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Rail good time
How to see the West by train, visit France at the right time and find a bed at the New Orleans Jazz Fest.

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By Donald D. Groff

March 30, 2000 |  This summer we'd like to see scenic Colorado and Arizona, including the Grand Canyon, by train. What's available?

Rail lines cut through Colorado like rich veins of ore, and several tourist trains also can be found in the other Four Corners states -- Arizona, Utah and New Mexico. Besides Amtrak, narrow-gauge railways meander through the mountains on extremely scenic routes.

For starters, the Grand Canyon Railway runs daily from Williams, Ariz., to the Grand Canyon's South Rim, a 65-mile trip that can be made in one day as a round trip or with a stay at the South Rim. On the day trips, riders spend three-and-a-half hours at the canyon's edge. Contact Grand Canyon Railway in Flagstaff, phone (800) 843-8724.

In southwest Colorado, the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Rail Road makes daily round trips between the two towns in its name. Contact the railroad HQ in Durango, Colo., at (303) 247-2733. The train has open-sided cars, as well as parlor cars and coach cars. You can make the round trip by train, or take a faster bus connection in one direction.

In northern New Mexico, you can board the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad in the tiny town of Chama. A 64-mile route goes over Cumbres Pass and through the Toltec Gorge and two tunnels to Antonito, Colo. Several itineraries are available. For information, call (800) 317-0471.

Amtrak's California Zephyr and Southwest Chief trains also cut through this part of the country. The two-level Superliner trains have "sightseer lounges." The Southwest Chief rolls across Arizona, with connecting bus service from Flagstaff to the Grand Canyon. Phone (800) 872-7245.

The most complete guide to tourist railroads that I've seen is the "Steam Passenger Service Directory" published by the now-defunct Locomotive & Railway Preservation magazine. The directory, last revised in 1996, lists all such railroads in the country, including 10 in Colorado, three in Arizona, one in Utah and one in New Mexico. You'll have to look for it in libraries or used-book stores, as it's no longer in print. A listing of many railroad-oriented publications is at the Roundhouse Products site.

A newly revised guidebook that includes the tourist railways of the region you're interested in is "Journey to the High Southwest: A Traveler's Guide to Santa Fe and the Four Corners of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah" by Robert L. Casey (Globe Pequot, 6th edition 2000).

When is the best time to travel to France? I'm not concerned so much with crowds, but am wondering about August as a vacation month for the French.

Three main considerations can help you decide when is the best time to go to France: weather, price and, as you mention, the vacation pattern of the country.

For strolling Paris, spring and autumn can be the most pleasant times to visit. But even in spring, chilly drizzle is no rarity. Weather forecasts for many French cities are at the Weather Underground.com site.

As for vacations, most of the French have at least five weeks off, and the urban population tends to take most of it between mid-July and the end of August. They head for the beach, villages and resort areas, resulting in overcrowding there, while leaving many restaurants and other businesses closed in the city.

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