If you want to take a train ride anywhere on the East Coast, there’s no place that does it better than West Virginia! When it comes to full-size trains, these seven excursions are a can’t miss, but sometimes you just want a short novelty ride that doesn’t involve hours and hours (or even an overnight stay!). Here’s the perfect solution for a short train adventure: the Ridge Runner.
The Ridge Runner is a scale train located in Bluefield’s Lotito City Park.
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The train was developed in the 1950s to be part of a planned tourist attraction that never really panned out. But the train remained. After slow business brought the train to a short stop a couple of times over the year’s, it’s been fully restored and has been operational since 2011 — and you’ll want to take a ride!
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For a mere $2 (per person) you can take this fun choo choo on a one-mile journey around the perimeter of Bluefield’s Lotito City Park.
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Enjoy the slight wind in your face as you cross through wooded ‘forests’, over two bridges, and…
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…even through a tunnel! The Ridge Runner has been creating memories for generations of families in the Bluefield Area for decades. In fact, they’re pretty close to hosting 90,000 passengers since opening!
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Have you ridden the Ridge Runner yet? This is fun you simply can’t pass up!
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Get tickets for the Ridge Runner from the yellow train depot located in Bluefield’s Lotito City Park. The address is 1780 Stadium Dr/, Bluefield, WV. 24605. (Of note: this Bluefield city park straddles the West Virginia/Virginia border. Don’t be alarmed if your GPS says you’re heading to Virginia instead of West Virginia!) The cost to ride is $2/person. For more information, see the Ridge Runner’s official website.
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