Photo by William Grimes at English Wikipedia, via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
Virginia Scenic Railway
About Virginia Scenic Railway
Experience the beauty of Virginia aboard the Virginia Scenic Railway. Explore the pastoral landscapes of the Shenandoah Valley by train.
At a Glance
Verified daily- Type
- Heritage railroad & tourist attraction
- Location
- VA
- Rating
- 4.7 ★ 1,178 Google reviews
- Upcoming
- Thu, Jul 16
Upcoming Events
Plan Your Visit
- Trip Length
- 1.5-hour journey
- Parking
- Free lot · paid lot · street parking
- Accessibility
- Accessible parking
- Good For
- Families
- Hours
- Monday: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PMTuesday: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PMWednesday: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PMThursday: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PMFriday: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PMSaturday: ClosedSunday: Closed
Find the Depot
The Trains
Regular Virginia Scenic Railway departures draw diesel power from the Buckingham Branch roster, which is dominated by EMD units — GP40, GP40-3, high-hood GP38-2, GP10, and GP16 locomotives (the GP16s rebuilt from older GP7s) — alongside a Baldwin RS-4-TC and an ex-Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac GP7 refurbished in its original RF&P paint and number. Passengers choose among Coach, Premium Coach, First Class, and Dome seating classes. During steam events, ex-Norfolk and Western 4-8-4 No. 611 has led the train into Staunton, with two diesels taking it back up to Goshen since Staunton has no turntable or wye to turn the locomotive.
History
See full history
The Virginia Scenic Railway is the heritage passenger arm of the Buckingham Branch Railroad, a Class III short line headquartered in the former Chesapeake and Ohio station at Dillwyn and founded in 1989 by retired CSX railroader Robert E. Bryant. The excursion brand launched in August 2022 with round trips out of Staunton and Louisa, rolling over Central Virginia trackage largely built in the 19th century by the Louisa Railroad, the Virginia Central Railroad, and the state-backed Blue Ridge Railroad with its Claudius Crozet-designed tunnels — lines that all became part of Collis Huntington's Chesapeake and Ohio in the 1870s. Unusually for an American heritage operation, which typically keeps to lightly used branch lines, Virginia Scenic trains share working rails with Amtrak and CSX traffic. Around autumn 2023, ex-Norfolk and Western 4-8-4 steam locomotive No. 611 visited to haul the weekend Shenandoah Valley Limited between Goshen and Staunton, and it returned for further weekend runs from September 26 to October 26, 2025.
Around the Depot
Staunton is an independent city of about 25,000 in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, framed by the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains. Founded in 1747, it is the birthplace of President Woodrow Wilson and home to Mary Baldwin University. Downtown's Beverley Historic District anchors a city with nearly 200 buildings by Victorian-era architect T. J. Collins, and visitors come for the American Shakespeare Center's Blackfriars Playhouse, the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, the Museum of American Frontier Culture, and the Staunton Music Festival held each August.
Wharf Area Historic DistrictAttraction·★ 4.7 (50)8 min walkDirections →Kreative GracesGift Shop·★ 5 (1)8 min walkDirections →The Tubular Toy Box LLCModel Railroad Hobby·★ 4.7 (41)8 min walkDirections →PufferbelliesModel Railroad Hobby·★ 4.9 (400)9 min walkDirections →Staunton Ghost Tours & Haunted Pub CrawlsAttraction·★ 5 (158)9 min walkDirections →C&O RY HD CabinAttraction·★ 5 (1)9 min walkDirections →Getting There & Staying Nearby
Optional trip extras from our travel partners.
Rent a Car
Most heritage railroads sit well off the interstate. Picking up a rental at the nearest airport is usually the easiest way in.
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Tours & Activities Nearby
Tours
Guided tours, day trips, and things to do around the area, bookable in advance through Viator.
Browse nearby tours →Bookings made through this link support usatrainrides at no extra cost to you.