I recently decided to try to ride a passenger train on the Arkansas & Missouri RR. This had been an old Frisco line back when.

My phone call to them was promptly returned and I then spoke with Brenda Rouse, Passenger Train Operations Manager in Springdale.

She was quite helpful with my questions and requests and I booked a seat on the 10/8/22 Fall Festival train. I went for extra fare and had a seat in the former W.P. C-Z Silver Feather, a dome.

Brenda suggest a local motel right off of the Interstate that gave the train passengers a better rate, so I contacted them and booked for two nights. Great price and the room was actually a suite with kitchen, complete with everything to cook. I'd recommend this offer to anyone. Again, great place and great bargain.

The train ride on Saturday turned out to be as good as any that I'd ever been on. Everyone involved bent over backwards to see that all guests were taken care of.

This was an all day adventure behind a pair of Alco C-420s. It included a 3 hour layover in Van Buren at the South end of the trip. Beautiful charming older town with many photogenic brick buildings. The car hosts gave just enough verbal talk to inform of the historic/interesting locales along the way. No non-stop banter like you sometimes get. Track speed was mostly 35 and the car rode well. This line has one long tunnel and several high bridges.

I cannot speak highly enough about how fine this was run and what a great experience it was. Well worth the time and money. Don't miss it if you are in the area.

I should add that if one is interested in taking photos of the mostly Alco motive power, confine yourself to shooting from public property and roads. Do not wander onto the shop property just across the street from the station parking lot.