2026 New England Fall Colors by Rail

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Special Interest Tours

Oct 2 - 9, 2026

Group size: 15 - 35

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About this trip

Join this fully private car adventure to spend the colorful fall season exploring the best of New England's scenic railways and museums all with Trains Magazine Editor Carl Swanson. Enjoy incredible adventures on narrow-gauge, cog railways, steam charters and more! 8 Days, 7 Nights

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What’s included

7 Nights Hotel

2 nights at Hyatt Place Portland, 3 nights at Lake Opechee Inn and Spa, 2 nights at Lord Camden Inn
Ground Transportation

Private cars on all trains and private coach bus 10/03-10/8.The hotel shuttle will provide transfers to/from the Portland airport and Amtrak station on 10/2 & 10/9
2 Meals Daily

Breakfast and either lunch of dinner on full tour days
1 Breakfast

On the morning of departure
Maine Narrow Gauge

Private steam charter with photo run by
Seashore Trolley Museum

Private tour and trolley ride
Hobo & Winnipesaukee RR

Private car Turkey Dinner Train around Lake Winnipesaukee
Mt Washington Cog

Private shop tour & steam train ride
Conway Scenic

A full day in private cars -includes the pass through the Crawford Notch
WWF Railroad

Private shop tour and steam charter with photo run bys.
Belfast & Moosehead

Private charter rail excursion with photo run bys
Visit to Bar Harbor

Guided Park Trolley Tour
Sunset Harbor Cruise

Enjoy sunset on the water as we explore Portland Harbor by boat.
Trains Magazine Rep

Editor Carl Swanson

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What’s not included

Pre-Tour Transportation

Transportation to/from Portland. We can help arrange flights by request.
Additional Alcohol

Personal Items

Purchases of a personal nature

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Itinerary

Day 1 - Oct 2nd Arrive in Portland - Private Sunset Cruise & Welcome Dinner

Arrive in Portland and get settled at the hotel. The hotel has a shuttle from available from the Portland airport and railway station to the hotel.

In the evening get acquainted with our Trains Magazine special guest and your fellow tour guests while we will enjoy a private sunset harbor cruise with drinks, followed by our welcome dinner back on land.

Day 2 - Oct 3rd Seashore Trolley Museum and Winnipesaukee Scenic Railway

First we’ll make our way to the world’s oldest and largest museum of mass transit vehicles, the Seashore Trolley Museum. While the main focus of the collection is trolley cars, it also includes rapid transit trains, inter-urban cars, trolley buses, and motor buses.

After a drive to New Hampshire in the late afternoon, we’ll enjoy a private car excursion on the famous Turkey Dinner Train which journeys around beautiful Lake Winnipesaukee. After dinner, we’ll settle into the Lake Opechee Resort for a 3-night stay.

Day 3 - Oct 4th Conway Scenic

Today’s agenda includes a Conway Scenic excursion on private cars. This beautiful adventure will include their Valley Train Excursion, followed by their Mountaineer, which includes a ride through the spectacular Crawford Notch.

Day 4 - Oct 5th Mt. Washington Cog Railway

We start the day on the world’s first cog railway. We’ll travel by bus to the base of Mt. Washington, the highest peak in NH, at 6,288 feet. After a meet and greet with the steam crew, we will board our private car on the cog for the adventure up the mountain.

As the sun sets we will dine on the Cafe Lafayette Dinner Train.

Day 5 - Oct 6th Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway

We begin our day with a trip to the impressive Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway, a re-creation of a rural 2-foot gauge line that operated from 1894 to 1933 and was revived starting in 1989. Here we will enjoy a private steam charter with run bys followed by a shop tour.

Day 6 - Oct 7th Bar Harbor

Today we will drive to Mount Desert Island for a guided tour of Acadia National Park. Before the park tour, guests will have free time on their own to explore the historic town of Bar Harbor and enjoy lunch on their own in this lively, scenic town.

Day 7 - Oct 8th Belfast & Moosehead Railroad

We’ll begin the day with a private train charter and shop tour on the Belfast & Moosehead Railway, which travels through bucolic forests and lakes.

In the afternoon, we will make our way back to Portland for our final train excursion; a steam charter with the Maine Narrow Gauge Railway.

At the conclusion of the charter we will transfer to our Portland hotel for our farewell dinner and final night stay.

Day 8 - Oct 9th Farewell

Breakfast will be provided at the hotel and shuttles will be available for guests to transfer to the airport and Amtrak station at their leisure.