Compliment from “Zigmix” on social media
Great fun and relaxing too!
I’ve been on this railroad years ago when all they had were open cars or cars with windows. They’ve upgraded substantially since then. We purchased tickets on the second level of the Dome car. Everyone will share either a semicircle booth or a booth facing another couple. That’s great as it makes you actually meet other people and that was a wonderful experience in of itself! We made new friends and found we had quite a bit in common! The seats were plush and large, the atmosphere serene, the view beautiful. The attendants were very attentive and helped to make the ride even better.
The actual ride is three hours, with a one hour layover, making it four hours total. They tell you wonderful stories throughout the ride pertaining to certain sections of the track your on. On the Dome car you receive a plate of appetizers (cheeses, meats, crackers, chocolate covered strawberries) and a small bottle water as part of the ticket cost. They serve a glass of champagne or apple cider to toast the trip! They also serve drinks and sodas at a separate charge though.
We ordered our lunch in advance with our tickets and the food was great. Hubby had a pulled pork sandwich and I had a club sandwich. They came with chips and drink of your choice. They both were great!
At the layover in Rusk we ventured to the empty church and walked by the lake. It was a beautiful day to enjoy, and the location is wonderful to see.
We plan on returning for the Polar Express train ride experience in November or December. Can’t wait! Would most definitely recommend this to anyone needing a few days away and who wants to experience a part of Texas hidden in the green lush woods of east Texas!
