The Thunder Mountain Line, Through Western Idaho

Soon after the Idaho, Northern & Pacific took over the Union Pacific’s Oregon Short Line Division in 1993 the railroad began operating its Thunder Mountain Line tourist trains, which quickly became very popular. Today the railroad usually employs one of its EMD FP10 streamlined diesel-electric locomotives to pull its trains, which are typically made up of both enclosed, climate-controlled and open-air cars, depending on what you’re in the mood for.

The railroad’s different excursions include the Montour Route between Montour and Horseshoe Bend, the Horseshoe Bend Route between Horseshoe Bend and Banks, the Cabarton Route between Smiths Ferry and Cascade, and finally the Cascade Route which takes you nearly the full length of the line between Horseshoe Bend and Cascade (of note, however, is that this route is a one-way trip). Aside from these excursions the railroad offers dinner and wine tasting trains, murder mystery specials, and special holiday runs throughout the year.

The Idaho, Northern and Pacific (INPR) is a short line based out of Emmett, Idaho and operates roughly 210 miles of ex-Union Pacific branch lines in the southwestern Idaho and northeastern Oregon regions. The railroad is a fairly recent upstart having begun operations in 1993 when it purchased the lines from UP. The IN&P today is currently a subsidiary of the Rio Grande Pacifc Corporation and is broken down into two divisions the Idaho Division and Oregon Division with its sole connection with the UP in four different Idaho locations including Payette, La Grande, Nampa, and Weiser. Its rail lines include a run between La Grande to Elgin, Oregon (here the railroad has a connection with an ex-UP branch, now owned by Wallowa County, which runs to Joseph, Oregon); Nampa to Boise, Idaho; and Payette to Emmett, Idaho.

Below is a complete roster of the Idaho, Northern & Pacific:

· #1105, #1106, #1108, #1112, and #1150 - EMD FP10: Ex-MBTA, ex-GM&O (originally F3s)

· #1707 - EMD GP16: Ex-CSX

· #2074 and #2094 - EMD GP7u: Ex-Santa Fe

· #4500 - 4506 - EMD GP40: Ex-CSX

For more information on tourist operations like the Thunder Mountain Line you 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".