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The Branson Scenic Railway, The Best Way To See The Ozark Mountains!

The Branson Scenic Railway is a tourist line operated in conjunction with the shortline Missouri & Northern Arkansas Railroad between Galena and Self, Missouri (train departures are from Branson). Depending on which line the railroad takes roundtrips are usually 40 miles in length and last nearly two hours, and while you might not think so, because the railroad operates through Missouri’s Ozark mountains the line passes through and over several tunnels and bridges. Overall the railroad is quite scenic and well worth the trip through a region sometimes forgotten for its beauty and ruggedness due to its location in the Midwest.

The rails over which the Branson Scenic Railway operates date back to 1902 when the White River Railway was founded that year. The line eventually became part of the Missouri Pacific system, which was better known by railroaders and railfans as the “MoPac.” The MP was never a strong company financially but it was always a fighter. The railroad was the first to be built west of the Mississippi River and would eventually come under the Jay Gould empire, who owned scores of railroads in the 19th century. The railroad is also well remembered for its beautiful paint scheme of blue and gray with an eagle adorning the flanks of locomotives.

Due to the railroad’s financial situation it is not surprising that it would be purchased by another railroad, which happened in 1982 when the Union Pacific merged the railroad into its system. Interestingly when the UP purchased the MoPac the latter was much larger in both terms of route miles and locomotives. Similarly, for years the Missouri Pacific name continued to flank locomotives albeit in the Armour Yellow and Gray of Union Pacific, and the MoPac’s corporate identity was not officially dissolved until as late as 1997.

The Branson Scenic Railway itself came about in 1993 to operate an excursion train over the tracks of shortline Missouri & Northern Arkansas Railroad. Since its inception that year the railroad operates its trips either north to Galena or south to Self, depending on how the shortline’s freight operations are playing out that particular day. For power the railroad employs two EMD diesel locomotives and for equipment it has the rare privilege of using all Budd-built stainless steel, streamlined cars (quite striking for an operation of its size!).

These cars were all built in 1939 through the 1950s (quite new when one considers many of the last new passenger car orders by railroads were received during the 1950s) and include a 1939-built lounge-observation, a 1947-built dome-lounge, a 1949-built coach, a 1951-built buffet-lounge, a 1952-built dome-observation, a 1952-built dome-lounge-coach, and a 1956-built diner. More information on the locomotives can be found below:

· EMD F7A #98: Originally of Baltimore & Ohio Railroad heritage as #389.

· EMD GP30 #99: Originally of Baltimore & Ohio Railroad heritage as #6973.

For more information on tourist trains and railroads like the Branson Scenic Railway might want to consider the book Empire State Railway Museum's Tourist Trains 2006 from the Empire State Railway Museum. Given excellent reviews this guidebook covers nearly all of the tourist railroads and museums operating in the country in fine detail. So, if you’re interested in locating a tourist train or railroad near you, or simply want to know more about a particular one, you will certainly not be disappointed in Empire State Railway Museum’s guidebook to tourist railroads and museums. If you're interested in perhaps purchasing this book please visit The Railroad Diamond by clicking the tab in the menu to your left marked "TRD Store".

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