The Nevada Northern Railway established itself long ago as one of Nevada’s premier historic attractions. Boasting year-round train rides and special events, every visit to this historic passenger railroad turns into an experience to remember. Perhaps you’ve already ridden on one of the railway’s regularly scheduled passenger train rides, but did you know you can actually drive a train and be an engineer for the day? It’s true. Visitors can climb up into a real steam locomotive and lead the train through a beautiful adventure around the Nevada countryside. Check it out:
See what it's like to be a train engineer for the day when you take on Nevada Northern Railway's "Be the Engineer" experience. This is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity to climb aboard and run a locomotive yourself, and it's an experience you'll never forget.
This hands-on activity is the perfect way to not only learn about Nevada's historic railway, but actually live it. Visitors can choose between taking control of a vintage steam locomotive, vintage diesel locomotive, or both.
Running a train by yourself can sound intimidating at first, but don't worry, the railway will prep you on everything that you need to know. Visitors will begin their engineer experience by studying the safety training materials and taking a test on the basics.
You'll then head down to the historic Engine House where you'll help prepare your locomotive for the day. A mentor engineer will be there to show you the ropes and assist you in moving the locomotive out of the Engine House and onto the Nevada Northern Railway mainline.
Your experience really begins when you climb up into the engineer's seat and start learning about the train's controls, including the throttle and brake. This all leads up to the moment you sound the whistle and start heading up the railway toward the mines!
During your trip, you'll lead the locomotive through two tunnels and over a 2.5% grade. After reaching a wye, you'll turn the locomotive around and start to head back into Ely. Your mentor will be there to help when needed, but YOU are running the train the entire way.
This unique opportunity definitely does not come along very often, so consider trying your hand at being a train engineer the next time you visit Nevada Northern Railway. This would also be a great gift for the train enthusiast in your life! Learn more about the experience including pricing here.
What do you think? If you’ve ever dreamed of what it would be like to drive a train, this is your chance! Share your experiences and thoughts about the amazing Nevada Northern Railway in the comments below.
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