I cannot say enough good things about the experience and staff! My wife and I booked a table on a valentines dinner train. The staff was attentive and the food was fantastic - it far exceeded our expectations for dinner on a moving train! The only downside was that we couldn’t see many of the sights as it was too dark. Since we had stayed in a local hotel that evening, we decided to book a 9am ride in coach the following day to see the sights. Upon boarding, the engineer Dave announced that he was offering rides in the cab for a small up charge. My wife and I both being train nerds jumped at that opportunity, and we are so glad we did. Dave was extremely knowledgeable about the area and gave us a guided tour. He also answered our numerous questions about the locomotives.

We went for the Polar Express ride. Was greatly disappointed. 1st the will call area for picking up your "golden ticket " was jam packed with people going in all directions. There are no restrooms on the train so the bathroom was packed. There were about 5 stalls. All of the staff were helpful and pleasant. THE RIDE: Was hoping for a scenic mountain side ride. The train went up a hill and back down. The train itself felt nostalgic and the entertainers were funny and engaging. But nothing like the advertisement. The hot chocolate was tasty. Lots of us wore pajamas which was fun. Spent $160 for 2 tickets. Drove 3.5 hrs to get there.
It really wasn't worth it for us. If you live close, have kids and money and time to burn, this may be fun. But I wouldn't recommend.

Went for the 9am ride with brunch. Train was clean. On time. Attendants were attentive (SWIDT) and courteous. View was better by far on the right side of the train when headed to Frostburg as you can see down across the valley.

Decided against brunch based on menu and pricing and instead had drinks and muffins from the snack bar which was totally fine.

Overall a relaxing way to start a weekend and would recommend.

The train is awesome. The views are stunning. I had a great time. $45 for a 4+ hour event is a great price. The ability to sit in the open air cart was cool too. Cumberland and Frostburg are some of my favorite towns.

Actually, I give 4.5 stars. This railroad experience is awesome! Several different train options and experiences. People are friendly and the scenic views are amazing. A few things to know:
-don’t bother going up into Frostburg. Many stores and most restaurants closed. And it’s not much to look at either. Spend your time walking down the trail, reading the coal miners historical walls or the little museum.
-be very careful if you are a party of two and reserve a table that can seat 4. Mostly likely you will be seated with strangers. We just watched a poor couple who sat with people who talked - about themselves- the entire trip up and back. Couldn’t even enjoy the scenery. They just sat there and had to listen
- dome car is very nice. But know the tables are
Small. Felt cramped. Bring your own food and enjoy a nice meal with appetizers provided.