Visiting the National Parks on the American Orient Express
Are you looking for an opportunity to visit some of our best national parks while traveling in style and luxury? In the tradition of the Orient Express that set the standard for luxury rail travel from Paris to Istanbul as far back as 1883, the American Orient Express offers land tours of some of our best national parks as part of its schedule. In operation since 1994, AOE is a private company that runs independently of Amtrak and the railroads, but operates closely with these companies for locomotive power and access to the scenic routes in the United States and Canada. The train features 15 classic rail cars from the streamliner era of the 1940's and 1950s. The collection of cars was purchased from museums, private collections, and railroad yards throughout the country, and then restored in 1989 at a cost of $14 million.
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The historic Observation Car, first dedicated in 1948 |
Painted in blue and gold -- the colors of the deluxe trains of Europe -- the elegant passenger cars of the American Orient Express are accented in mahogany and brass, fabrics, and custom carpets. The two dining cars are decorated with inlaid paneling, and the tables are set with china, silver, crystal and linen. The club cars feature live piano entertainment nightly, and the sleeping carriages include cabins that range from the original Pullman Car bunk-bed style accommodation to the Presidential Suites that are twice as large. The historic observation car was dedicated in 1948 by Dwight Eisenhower and Beatrice Lillie, and served 20 years on the New York Central 20th Century Limited. It includes plush seating and a circular bay window, which affords an excellent scenic view from the end of the train.
