There is so much more to Branson than the live music shows that made it very famous. Aside from being the live entertainment capital of the world, it is also the ultimate family vacation destination in the Midwest. Branson is such a beautiful place that you would want to tour the whole city to see all the sceneries. Well, you are in luck because there is the Branson Scenic Railway to give you the total Branson experience for your vacation.
The Branson Scenic Railway was known as the White River Railway in the year 1902. The construction of the railroad was finished in 1905, costing as much as $12 million to lay 239 miles of track for the railroad. The Branson Scenic Railway runs through the rugged terrains of the Ozark Mountains. As they say, progress comes where the railroad is. And true enough, the city of Branson flourished greatly upon completion of the Branson Scenic Railway. The area was made open to the public, and since then it had registered a large influx of tourists.
It was in 1993 when the Branson Scenic Railway began its daily train excursions for the tourists. The train uses a working commercial railroad line for its travels. Train routes can go either north or south. Your experience in Branson Scenic Railway can be as spontaneous as spontaneous gets because the route that the train will take is determined just right before its departure. The northern trip of the Branson Scenic Railway can take you as far as Galena, Missouri in the James River Valley. On the other hand, the southern trip of the train can take you to Arkansas. Your tour in Missouri has a tour guide that also narrates the story of the areas where you will pass by. You will also get to know how the communities were before the railroad was built. The train tour will also let you see the original trestles and tunnels as you pass by southwest Missouri.
At present, the Branson Scenic Railway does 40 mile round trips through the Ozark Mountains. The train departs 3 to 4 times daily, taking you to locations that are not accessible to cars and other modes of transportation. Each round trip takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes, and you will surely learn interesting tidbits about the Ozarks. The passengers of the Branson Scenic Railway are encouraged to tour each of the rail cars. There are 3 dome cars to provide the passengers a panoramic view of the Ozarks and other Branson attractions.
Tours of the Branson Scenic Railway starts every March and ends in December. During Sundays of April to October, there is also a dinner train available through reservations. To reserve your tickets for the Branson Scenic Railway, go to www.bransontrain.com.
