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 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 Mountain Range 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. For a further history of the line please read on below, courtesy of the Branson Scenic Railway:

The railway was built in two sections: a northward line beginning at Batesville, Arkansas, and the other going south from Carthage, Missouri. Construction began in January 1902, and the final spike was driven on December 29, 1905, which joined the northern and southern sections. The 239 miles of track cost more than $12 million, about six times normal rail construction costs.

The construction of the White River Railway in the early 1900s made the area accessible for tourists and is largely responsible for the development of Branson and the Ozarks as a tourism destination. Before the area’s economy was based on tourism, the railroad served a traditional industrial purpose, which continues to this day.

The railroad is known as the White River Route. The route crosses the White River in Branson, now Lake Taneycomo, and then runs along side of it after taking a fifty-mile “short cut” over the Ozark Mountains. This was part of the Missouri Pacific Railroad between Kansas City, Missouri, and Little Rock, Arkansas. It became a part of the Union Pacific after the UP bought the MOPAC.

The Branson Scenic Railway itself came about in 1993 to operate an excursion train over the tracks of shortline Missouri & Northern Arkansas. 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 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 heritage as #389.

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

For more information on tourist trains 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".