Trains are a romantic way to travel, there's always something exciting about riding on the rails--think North by Northwest, Strangers on a Train, Murder on the Orient Express, Fried Green Tomatoes, The Polar Express--and if you're ever in Wasilla, Alaska you need to make a whistle stop at Alaska Live Steamers Miniature Trains.On the north side of town at the exit for the Air Museum, nestled among the birch and spruce of the Alaskan outdoors is a twelve-gauge track that reminds you what fun it is to be behind an engine. Run by volunteers and train enthusiasts it's a fun activity for an Alaskan summer afternoon--even with the drizzle of rain we had when we were there last month.
The train has room for twenty or so people and the fifteen-minute train ride takes you over tressle-bridges and tiny gorges, underneath tracks and birch boughs, criss-crossing and chugging along in the quaintest way. Along the track are tiny houses, water towers and trucks that make you feel as if you're Gulliver in a modern-day Lilliput.
Children of all ages can ride, those under two are asked to sit in a car seat and if you don't have your own the operators have seats you can borrow. The cost is $4 per person, children under two are $2 and the tracks are open Saturdays 10am-4pm from about May through September but check the website for details.
On Saturday, September 14th they'll be having a special "Night Run" complete with a bonfire and marshmallow roast with tickets being $5. Be sure to bring cash or a check because they don't take credit cards.
Here's video of part of our trip:
17 comments:
wow that's a great miniature train that work, not just miniature.
WOW! What fun!
I just watched your video with Nina, and she wants to ride, too :)
That looks like so much fun! I've got to show Jacob the video :-)
Bridget is sitting on my lap and she is saying, "A train ride? That a train? Oh yeah, a train. Oh fun."
That train looks like oodles of fun.
Thanks for stopping by my blog. Glad you got a laugh out of the poll. You can make up your own poll now too, Michelle..it's a new feature on blogspot.
There is something about train rides. We have ridden an old steam engine and when the kids were small, they always wanted to ride the mini train in the mall. They are perfect entertainment! Fun!
Looks like fun! We've taken Julia on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad here in our neck of the woods, but it's regular size. The miniature looks fun. I love the tiny houses along the way.
We have those in Vancouver, too!
http://findfamilyfun.com/burnabycentralrail.htm
How fun! My boys would love to ride on a miniature train like that. So cute!
My four year old would LOVE that. He is train obsessed. Too bad Alaska is not within day trip range.
We have something just like that where we live in Washington. Run by "live steamers", too, the tracks, train, everything even down to the foliage look almost identical. Very cool!
Fun! My boys are huge train collectors and would love it.
Really cute! Love the little train and miniature houses. Fun stuff :-)
That's so cool for kids and adults! I'd like to ride on it!
My son has never played with anything but trains, I wish I had a pic to post of his room and my living room we have a group of men that display the minature trains to ride on, my son loves it!
That looks like great fun! Don't think I'll be showing it to the kids though or they'll be clamouring for holidays in Alaska!
Ooh! We just discovered a live steam train near where we live. So fun, ain't it?
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