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The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, a historic train that winds through the mountains and landscapes of New Mexico and Colorado, offers a variety of excursions that run through the end of October.

Recently, my father and I took a trip on the Chama Limited, a six-hour-and-20-minute train ride from Chama to Osier Station in Colorado and back.

Despite living in New Mexico for four years in college and now a full year post-grad, I have yet to explore most of the state outside of sa国际传媒官网网页入口 and Santa Fe. The railroad offered a unique opportunity to see the far northern part of the state with dips into Colorado through the San Juan Mountains.

I brought my dad along for a Father鈥檚 Day weekend treat, and he proved to be a good travel companion 鈥� despite falling asleep at the end of the trip and leaving me to my own thoughts. The train rocked gently, while the wheels on the track provided ambient noise and the whistle sang to me like a lullaby. I fought for my life to stay awake. I didn鈥檛 want to miss a single second.

While I had many favorites throughout the trip, I think I most enjoyed seeing how excited my dad was taking photos of the train and everything in between. By the end of the trip, I think his camera held 400 new photos. I can鈥檛 blame him, the trip is absolutely breathtaking.

The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad lives up to its name. Rivers wind their way through the landscape and mountains touch the sky, and the train itself offered a timeless splendor.

I was aboard train #488, a 1925 K-36 Baldwin. It was mind-boggling to be on a train over 100 years old that is still transporting passengers.

Riding a 101-year-old train while the nation was on the cusp of its 250th anniversary was an interesting experience. As a journalist, I am no stranger to the political and social strife. As the hours and miles ticked by aboard train #488, it was interesting to think back to passengers who rode trains through the country for perhaps new lives or to visit family. The people who came before me had hopes and dreams they wanted to achieve.

While I took in old water towers that have stood the test of time, and trees that were likely older than many of those on the train, it was easy to see the same beauty and hope that those before me also saw.

Now, as nice as trying out this classic mode of transportation was, I do appreciate the modernization that trains (and travel overall) have undertaken.

Fair warning, while the open-air gondola is a prime viewing experience and where I spent most of my time, you might get absolutely covered in soot from the engine. Honestly, I鈥檓 not even sure if avoiding the gondola altogether would have helped, as every window in my car was down, and I wager that also contributed to my being covered in soot. It isn鈥檛 really noticeable until you do something like wash your face at the end of the day, and the water runs black. However, the experience is worth taking a bit of soot home.

CTSRR has tried to keep the train true to its era; there is no wi-fi or air conditioning. Once you leave Chama, there is no cellphone service for a majority of the ride, including at the lunch stop at Osier Station. As someone who is chronically online and addicted to her phone, I found it difficult, yet nice, to spend several hours unplugged from technology. I鈥檓 not sure, besides plane rides, if I can remember a time I was away from internet access for that long. It proved to be a nice reprieve, even if I spent the first hour reaching for my phone, wanting to send pictures and messages about the train to everyone I knew.

I recommend bringing along some activities to enjoy on the train. I had 鈥淲alter Cronkite: A Reporter鈥檚 Life鈥� to page through at my leisure and a notebook to write down my favorite parts of the ride 鈥� notes that are illegible to anyone but me, as, apparently, it is incredibly difficult to write on a moving steam train.

While I do wish I had thought to bring maybe a deck of cards, there really isn鈥檛 time to be bored. There are far too many sights to see, pictures to take, and moments to stop and enjoy.

It is easy to spend the train ride taking pictures of everything from the landscape to the train to landmarks, including a water tower seen in 鈥淚ndiana Jones and the Last Crusade.鈥�

Along with the Open-Air Gondola, the train has several car options for passengers including the Parlor Observation Car, Deluxe Car and the Classic Coach Car. The Parlor Observation Car is a 21 and over option with counters running along the windows and chairs facing toward them. The Deluxe Car, where I spent my trip, has tables with two to four chairs at each place, set alongside the windows. Both cars come with snack and beverage service, with alcohol available at an additional cost.

The Classic Coach Car offers a more authentic riding experience, with traditional bench seating throughout. Passengers can get snacks and drinks from the concession car. All passengers can enjoy the concession car and Open-Air Gondola. No matter which car you ride in, the experience is worth it, and at the end of the day, we all get to enjoy the same scenery.

After a little over three hours, the train pulls into Osier Station, where passengers disembark for lunch. Lunch is served buffet-style with several options, including turkey, meatloaf, mashed potatoes, salad and more. There is also a dessert counter with chocolate cake, brownies, peach cobbler and other delectable treats. I got turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans, a salad and several desserts. It was a rather delicious meal that left me full and sleepy as we loaded back onto the train.

It was a fight not to fall asleep as we wound our way down toward Chama. The highest elevation reached is over 10,000 feet on the way to Osier, and the train stops briefly here to offer a view of the land below. The way back involves a lot more squealing brakes as the train handles the steep mountainsides.

Upon arriving back in Chama, where my dad and I stayed the night, you disembark with a little soot, a lot more relaxed and with a very full camera roll.

Elizabeth Secor is an arts fellow for the sa国际传媒官网网页入口. You can reach her at esecor@abqjournal.com.