Sunset Serenade

This year for our anniversary we took a 2 hour train ride. It went from the Santa Fe depot downtown out along the old spur line south to Lamy that connected to the Atcheson Topeka and Santa Fe line. We rode out an hour, then rode back. It uses the original 1888 track, not the modern commuter rail line, so our speed never got very fast and the cars wobbled a bit, which was fine for a two hour scenic ride.

It was an adventure tour and our adventure was "Sunset Serenade". It's run by Sky Railways and they have dozens of other themed rides. They offer a star gazing trip at night, and a murder mystery trip and a margarita cocktails trip. There are history tours and many more gimmicks and themes. 

Basically Sky Railways adventure tours are party trains.

Because it was our anniversary and a special occasion, we upgraded to the restored "Acoma" car, a 1937 luxury rail car used by movie stars and celebrities through the decades. Only 10 of these cars are still around and 9 are in museums. This is the only original car still being used.

Inside it was appointed as a lounge, with comfortable booths and tables for about 24 people. There was a guitar player (the "serenade" part of the Sunset Serenade adventure) and she was warm and engaging. There was free champagne.

The car also had a 1930s deco style bar, and once we were underway and the free champagne was downed, the bar orders started flying. I never saw 24 people order so many drinks.

The point of all the themes they run is lots of drinking, but the crowd was genial and well behaved and got going with the guitar singer and it was fun. 

Our bartender was Kai, who reminded me of my oldest son, and he was sweet and worked hard to make sure no one had a spell of unquenched thirst. He pointed out landmarks along the way and gave us a little history of the train, but it wasn't overdone or intrusive.

We chatted with the other passengers, drank our wines, admired the sunset (it was cloudy and there wasn't much color, but it's Santa Fe and any sunset is worthwhile, whether from a train or from your living room.)

Midway between the front and rear cars is an open platform car where riders go outside to get the full panoramic view and fresh air. It was cold, so we stayed in the comfy lounge, but people did go out there at times.

It was a splurge --- the tickets were expensive and the bar drinks and snacks were pricey. But at the end of the ride as we pulled into the station, our bartender Kai told us the charge for our wines did not go though for some glitchy internet reason. And they can't take cash. Everyone else's orders were charged, but not ours.

So we left a great big tip in his tip jar, tipped the guitar player too, and went home having had a perfectly lovely Sunset Serenade through the pinion pines and mountain vistas south of Santa Fe. 

💛 Happy Anniversary to my adventure mate who moved with me late in life to this enchanted spot and has helped to make it our home. 💛