BUTTE, Mont.-
All aboard the Copper King Express!
A new excursion train in Montana with a long and interesting history has begun running between Anaconda and Butte.
It's the first time in 50 years that a regular passenger train has operated on the line.
The Copper King Express is scheduled to run narrated trips each weekend from Memorial Day to September.
The train runs on a historic line–the Butte, Anaconda and Pacific Railroad, first incorporated in 1892. It was built by Marcus Daly, who owned the mines in Butte and the smelting facility in Anaconda, and who was known as "the Copper King."
In its heyday, the train, which was nicknamed the "biggest little railroad in the world," ran seven days a week 'round the clock, moving 30,000 tons or 600 carloads a day. It was also widely used by local residents.
The smelter closed in 1985 and the railroad was privatized, providing freight service as the Rarus Railway Company.
The line reopened this spring for passenger service with a 52-mile round trip excursion through scenic Durant Canyon and near many historical points of interest.
The new service has proven popular, with a number of trips already sold out, so be sure to make reservations. You can get tickets online at or by calling (406) 563-5458.
