Our Vintage Private Railcars

Our 'train within a train' will consist of Colonial Crafts, a former Pennsylvania sleeper-lounge; Silver Rapids, a roomette bedroom sleeper from the California Zephyr; Silver Lariat, a vista-dome diner lounge, also from the California Zephyr; and Silver Solarium, a vista-dome sleeper-lounge-observation car from the California Zephyr. All guests will have sleeping car accommodations, and meals aboard the train will be prepared fresh by our chefs in our kitchen, and served on fine monogram china on California Zephyr table linens. Accommodations aboard the train include roomettes, each sleeping 1 person; bedrooms, accommodating 2 people, and drawing rooms, accommodating up 3 persons.

Sunday July 27: (D) Private railcars will be on the rear of Amtrak train #4, the Southwest Chief. Guests may board at Los Angeles Union Station, Fullerton, Riverside, or San Bernardino. Departure time from Los Angeles is 6:45 PM. We'll have a gala Welcome Aboard cocktail party, followed by dinner, as we make our way out of the basin and across the desert. Bars in Colonial Crafts and Silver Solarium will be open until midnight to accommodate revelers.

Monday July 28: (B-L) As the sun rises, we are speeding across the northern Arizona plateau, through Flagstaff, Winslow, and the Painted Desert, on our way to Albuquerque and Santa Fe. A buffet breakfast will be available from 7-9. We'll have about 40 minutes to stretch our legs in Albuquerque, and inspect the jewelry and other wares being sold by native American artists on the station platform. Luncheon will be served upon our departure from Albuquerque. At Lamy, approximately one hour past Albuquerque, our cars will be removed from the Southwest Chief and taken into downtown Santa Fe. Arrival in Santa Fe will be about 3:30 PM. We'll transfer your luggage to La Fonda Hotel for your next 4 nights stay. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy. The Marriage of Figaro is playing at the Santa Fe Opera tonight.

Tuesday July 29: Today is a leisurely day. We'll do a late morning city tour and a tour of a bronze foundry where some of the area's exquisite statues are made. Falstaff is playing at the Opera tonight.

Wednesday July 30: (L) Today we rise early to take our motorcoach to Chama for a thrilling ride on the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railway. This 64 mile remnant of the once extensive Denver & Rio Grande Western narrow gauge system uses coal-burning steam locomotives built during the early years of the last century pulling coaches of a style similar to those used from the very earliest days of the railroad. We'll cross between New Mexico and Colorado 11 times and exceed 10,000 feet altitude on our journey. Luncheon will be provided in the railroad's lunchroom at Osier. Our motorcoach will meet us at the end of the line, in Antonito, for the ride back to Santa Fe.

Thursday July 31: Enjoy a motorcoach tour of Taos, home to a thriving artist colony made famous by Georgia O'Keefe, and a walking tour of the Taos Pueblo, continuously inhabited for over 1,000 years. Artisans in the pueblo produce contemporary and traditional wares from clay, stone, leather, wood and canvas. On the way to Taos we'll visit Chimayo, an early Spanish town, where we'll enjoy an early lunch. We'll also visit the spectacular Rio Grande Gorge.

Friday August 1: (L-D) Enjoy a 'morning off' to explore Santa Fe. Just outside the hotel's front door in the Plaza are shops and street vendors selling handicrafts, southwestern apparel and art. A must-see is the Georgia O'Keefe museum, just a short walk away. After check-out, luggage will be transferred back to the train in preparation for our 12:30 PM departure from the station. Luncheon will be served upon departure. Our cars will be added to the Southwest Chief about 2:25 PM. Enjoy hors d' Oeuvres and cocktails in the lounges as our train speeds west into the setting sun through green sagebrush country accented with high red mesas. We'll have a special last night out dinner then bars will remain open until midnight for the night-owls.