Heritage Railway - in The Americas

In The Americas

In the United States, heritage railways are known variously as tourist, historic, or scenic railroads. Most are remnants of original railroads, such as the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad (Colorado & New Mexico) or the Heber Valley Railroad (Utah). Others are reconstructed railroads, having been scrapped at one point and then rebuilt with tourism in mind, like the Sumpter Valley Railroad (Oregon) and the Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway (Maine), or can be entire railroads, preserved in their original state using original structures, track, and motive power, like the Nevada Northern Railway (Nevada).

Some do not fit in the above categories, like Rio Grande Scenic Railroad, which is a sub-operation of the San Luis & Rio Grande Railroad. The SL&RG is primarily a freight operation, on former Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad track, but owns and operates a steam locomotive and a fleet of passenger cars, most of which are painted in D&RGW colors.

The Train of the End of the World in southern Argentina is a 500 mm (19 3⁄₄ in) (narrow-gauge) steam railway in Tierra del Fuego Province in operation since 1994.

La Trochita (El Viejo Expreso Patagónico), in English known as the Old Patagonian Express, is a 750 mm (2 ft 5 1⁄2 in) narrow gauge railway in Patagonia, Argentina using steam locomotives. It is 402 km in length and runs through the foothills of the Andes between Esquel and El Maitén in Chubut Province and Ingeniero Jacobacci in Río Negro Province.

Many heritage railways in the United States also function as living history museums, hosting annual reenactments of historic activities. In addition, they may feature an archive or library of railroad-related materials.