The One Train Ride In Kansas That Will Transport You To The Past

Kansas' history is full of travel, whether it's on foot, by horse, by wagon, or by train. One of the largest parts of American history involves the operation of steam locomotives like this one. All aboard for a train ride through history!

One of these engines is not like the other...

The one on the left is the star of today's show, Kansas's one and only Steam Locomotive!

It's a 1919 Baldwin 4-6-2 "Pacific" type locomotive, and you can take a ride on this piece of history yourself.

It's been here at the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad since April 1996, moving from the city park where it had sat for 40 years.

This beautiful engine was built in 1919, and still runs strong to this day.

Well, after its restoration in 2005, anyways. We're glad it's up and running, because it's always fun to ride in train that makes up such a large part of our history as a nation.

It's the only one working in Kansas.

We don't know why, but it's also one of only three working Santa Fe steam locomotives in the country.

You can even ride up front!

With a special ticket, you can access the cab of the engine and ride closer to where the magic happens. For a really special treat to the train lover in your life, you can also call and reserve a time to be a steam engineer for a day!

You can find more information and reserve tickets for train rides at their website here.

Happy trails! Of course, they also have other trains you're able to ride, including a Railbus, a bus that drives on train tracks instead of pavement.

For more great places to surround yourself with history, check out some of the best museums right here in Kansas.