The Altoona area is one of the most important railroad regions in the country, so it makes sense that there’s an excursion railroad that you can check out nearby: the Everett Railroad.
The Everett Railroad can be found in Hollidaysburg, the county seat of Blair County, PA. Since 2015, the Everett Railroad has been taking passengers on primarily steam-powered excursions through the county.
It’s worth noting upfront that the Everett Railroad does not run from or through the borough of Everett in Bedford County, so don’t head there trying to find this railroad.
The name for this train line dates back to 1952 when a freight train did run from Everett. This iteration ran until 1982 when it closed for good. However, that wasn’t the end for the name, as it was reborn in 1984 running through nearby Blair County.
It’s this version of the Everett Railroad that is still in operation in the 21st century.
All of the railroad’s excursions leave from a station on the outskirts of Hollidaysburg near the base of Chimney Rocks. While this station looks historic, it’s a modern recreation of what station’s around PA once looked like.
Inside the station, there’s a small gift shop and a ticket window where you can buy tickets or pick up tickets that you purchased online.
On the tracks, you’ll also find a small snack bar that features a variety of pre-packaged and fresh-made food, as well as some drinks. These drinks are also available on-board, and I was pleasantly surprised at the prices.
One thing I really liked during my trip on the Everett Railroad was the variety of cars on the train. Even though it was only four train cars in length, there was an air conditioned car, two cars with openable windows, and a snack car that had room to stand around and enjoy large openings. Each was stunningly beautiful, and I could pick from any of them during my visit.
Definitely something for everyone.
During my visit, I took a one-hour Valley Flyer trip that was a great way to experience the railroad and what it’s like to ride the rails through Blair County. This train took us south along the rails to Vicksburg before we briefly stopped and headed back the same way that we came.
Trains that are longer than my hour ride continue further south toward Roaring Springs.
While it’s not the most scenic train ride I’ve ever been on, there’s definitely some beautiful sights along the route including streams, farmland, and some nice views of the mountains. My train stopped next to an auto junkyard which was actually kind of cool to see for a minute given all of the vehicles slowly being consumed by nature within the space.
The one missing part here, in my opinion, was narration. While there was nice 1940s era music playing during the trip, there wasn’t any commentary on the history of the railroad, the things we were seeing, etc. Given this is pretty common on other excursion trains in PA, I found its absence notable.
Another thing worth noting is that, unlike most other excursion railroads, the Everett Railroad doesn’t have trains running every week during the season. Instead they offer a variety of themed rides on various days, usually adding up to 5 or 6 days a month outside of October and December when they run more frequently.
While I took a simple one-hour train during my visit, many rides come with things like a stop for ice cream or a picnic. These themed rides definitely provide a unique experience for visitors, but it would be nice if they had a more regular schedule and more frequent basic rides for those just looking to enjoy the train itself.
Overall, while I wouldn’t say the Everett Railroad is a must-do ride (I preferred the scenery on the East Broad Top Railroad an hour east), it’s definitely a fun adventure, and they have some really unique and inventive types of excursions. Plus, their steam locomotive and train cars are stunningly beautiful, which really add a lot to this ride.
So, if you’re looking for a fun way to spend a few hours in Blair County, this is definitely a great option if you can plan your schedule around their operating days.
To find a schedule of the rides, visit the Everett Railroad’s website.
Note: Despite what some think, this train does NOT go through the famous Horseshoe Curve. The only passenger rail that does is Amtrak.
Looking for more to do in the area? Check out the best train viewing spots near Altoona, the Railroaders Memorial Museum, and the waterfall in Roaring Spring.
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