Happy Sunday y'all !!!

Recently I traveled to Staunton Virginia and stayed at the Blackburn Inn. https://www.blackburn-inn.com/
Being that the Blackburn Inn used to be an insane asylum was interesting enough to make the trip worthwhile.

However the main reason for going was to board the Blue Ridge Mountain scenic train that departs from a depot in Staunton. Of course having to make reservations nearly a year in advance, the question of the fall foliage colors and the peak dates is always unanswerable.

Regardless of the peak fall colors or not, I was looking forward to making the trip is this was going to be my first train ride ever.

Interestingly the scenic tour uses the same railway tracks is does Amtrak as well as common freight trains.

I found the inside of the passenger cars to be spacious and comfortable. Quite the opposite of flying on a plane where space is at a premium in one often feels cramped and crowded.

There was seating for two at the smaller tables and seating for a party of up to four at larger tables.

I will say I was slightly disappointed with the photography opportunities. After all these rail lines are primarily used for freight and not for photographs, Hence the openings between the tree lined tracks come up quickly with no warning and are far and few between. In other words scenery can be pleasantly seen with the human eye, but by time one brings the camera up to the ready the scene has likely been passed by.