52 visitusa.org.uk Whether it's a historic route, a long-distance journey or a scenic cog railway that climbs vertiginous slopes, take to the tracks. AMTRAK EMPIRE BUILDER Follow in the footsteps of explorers Lewis and Clark and other early pioneers on an epic 46-hour rail journey. From Chicago, the train traverses the Mississippi river on the state line between Wisconsin and Minnesota and crosses the vast North Dakota plains, taking in Pacific Northwest mountain scenery in Montana and Idaho. At Spokane, Washington, the route splits to either Seattle or heads along the stunning Columbia River Gorge to Portland, Oregon. ROCKIES TO THE RED ROCKS Rocky Mountaineer’s luxury train began operating between Denver, Colorado, and Moab, Utah in 2021. Running in both directions, the two-day journey includes an overnight stay in Glenwood Springs. It winds through landscapes of deep canyons, towering mountains, arid desert, natural rock arches and spire-shaped hoodoos. Passengers enjoy either SilverLeaf Service or the enhanced SilverLeaf Plus. DENALI STAR TRAIN Alaska Railroad’s flagship train is a 356-mile journey of scenic splendour between Anchorage and Fairbanks, spanning two of Alaska’s five geographic regions. The 12-hour trip offers two classes of service and stops include Denali National Park, where the 20,310-ft-high Mount Denali – North America’s tallest peak – is visible on clear days. The train runs between mid-May and late September. MOUNTAIN COG RAILWAYS Get high on one of America’s two mountainclimbing cog railways. New Hampshire’s Mount Washington Cog Railway is the world’s oldest, starting service in 1869. While today most services are hauled by biodiesel engines, its two steam locos still operate a daily trip in the summer months. The Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway in Colorado reopened in 2021 after a $100 million rebuild, re-establishing it as the "world’s highest rack railway". ON THE RAILS TICKETS TO RIDE There are many fabulous ways to explore the USA by letting the train take the strain ISTOCK.COM/MIROSLAV_1 ISTOCK.COM/LORDHENRIVOTON STEVE HARTRIDGE
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