We’ve got a new travel opportunity for you at Trains. In the last two years, we’ve taken you to Colorado, Austria, Germany, Ireland, and U.K., and we’ve had a great time sharing the railroad experience with you. Now we’re upping the game. Working with our partners at Special Interest Tours, and thanks to efforts of our friend Henry Posner, chairman of Railroad Development Corp., we’re announcing a new tour for fall 2017 called the Ultimate Peruvian Railway Experience. After having seen the itinerary, I think it lives up to its name.
You can join us on one or both parts of this tour. It's your choice. The first part is a private charter on freight-only tracks of Ferrocarril Central Andino, believed to be the second highest mainline railroad int he world at an elevation of 15,688 feet. This is one rugged piece of railroad with 69 tunnels, 58 bridges, and 13 switchbacks. I look forward to comparing it to some of the loop and switchback railroads I've seen and ridden in the U.S., Canada, and Europe.
The second part is called Iconic Peru by Rail and includes a boat tour of Lake Titicaca, a ride on the Andean Explorer train, and a visit to that bucket list location, Machu Picchu, among other features. The ancient Incan ruins have long been on my radar, and I bet they’re on yours, too. So, here’s your chance.
I’ve enjoyed riding trains and learning about railroads in Europe since 1993 and more intensely since 2008. Now I’m ready to expand my knowledge and appreciation for railroads around the world, and I think this Peru trip is a great first step. Mountain railroading and all of the challenges that go with it have been a popular subject in our pages since Trains was founded 76 years ago. The struggle of man and machine against geography and gravity will endlessly fascinate us. Imagine what a railroad must be like with more than a dozen switchbacks and almost 70 tunnels.
You can learn more about this tour at www.specialinteresttours.com. We’ll also have a feature story about Peru and its railroads in our April issue to help you understand why this is a must-see destination for those of us who love mountain railroading. I hope you’ll join me on this once-in-a-lifetime trip. Trains magazine goes to South America! See you on board!
PS: Our India tour in February still has spaces open, and two sections of Colorado – one in May and one in September – are available, too. So if we don’t see you on the Peru trip, maybe one of these will spark your interest.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.