The Best 5 Fall Foliage Trains in New England

They’re treasures in motion, these rail-riding relics—rattling and toot-tooting across New England landscapes as if a century or more has been rewound. Tourist trains now, they’re just the ticket if you want to leave the driving to an engineer while you train your eyes on spectacular fall foliage displays.

The Best 5 Fall Foliage Trains in New England

Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad

Each time a vintage B&ML diesel locomotive sputters to life, the bench seats on the open-air car are first to be claimed, especially as falling temperatures coax forth autumn colors. So bundle up, arrive early, and summon the fortitude of a hardy Mainer. You won’t regret opting for unimpeded views of painted trees in a rural landscape that’s little changed since this rail route’s debut in 1870. At a top speed of 15 mph, you’ll absorb the scents, sounds, and sights of fall on the hourlong round trip. Devoted volunteers maintain seven miles of track between City Point Station and Waldo with assistance from local inmates working to reenter the community and begin the next season of their lives. Belfast, ME. 888-317-2142; belfastandmooseheadlakerail.org

Hoosac Valley Train Rides

Like the little engine that could, the all-volunteer nonprofit Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum runs on optimism. So when the tourist trains out of its home base, Lenox, were figuratively knocked off track a few years ago, it turned to the Hoosac Valley, where it officially launched scenic rides last year. You’re free to leave your comfy seat and wander about the smooth-riding 1955 Budd Rail Diesel Car as it rolls south toward Adams from North Adams Station. Step out onto the vestibule to shoot photos of Hoosic River reflections, the Victorian-era Southview Cemetery, and the mosaic of autumn colors on the slopes of Mount Greylock and the Hoosac Range. The hourlong narration is an engaging mix of local lore and railroading tid-bits. North Adams, MA. 413-637-2210; hoosacvalleytrainride.com

Conway Scenic Railroad

When the Notch Train crosses Frankenstein Trestle and riders are suspended above luminous White Mountain forests, it’s as much a Spielberg moment as when Elliott and E.T. hurtle skyward on a bike. More than 140 years after these special effects were built with iron and determination, passengers still audibly gasp. Dome-car seats offer the ultimate views, but on this five-hour-plus granddaddy of New England train rides, you may prefer to savor three courses in the plush dining car instead. Want to combine railroading and leaf-peeping on a smaller scale? Valley Train trips—55 minutes to Conway or less than two hours to Bartlett—also depart from North Conway’s 1874 station. North Conway, NH. 603-356-5251; conwayscenic.com

Essex Steam Train & Riverboat

It’s antique transportation for a multi-tasking generation: See the kaleidoscope of foliage along the Connecticut River from both a vintage Pullman car and the breezy deck of the riverboat Becky Thatcher. Or catch the Haddam Special, which combines a longer train trip with three hours on foot exploring two time-warp riverside towns. The romance of the rails meets fine dining aboard the Essex Clipper dinner train, as Mother Nature’s show glides by in slow motion. Another option: Toast fall with a cocktail on a September sunset train ride and cruise, and you’ll witness a half-million tree and barn swallows’ good-night ballet as they plummet out of a golden-violet sky. Essex, CT. 860-767-0103; essexsteamtrain.com

Mount Washington Cog Railway

As the world’s first mountain-climbing cog train makes its cloud-bound ascent, your focus will be on this 19th-century wonder’s seemingly ambitious destination: the summit of Mount Washington. Seasonal shifts that take weeks to subtly unfold at a single elevation hit fast-forward during the 60-minute climb. Don’t be shocked to see snow when you deboard at the highest point in New England. An hour of winter at the top will sharpen your appreciation for the warm hues of autumn that sprawl across tree-carpeted peaks and the valley below as you descend. Purists can still opt for early-morning coal-fired steam engine trips, but the other locomotives burn biodiesel, preserving nature’s golden assets. Bretton Woods, NH. 603-278-5404; thecog.com