There's something about music and trains that just goes together. The relentless rhythm of steel wheel against steel rail; the sense of leaving it all behind; the unfolding panorama of the North American landscape. From great cities to the lights of small towns, the majesty of the Rockies to the wide-open plains. Join us for one of our journeys - incredible music adventures on great trains with great music and great people.

"The intensity of enjoyment has to be experienced to be believed. I've had more fun and made more lasting friendships than I would have thought possible. Plus the musicians, both professional and amateur, inspired me to take up guitar, write songs and even record a CD. None of this would have happened had I not discovered Roots on the Rails. So long as my health and finances permit, I shall be traveling with them."

- Peter O'Brien, UK, Roots on the Rails participant since 2005

"In the movie "It Happened One Night" with Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert, there is a scene with a bus full of strangers singing together at the top of their lungs; their singing creating a community between disparate folks. Watching that scene was so bittersweet: a sweet moment in a movie, but the bitter was because I knew I would never experience something like that. I was wrong. Coming down the mountain on the train from Silverton, Sourdough Slim on the accordion, Elsabe on violin, Thad on guitar and Dan on bass and a train car full of people singing train songs. People were calling out titles and there was a sense of unity and community as we all joined our voices in absolute delight. It was magical and I was on the silver screen, with Clark, Claudette and everyone on that bus as well everyone on the train. Thank you."

- Frances W. Kevetter, USA, 2009 Roots on the Narrow Gauge participant.

THE KINGS OF CALIFORNIA TRAIN
TOM RUSSELL, DAVE ALVIN w/ special guests Steve Young and Thad Beckman

Los Angeles to Portland and return, by private railroad car
April 4-9, 2010

Click here for trip details and reservations

THE FRED EAGLESMITH ATLANTIC ADVENTURE
w/ Fred Eaglesmith Band, Washboard Hank, Lance Loree & friends

Halifax, NS - Cape Breton - France -Newfoundland - St. Johns, NF
September 13-18, 2010

Click here for trip details and reservations

ROOTS ON THE NARROW GAUGE 2010
Tom Russell and The Flatlanders (Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Butch Hancock) with special guests Paul Zarzyski and Thad Beckman

Albuquerque, NM - Durango, CO - Pagosa Springs - Chama, NM - Albuquerque
September 24-October 1, 2010

Click here for trip details and reservations

OVER THE RHINE ACROSS THE WEST
LIVE MUSIC, LEGENDARY TRAINS AND THE GREAT SOUTHWEST

Los Angeles - Santa Fe - Painted Desert - Petrified Forest - Winslow, AZ - Grand Canyon - Los Angeles
November 5-10, 2010

Click here for trip details and reservations

A sampling of video clips created by our patrons from Roots on the Rails journeys.

Gretchen Peters and Barry Walsh were participants on the 2009 Roots on the Narrow Gauge (Albuquerque-Durango-Silverton-Pagosa Springs-Chama, September 18-24, 2009) along with Tom Russell, Thad Beckman, Sourdough Slim, Wylie Gustafson and Paul Zarzyski. Here’s their highly engaging video journal of the trip: http://www.gretchenpeters.com/videos.html (click on "Cowboy Train Videos").

Blackie and the Rodeo Kings' "Stoned" video uses a lot of footage from their participation in the first Cowboy Junkies Train (Toronto-Vancouver, November 10-14, 2006): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEjnZwnfjL8

Cowboy Junkies performing "Walking After Midnight" in the Performance Car on the 2006 trip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lPyHd1_aXU

The music on the November 2007 Fiddle Train with Alasdair Fraser, Natalie Haas and Genticorum started the moment we left Vancouver and didn’t stop till we arrived in Toronto! Here’s a typical, informal jam in the rear lounge of the Skyline car: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fM353h-TLGc

Songwriter Train (Tom Russell and The Flatlanders, Toronto-Vancouver, November 9-13, 2008). This video starts out in the dining car and moves to the Performance Car, where our on-board naturalist Elsabe Kloppers (on the fiddle) and guitarist Michael Martin finish up with a bit of Waterboys music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0F_lue1izU4

The 2008 Roots on the Narrow Gauge trip with Fred Eaglesmith, Corb Lund, Po’ Girl, Washboard Hank & Lance Loree (Albuquerque-Durango-Silverton-Pagosa Springs-Chama, September 26-October 3, 2008) features outstanding scenery, great music and vintage steam engines: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8MVSdldur8

One of the highpoints of the Polar Bear Train (Winnipeg to Churchill, Manitoba and return, November 2-9, 2008) was each afternoon’s "Monsters of the Frets" workshop in the Performance Car. Here Gurf Morlix, Andrew Hardin, Lance Loree and Jon Dee Graham team up on Jon Dee’s song "Best" (language advisory during introduction): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qs-RdDGso_Y

Here are just a few of our favorite sets of photos viewable online.

Polar Bear Train 2008 with Fred Eaglesmith Band, Gurf Morlix, Audrey Auld, Andrew Hardin, Washboard Hank, Lance Loree and Jon Dee Graham.
Photos copyright by Dave Forro: http://lilaf.smugmug.com/Music/2008-Polar-Bear-Train
Photos copyright by Paul Ellis: http://www.flickr.com/photos/skarsol/sets/72157608916441168/

Roots on the Narrow Gauge 2007 with Fred Eaglesmith Band and Eilen Jewell.
Photos copyright by Dave Forro: http://lilaf.smugmug.com/Music/Roots-on-the-Narrow-Gauge-Sep/3767684_gHJKe

Cowboy Train 2005 (Vancouver-Toronto) with Tom Russell, Rambling Jack Elliott, Don Edwards, Wylie and the Wild West and Paul Zarzyski. Photos copyright by Antonio Zarzueta Olmos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/92185754@N00/sets/397540/

Tarahumara Train 2007 (Tucson to Mexico’s Copper Canyon) with Tom Russell, Dave Alvin, Butch Hancock, Terry Allen, Jo Harvey Allen, Laurie Lewis and Tom Rozum. Photos copyright by Susan Cane: http://www.flickr.com/photos/brigstow1/sets/72157602735640621/

"The Cowboy Train" by Hal Cannon from NPR’s Weekend Edition, 2006: http://www.westernfolklife.org/site1/images/stories/listen/deep_west/CowboyTrain.mp3

"Riding on a Railroad" by Bob Lefsetz, about the 2009 Mystery Train with Stan Ridgway, Jill Sobule and The Handsome Family, from The Lefsetz Letter, November 2009: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/index.php/archives/2009/11/21/riding-on-a-railroad/

"Playing on the Rails" by Randy Lewis, about the 2009 Kachina Express with Dave Alvin and The Flatlanders, copyright Los Angeles Times, September 2009: http://articles.latimes.com/2009/sep/29/entertainment/et-dave-alvin29

"Riding the Music Train" from Reader’s Digest (Canada, September 2005) about the 2005 Songwriter Train with Nanci Griffith, Mary Gauthier, Gretchen Peters and Tom Russell: http://www.flyingunderradar.com/rails/images/RidingMusicTrain.pdf

2009 Mystery Train with Stan Ridgway, Jill Sobule and The Handsome Family at Bedrock City, Arizona. Photo copyright by Michael Poole.
2009 Kachina Expresswith Dave Alvin and The Flatlanders on a windy railroad platform in Flagstaff, Arizona. Photo copyright by Greg Gamble.
2009 Roots on the Narrow Gauge with Tom Russell, Thad Beckman, Gretchen Peters, Barry Walsh, Sourdough Slim, Wylie Gustafson and Paul Zarzyski in Chama, NM. Photo copyright by Elsabe Kloppers.