Southwest tourist railroads you must visit include a museum dedicated to the history of Harvey Houses, an excursion that takes you to one of the worldwide scenic wonders, and everything in between. From Trains Magazine’s Tourist Trains Guidebook, here’s our list of tourist railroads, museums, and displays to experience in the region.
Southwest Tourist Railroads and Museums
Arizona
Grand Canyon Railway – 233 North Grand Canyon Boulevard, Williams
The Grand Canyon is one of the most sought-after destinations in North America. The 65-mile Grand Canyon Railway from Williams carries passengers to the South Rim’s National Park in style without the hassle of traffic and parking spaces. Various levels of service and multiple travel packages are offered for everyone’s taste and budget. While the excursion trains are mainly diesel-powered, steam locomotives are used on the first Saturday of the month from February through October, in addition to selected special events year-round.
Verde Canyon Railroad – 300 North Broadway, Clarkdale
This 4-hour round trip takes passengers over a former copper mining spur and right into the Verde Canyon itself. Scenic highlights include beautiful red-rock formations and canyon walls, a 680-foot tunnel, and eagles soaring right above the train. Coach and open-air cars provide onboard narration of the area’s history, terrain, and wildlife during the excursion.
New Mexico
Belén Harvey House Museum – 104 North 1st Street, Belén
An interesting footnote in the history of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway was the eating establishments by Fred Harvey, nicknamed Harvey Houses. Belén’s Harvey House is one of the very few survivors in New Mexico. The southwestern-style structure is on the National Register of Historic Places and serves as a museum to preserve the history of Harvey Houses. Just next door is the yard that serves the busy Chicago-Los Angeles transcontinental line of BNSF Railway.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma Railway Museum – 3400 Northeast Grand Boulevard, Oklahoma City
This museum has put together a collection with strong ties to railroading history across the state. How strong are we talking? How about a fleet of operational, first-generation diesels which range from a former Rock Island Alco RS-1 to a Frisco-painted EMD F7A. These locomotives are normally used on the museum’s 40-minute excursions over a section of the former Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad. To add to the museum’s tie-in, one of the excursion cars is a 1940s streamlined coach that was used on the Santa Fe passenger trains including the Texas Chief and El Capitan.
Texas
Texas State Railroad – 789 Park Road 70, Palestine; or 535 Park Road 76, Rusk
One of the premier tourist railroads in Texas that offers various excursions behind both steam and diesel locomotives. Once constructed by prisoners, the line of the Texas State Railroad makes its way through the piney woods between Palestine and Rusk. From open-air cars to full-length domes and a private caboose for renting out, multiple class options are provided with something for everyone to enjoy.
See more Texas tourist railroads you must visit.
Other Southwest railroad sites to consider
During your visit to the Southwest region, consider also visiting these railroad sites:
Arizona
- Arizona Railway Museum – Chandler
- Kingman Railroad Museum – Kingman
- Phoenix Trolley Museum – Phoenix
- McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park – Scottsdale
- Southern Arizona Transportation Museum – Tucson
- Sun Link Streetcar – Tucson
New Mexico
- Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad – Chama
- Las Cruces Railroad Museum – Las Cruces
- New Mexico Steam Locomotive and Railroad Historical Society – Albuquerque
- Sky Railway – New Mexico
Oklahoma
- Frisco Depot Museum – Hugo
- Heritage Express Trolley – El Reno
- Railroad Museum of Oklahoma – Enid
- Route 66 Historical Village – Tulsa
- Santa Fe Depot Museum – Pauls Valley
- Waynoka Air-Rail Museum – Waynoka
Texas
- Austin Steam Train Association – Cedar Park
- Galveston Railroad Museum – Galveston
- Grapevine Vintage Railroad – Grapevine
- Museum of the American Railroad – Frisco
You forgot the Cumbres & Toltec RR in Chama, NM. There is another Harvey House in Las Vegas, NM.