Press Release
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Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad officials are reacting to some unexpected news, as results of a USA Today nationwide poll named the A&SV’s route through the Smoky Hill River Valley to Enterprise, Kansas, as the fifth most scenic train ride in America.
Results of the polling were announced Wednesday after a month-long process that allowed USA Today readers and the public to vote among the nation’s top 10 scenic excursion train rides. The A&SV was joined on the list by such classic tourist railroads as the Durango and Silverton in Colorado, the Great Smoky Mountain in North Carolina, and the Cumbres and Toltec in Chama, New Mexico.
Perhaps the most interesting feature of the top 10 list is the fact that most nominee railroads run on routes through deserts and mountainous terrains. But the A&SV runs through fertile river valley cropland, dotted with wildflowers and sightings of prairie wildlife as trains cross creeks and the Smoky Hill River on the way to historic Enterprise.
In fact, the A&SV was the only rural railroad to be nominated in the USA Today poll.
"It feels great, albeit a bit unexpected," said A&SV President and General Manager Ross Boelling in an interview with the Salina Post.
“Outside of Kansas, many folks unfortunately view us as the vast, vacant flatlands. Kansans on the other hand know the beauty of a Kansas sunrise or sunset, the wildlife, the waving wheat or other crops and the prairie hills and rivers that crisscross our state. This award will help affirm that there is more to Kansas than folks' general perception of our state."
According to Abilene Conventions and Visitors Bureau Director Julie Roller Weeks, nominations to lists such as this usually come from travel experts who have experienced various attractions firsthand. The A&SV routinely hosts travel writers from across the nation and is often featured in travel blogs and tourism oriented magazines.
“USA Today readers recognize what Abilene residents and Kansans have long known—the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad is something truly special,” said Weeks.
“Having this attraction in our historic community is like stepping into a time capsule—offering passengers a nostalgic and meaningful way to experience the landscape, history, and heart of Kansas.”
The rankings on the USA Today list in order are Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad in Colorado; East Broad Top Railroad in Pennsylvania; Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad in New Mexico; Western Maryland Scenic Railroad; Abilene and Smoky Valley; Potomac and Eagle Scenic Railroad in West Virginia; Broadmoor, Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway in Colorado; Georgetown Loop Railroad in Colorado; Great Smoky Mountain Railroad in North Carolina; and the Skunk Train in California.