My Old Kentucky Dinner Train – A Trip Back in Time
After finishing a welcome bourbon cocktail, guests exit Bardstown’s Limestone Train Depot to be greeted by a tuxedoed server who shows them to a table in one of three sumptuously decorated dining cars on board My Old Kentucky Dinner Train. With their polished woodwork, rich ruby drapes framing picture windows and period lighting fixtures, these cars could make guests think they had stumbled into a time warp – back to the gilded age of train travel when millionaire captains of industry such as Rockefeller, Vanderbilt and Carnegie explored the country in luxurious railcars fit for a king. However, the gleaming red and white vintage Dinner Train is also a reminder of the Golden Age of train travel in the 1940s and 1950s when one didn’t have to be a Rockefeller, Vanderbilt or Carnegie to travel in style. Cross country journeys on trains such as the Super Chief and the 20th Century Limited became a favorite method of seeing America. Visitors to Bardstown can get a taste (both figuratively and literally) of the elegance and mystique of these trains by booking a three-course lunch or four-course dinner excursion on My Old Kentucky Dinner Train through the scenic countryside surrounding the city.
As you pull out of the train station, sip on a cocktail from bourbon produced by one of the area distilleries as you wait for your pre-ordered meal to be served. If you’re doing lunch, expect dishes such as Shrimp and Grits or the famous Kentucky Hot Brown. Dinner entrees might be Roasted Poussin with new potatoes and spring vegetables, Rack of Lamb with minted lamb jus, spring peas and creamed potatoes or the popular Prime Rib with baked potato and roasted vegetables (vegan dishes are also available.) And as the train is equipped with a full-service bar, you can enjoy another bourbon cocktail or your favorite wine with the meal. As good as the food and service are, they are just part of the total experience on My Old Kentucky Dinner Train. From the large windows at each table, guests have a front row seat for the Bluegrass landscape as it rolls by.
First, you’ll notice the utilitarian structures popping up on both sides of the tracks. These buildings represent the lifeblood of the bourbon industry – warehouses designed specifically for bourbon distillation. You’ll get a glimpse of one of the most unusual - the Samuels Bourbon Rickhouse, unique in that it’s the only one of its design in Kentucky. Another bourbon sight is the James B. Beam Distilling Company. Originally founded by the Beam family of German immigrants, it was named in honor of James B. Beam for his role in rebuilding the distillery following Prohibition. But there’s more than bourbon in this part of the Bluegrass. There’s also history – much of it centering on the Civil War. The train passes a beautiful two-story, green-roofed house which could be a typical antebellum mansion. However, this house has a more sinister story attached. Known as the James Safe House, legend has it that it was used as a sanctuary by notorious outlaws Jesse and Frank James during their crime sprees. A small depot on the track has another connection to the James Brothers – at least to Frank. In July of 1865 following the end of the Civil War, the Deatsville Depot was the site of Frank’s and 15 members of the Quantrill Raiders surrender to Union forces. Frank, being a slippery sort, managed to escape and lived on in infamy and numerous celluloid Westerns. On a kinder, gentler note, the train passes the entrance to Bernheim Forest, a 14,000-acre gift from the original owner to the state of Kentucky. The transfer became one of the largest donations of land in American history.
During your journey, you’ll feel yourself leaning at a precarious angle. Not to worry – the train is just crossing the Jackson Hollow Trestle. The bridge looms 60 feet above the hollow and is the only all-wooden trestle to survive the Civil War. The reason? Its importance in the distribution of bourbon to both the Union and Confederate armies. By the time you have finished your dessert and perhaps a final bourbon cocktail, you’ll have arrived back at the depot with a new appreciation for bourbon, Kentucky history, Bluegrass scenery, and the glories of vintage rail travel. You will probably be planning your next trip on My Old Kentucky Dinner Train – perhaps for one of its specialty journeys – a Murder Mystery evening or a special Bourbon Tasting. Just remember – make your reservations early as tables fill up fast. What can you expect when it’s been one of Bardstown’s top attractions for 37 years?
For more information on My Old Kentucky Dinner Train and other Bardstown attractions, go to VisitBardstown.com