The first locomotives allowed for speedy transportation across great distances, finally making the country's system of enormous slingshots obsolete. Onward and upward with this Groupon.
Choose Between Two Options
- $29 for one round-trip spring and summer railway ticket for two ($50 value)
- $55 for one round-trip spring and summer railway ticket for four ($100 value)
Saratoga & North Creek Railway
Along 52 miles of track, an engine looking for all the world like it grew up on a Victorian model-train set chugs, cow-catcher first, through idyllic views of the Hudson River and the Adirondacks. The reproduction Leviathan No. 63—modeled after the Schenectady Locomotive Works' famed 1868 model—cuts a curious figure against the landscape, leaving nimbus steam clouds above the tracks. Enlisted for a special voyage in 2013 by Saratoga & North Creek Railway, the engine pays homage to the simple, time-honored alternative to modern-day travel that the company excels at.
The red, yellow, and coal-blue set-piece of vintage Americana has since been retrofitted with a Mr. Fusion Home Energy Reactor and turned into a time machine, but that hasn't stopped the scenic journeys from taking place every weekend. In the Leviathan's place are clean-burning, diesel-powered engines pulling climate-controlled mid-century-style coaches and modern dome cars. The latter open onto panoramic vistas of fall foliage, the Adirondack foothills, and the Great Sacandaga Lake as seen from the bridge that traverses it. And while the train may embrace the spirit of a bygone era, it doesn't scrimp on the creature-comforts that create for a relaxing sojourn. As passengers trundle along the seven-station journey, they can take in the view during a meal in the dining car or enjoy snacks from the comfort of their own seat.
