Kiski Junction

Today we took Cori on her first ever real train ride! She'd ridden the train at Kennywood before and trains at the mall, but this was a "big train".

It was a one-hour fall foliage trip at the Kiski Junction near Leechburg (up Rt 28 near Freeport). It was a beautiful day for a car ride there (about an hour from Pittsburgh) and "scenic" doesn't begin to describe the scenery!

The train moves really slowly; it's only a 3.5 mile trip to the steel plant (where the train normally services since it is a working rail road) and then you head back up the track to the station. While math isn't my strong-suit, the 7 miles in a one hour trip certainly leads me to say the speed is less than 10 mph. (Why not 7 mph exactly? read on!)

The train moves along the Kiski river and the scenery is amazingly beautiful. Very peaceful and relaxing.

At the end of the trip, on our way back to the station, they switched tracks and we went back down and this time over the river on the bridge. It was a neat treat I didn't expect, and they stopped for about 5 minutes for you to take pictures and enjoy the view.

If you go, I highly recommend you arrive early so you can get prime seating. There is only 1 open air car, but this car fills up fast since it has the best views. You'd pretty much have to arrive and enter as the prior trip is deboarding (so an hour before the train is set to depart). If you can't get a seat outside, sit on the side of the train that is along the river. This side has the best views of the water.

I'd also recommend (and they encourage) taking a cooler or bag of food to just sit and enjoy. You'll want to bring a jacket too. The admission is dirt cheap for the view - $9 an adult ($8 for seniors / grandparents) and kids under 3 are free. Check out their web site for additional fall foilage trips this month. Reservations are recommended for the fall trips, but it just involves calling and saying how many people are coming, what ages, and your last name. You don't even pay in advance!

It would be a fun trip year round, and they have a special Christmas trip on Dec 4 & 5th. But there is just something special about the fall scenery! And or course don't forget your camera!