View of the Sky Railway, which travels thru Santa Fe and into the high desert. Courtesy/ Sky Railway
By REBECCA RUTHERFORD
Los Alamos
For the Los Alamos Daily Post
Think you’ve done everything there is to do in Santa Fe? Think again, and get ready to board the Sky Railway for a magical ride thru Santa Fe into the high desert!
Formerly the Santa Fe Southern Railway, this historic railway was reborn in 2020 as the Sky Railway. Several investors, including George R.R. Martin, banded together to bring the line back to its former glory and to resume excursion trains – with a twist. Each experience is unique, and is very much an adventure! Rides are immersive, and usually include live performances by musicians, dancers or other performers.
We rode the Santa Fe Scenic, which departed the Santa Fe Depot (behind Tomasita’s) at 1:30 p.m. on a recent sunny Sunday afternoon. The restored train depot is charming, with a really cute miniature train display. Boarding was fast and easy, and before we knew it we were off on our own adventure!
Miniature train display in the Santa Fe Depot. Photo by Rebecca Rutherford
Each train car has a bar offering drinks and snacks, and each car has their own entertainment. Oscar Butler, a local singer, songwriter and delta-style guitarist, was our in-car musician, and he sang, played great music and was a true delight. The amazing views from our car, combined with his music really set the scene for an awesome day.
Drink and snack menu on board the Sky Railway. Photo by Rebecca Rutherford
I selected the “dragon margarita” and my son got the not Tom Collins mocktail, both were excellent and beautifully made.
A margarita and a mocktail on the Sky Railway. Photo by Rebecca Rutherford
Each train car has a bar offering drinks and snacks, and each car has their own entertainment.
The best part for us was definitely the open-air car! We spent so much time out there looking at the scenery and enjoying the breeze in our hair.
Waving from the open air car on the Sky Railway. Photo by Rebecca Rutherford
We stopped several miles outside of Lamy for a performance by the Lightning Boy Hoop Dancers. The performance lasted for about 20 minutes and we had a perfect view from the outdoor car. After that the train headed back to Santa Fe. All in all the ride was about two hours, and we all had a blast.
Performer from the Lightning Boy Dancers. Photo by Rebecca Rutherford
There is something truly magical about the experience from the moment you set foot on the train, feeling the wind in your hair, riding in the historic car … and of course the margaritas!
Our car’s very talented bartender. Photo by Rebecca Rutherford
Sky Railway offers many other rides including; Stargazer, Margarita Rail, Burlesque, Lamy Brunch Run, and more! This year they are offering a new experience, Opera on the Rails, an “immersive music and theater experience”. If you enjoy the Santa Fe Opera, this would definitely be worth checking out. And the Lamy Brunch Run offers the chance to have brunch in the historic Legal Tender, open for the season and ready to serve both locals and tourists.
Tickets for the Santa Fe Scenic train ride were $109/adult (all ages) with an optional upgrade to the historic Acoma car for $159/adult (all ages). Most rides range in price from $109-$199, depending on the experience. There is even a $400 VIP experience that allows you to ride in the cab with the engineer. You can check out rides and pricing here.
The Sky Railway locomotive. Photo by Rebecca Rutherford
The Sky Railway was indeed a magical ride thru Santa Fe into the high desert! Photo by Rebecca Rutherford
We gave the experience a very enthusiastic thumbs up, and we hope to ride the rails again soon!
