Plan to arrive one hour before your departure time.
Nantahala Gorge Excursion: adults, $58-$114 for the diesel train (prices for the steam locomotive cost a bit more); children, $33-$45.
Polar Express in-season fares: adults, $58-$77; children, $35-$53. Fares are higher for the special Christmas Eve trip on the steam locomotive.
Among the handful of themed trips that the GSMRR runs—such as the Uncorked wine train, the Carolina Moonshine Experience, and the BBQ & Brews Excursion—the most popular is the Polar Express Train Ride. Lasting 1.5 hours, this special excursion is based on the book by Chris Van Allsburg and the 2004 computer-animated Warner Bros. film. Set to the movie’s soundtrack, the ride takes pajama-clad children and their families to the “North Pole.”
“We’ve created the North Pole in a little nearby town, based on scenes in the movie,” explains Kim Albritton, the Railroad’s vice president and general manager. “When you leave the station, there are characters on the train with you—the conductor, the hobo, and waiters in white chef coats who serve hot chocolate and cookies to everyone on board. At the North Pole, Santa boards the train and hands each child a single silver jingle bell.”
Adding to the experience, glistening white lights outline each train car as they chug to their fantastical destination, with views of reindeer and Christmas trees along the way. “It was like a magical fairyland,” exclaims longtime Greenville resident Glenda Erhmann, who rode the Polar Express with her three grandsons and their parents. “It’s something the boys will always remember.”
“What’s unique about the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad in this day and age is that for a lot of folks who ride with us, this is their first experience to ever ride on a train,” says Albritton. Experienced rider or not, these rail excursions make a great way to keep all your visiting family members entertained over Thanksgiving weekend.
Great Smoky Mountain Railroad, 45 Mitchell St, Bryson City, NC. (800) 872-4681, gsmr.com
Photography courtesy of Great Smoky Mountain Railroad.
