The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad invites you to ride the Centennial State Limited, a limited-run America 250 | Colorado 150 event honoring Colorado’s sesquicentennial, America’s 250th anniversary, and the living legacy of narrow-gauge steam railroading in the Rocky Mountain West.
For two days only, guests will depart from Antonito, Colorado for a rare historic rail experience featuring Engine No. 168, special anniversary excursions, onboard history, commemorative keepsakes, and the unforgettable mountain and high-desert scenery that helped earn the Cumbres & Toltec national recognition as USA TODAY 10Best’s Best Scenic Train Ride.
Tickets are limited for this once-in-a-generation celebration.
Choose Your Centennial State Limited Excursion
Friday, July 31: Antonito to Big Horn
Departure: 11:00 AM MT
Route: Antonito, Colorado to Big Horn Wye and return
Duration: Approximately 3.5 hours
Locomotive: Engine No. 168
Tickets: $187.60
Ride behind Engine No. 168, one of Colorado’s oldest operating steam locomotives, on a special round-trip excursion from Antonito to Big Horn Wye.
This shorter anniversary run is ideal for guests who want a rare historic steam experience with sweeping high-desert scenery, fresh mountain air, and a memorable journey along the Cumbres & Toltec’s eastern end.
Saturday, August 1: Colorado Statehood Run to Osier
Departure: 11:00 AM MT
Route: Antonito, Colorado to Osier Station and return
Duration: Approximately 6 hours, 55 minutes
Locomotives: Historic doubleheader featuring Engine No. 168 and Engine No. 463
Tickets: $249.00, lunch included
Celebrate Colorado’s 150th birthday aboard a rare historic steam doubleheader.
This full-day Centennial State Limited excursion travels from Antonito to Osier Station, the remote midway point of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. Guests will ride behind Engine No. 168 and Engine No. 463, enjoy dramatic mountain and high-desert scenery, and stop for a delicious lunch at Osier Station prepared by From the Wagon, our culinary partner.
Arrive Early for the Full Colorado 150 Experience
Make the most of your Centennial State Limited journey by arriving early at the Antonito Depot.
Visit the Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad Open House at the Antonito Railyard and C&TS Car Restoration Facility. It’s a free, family-friendly event that gives you a closer look at Colorado’s railroad heritage and the preservation efforts of our National Historic Landmark.
After visiting the Friends, join us for a brief Colorado 150 Welcome Ceremony before boarding the Centennial State Limited. Each morning’s ceremony will help set the stage for the day’s historic journey, with remarks celebrating Colorado statehood, the San Luis Valley, and the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad’s lasting impact on the communities it serves.
Program subject to change.
Living History on Board
The Centennial State Limited is a moving celebration of Colorado history, narrow-gauge railroading, and the people, cultures, and landscapes that helped shape the West.
During this special Colorado 150 event, guests will be joined by history and heritage ambassadors who will help bring the journey to life with stories of Colorado statehood, the San Luis Valley, the Denver & Rio Grande, and the lasting impact of railroading across the Rocky Mountain West.
Dr. Rich Loosbrock, Adams State University
On board Friday and Saturday
Rich Loosbrock, Ph.D., is Professor of History at Adams State University and a specialist on the history of the American West and Colorado. Much of his work has involved western railroads and mining, and he authored a chapter on Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad for The Geology, Ecology, and Human History of the San Luis Valley (University Press of Colorado, 2020). He previously wrote This Day in Civil War History for The History Channel.
Throughout the journey, Dr. Loosbrock will interact with guests and share insights into the history of railroading in the West, the San Luis Valley’s connection to the railroad, and how narrow-gauge railroads helped shape Colorado’s first 150 years.
Loretta Mitson, San Luis Valley Local Historian
image courtesy of San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council, slvec.org
On board Saturday
On Saturday’s Colorado Statehood Run, guests will also be joined by Loretta Mitson, a San Luis Valley local historian known for sharing the region’s deep cultural and archaeological heritage.
Loretta will help connect the journey to the broader story of the San Luis Valley, including the archaeology of the region, early Hispanic heritage, the Rio Grande corridor, and the people and places that helped shape Colorado history long before and after statehood.
Friends Open House: Explore Colorado’s Railroad Heritage
We are honored and thrilled to be joined by the Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad during our Colorado 150 Celebration.
As part of this historic weekend, the Friends will welcome visitors to the Antonito Railyard and the C&TS Car Restoration Facility for a free open house celebrating Colorado’s railroad history and heritage. Guests can meet volunteers, explore historic railroad equipment, view interpretive exhibits, learn about active restoration projects, and see firsthand how the Friends help preserve the living history of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad.
This family-friendly open house is a wonderful way to experience Colorado’s railroad heritage before or after your Centennial State Limited excursion.
Friends Open House Hours
Friday, July 31: 8:30 AM–3:30 PM
Saturday, August 1: 8:30 AM–12:30 PM
Sunday, August 2: 8:30 AM–12:00 PM
Location
Antonito, Colorado Railyard & Friends of the C&TS Car Restoration Facility
Explore
- Yard tours
- Friends facility tours
- Historic railroad equipment
- Interpretive exhibits
- Active restoration projects
- Children’s activities
- Opportunities to learn how to support, volunteer with, or join the Friends
Admission is free. Bring your family and friends for a weekend of discovery, history, and railroad preservation.
What’s Included
Your Centennial State Limited ticket includes a special commemorative merchandise bundle created for this historic Colorado 150 event.
Each ticket includes:
- Centennial State Limited challenge coin
- Commemorative mug
- Event press pass
- Once-in-a-generation steam excursion from Antonito, Colorado
Saturday tickets also include delicious lunch at Osier Station prepared by From the Wagon.
Why Ride the Centennial State Limited?
This is a rare limited-run anniversary event created for one historic Colorado milestone.
When you ride on the Centennial State Limited, you get to:
- Celebrate Colorado’s 150th anniversary
- Experience a special America 250 | Colorado 150 event
- Ride behind historic Engine No. 168
- See rare steam operations on the Cumbres & Toltec
- Enjoy onboard history and interpretation
- Take home exclusive commemorative keepsakes
- Visit Antonito during a weekend of railroad heritage and preservation
- Be part of a once-in-a-generation steam celebration
Tickets are limited — this one-time event will not be repeated in the same way again.
