Travel in Pullman luxury in 1940's style and comfort aboard the Caritas
on one of our first-class excursions.

Explorer's Trip in Oregon

Over the winter the Caritas received a significant interior refurbishing of its lounge and dining area: new carpeting, new upholstery, new wallpaper and new cherry wood trim throughout. The work was done at the shops of the Lancaster & Chester Railway in Lancaster, SC.

The year 2007 took us on some extremely rare mileage indeed! We participated in a trip over the Cincinnati & Southern RR (known to rail buffs as the "Rat Hole") from Cincinnati to Chattanooga and return in May. In August the Caritas went to Petoskey, MI from Chicago in a special train of private cars, traversing a lengthy segment of the former Ann Arbor Railroad. Petoskey is a simply delightful place to park; we had a view of Lake Michigan out the lounge window.

In October our "annual" Explorers trip (the 13th) took us to perhaps the most desolate rail head in America: Whitetail, MT, pop. 17, at the end of what was the Soo Line's west-coast extension hopes and now operated by the Dakota, Missouri Valley & Western. For a week we travelled around North Dakota, sometimes on our own special and sometimes behind lengthy freights. Former Soo Line and GN branches took us to Aberdeen, SD as well.

High Iron 2008 Rare Mileage Trip Planner

Our parent company, Iowa Pacific, has acquired 5 ex-Santa Fe “Big Domes” and, when possible, one will be added to the High iron consist. These domes provide 50 dome lounge seats and dinner seating for 20 on the lower level.  The Cimarron River (ex-Frisco 14/4) will be our sleeping car.

August 261 Steam Trips with the Caritas

Aug. 13: Minneapolis (Mpls. Jct.) to Milwaukee
Aug. 15: Milwaukee to Sturtevant and Return
Aug. 16: Milwaukee to Wisconsin Dells & New Lisbon and return to Milwaukee
Aug. 17: Milwaukee to Wisconsin Dells & New Lisbon and return to Milwaukee
Aug. 19: Milwaukee to Minneapolis (Mpls. Jct.)
Tickets available from Friends of the 261 at www.261.com, or call High Iron Travel at the number below.

Sept. 21-25: AAPRCO Convention in San Pedro, CA.

The annual meeting of private car owners will be held in San Pedro, near Los Angeles.  A special train of participating cars powered with ex-ATSF steam engine 3751 from LA to San Diego and then back to San Pedro for convention activities.
Sep’t. 16: Lv. Chicago 2PM on Amtrak #5 (California Zephyr).
Sep’t. 18: Arr. Emeryville (Oakland) 6:10PM.
Sep’t. 19: AAPRCO Private Car Special: Oakland to Los Angeles
Sep’t. 21: Steam special Los Angeles-San Diego-San Pedro
Sep’t. 22-24: Convention activities at San Pedro. 
Sep’t. 25: San Pedro-Los Angeles.
Note: Participants must be members of AAPRCO (Associate membership: $90).
Fare: Double occupancy on Caritas: Chicago-to San Pedro including San Diego steam trip: $2,950.  Includes staying on board during convention.  Trip leaving Los Angeles is private charter, so this is a one-way trip, including convention activities.

POSITIONING MOVES

These are informal trips to position equipment and are a great opportunity to partake in the “private car” experience at a more economical fare.

Aug. 21: Mpls./St. Paul to Chicago on Amtrak #8. Lv. 7:40AM; Arr. 3:55PM. $249. Includes breakfast and lunch. Overnight accommodations available at both ends.

Aug. 27: Chicago to Mpls./St. Paul on Amtrak #7. Lv. 2:15PM; Arr. 10:30PM. $249. Includes dinner. Overnight accommodations available at both ends.

Sep’t 15: Mpls./St. Paul to Chicago on Amtrak #8. Lv. 7:40AM; Arr. 3:55PM. $249. Includes breakfast and lunch. Overnight accommodations available at both ends.

(608)-850-3740; info@highirontravel.com

HIGH IRON TRAVEL CORP.
P.O. Box 337
Waunakee, WI 53597
(608)-850-3740.
www.highirontravel.com

NOTE: All schedules subject to change.

The Army/Navy Game Special at Perryville, MD. Note the Caritas 6 cars back.

After completing its lounge and dining refurbishment, the Caritas mad a "shake-down" trip to Los Angeles via the Crescent route (Washington, DC to New Orleans) and the Sunset route (New Orleans to LA. In LA we joined up with the Cimarron River and later in Barstow, CA with the dome car as we started our Arizona and New Mexico branch line trip.

The Caritas and the dome went to Lubbock in April to provide an inspection train on the West Texas & Lubbock RR and for the dedication of a new ethanol plant on the railroad.

Deposits: 50% deposit on any published fare will hold space until 60 days before trip .
Payment: Check, Mastercard, Visa
Reservations: Print out our order form and mail or fax
Information: E-Mail: Phone & Fax: (608) 850-3740	HIGH IRON TRAVEL CORP. P.O. Box 337 Waunakee, WI 53597

All trips operate rain or shine - Schedules and equipment subject to change. We are members of AAPRCO, the American Association of Private Railroad Car Owners, Inc. Thank you for travelling with us.

New England Explorers Trip at a stop in Maine on 7/30/06.
Photo: Neil Lang

Updated 5-11-08
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