Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad

Ride the rails on a 100-year-old steam engine, enjoy an open-air car ride or dine aboard one of the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad’s dinner trains. The train departs Abilene eastbound for a 10½ mile round trip through the Smoky Hill River Valley to the neighboring community of Enterprise, KS. In Enterprise, the train stops for riders to see the Hoffman Grist Mill, which has a rebuilt working waterwheel that mills flour.

The railroad is operated by volunteers, which include engineers, conductors, brakemen, car attendants that narrate every trip and depot workers. Volunteers also take care of the mechanical work and track maintenance.

Steam Engine

1919 BALDWIN - The 1919 Baldwin 4-6-2 "Pacific" type locomotive, Santa Fe #3415 was moved to its present location at the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad yard in April 1996, from the city park in Abilene where it had spent the last 40 years. Locomotive 3415 was built in 1919 and was in regular service on Santa Fe's Argentine District out of Kansas City. The railroad donated the locomotive to the city of Abilene in 1954 and it was placed in the city park. In 1996 the city donated it to the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad. It was moved from the park and placed on the railroad’s tracks near the depot where it sat on display until restoration was started in 2005.

This is the only operating steam locomotive in the State of Kansas and is one of only three operational, former Santa Fe steam locomotives. Plans are that the steamer will operate about once a month on special weekends on our five-mile long track, a former Rock Island Railroad branch, through the Smoky Hill River valley between Abilene and Enterprise, Kansas.

Hoffman Grist Mill

Situated next to the Smoky Hill River in Enterprise, KS, the Hoffman Grist Mill pays homage to Christian Hoffman (1826-1921) and his family.  Mr Hoffman purchased the water power rights at Louden Falls in 1868.  His first flour mill began operation at that location in 1869.  Mr. Hoffman named the town that grew around his mill “Enterprise”.  A post office was established in 1873.

The flour mill, located at 105 N. Factory St. in Enterprise, KS, is open on Saturdays from 10am until 3pm and also on days that the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad operates trains to Enterprise.  Train passengers are invited to visit the flour mill during the train’s layover in Enterprise to explore the mill, see how it operates, and make purchases.  Flour produced in the mill may also be ordered and shipped to your home.

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FAQS

Where does the Abilene train go?

The train departs Abilene eastbound for a 10½ mile round trip through the Smoky Hill River Valley to the neighboring community of Enterprise, KS. In Enterprise, the train stops for riders to see the Hoffman Grist Mill, with a rebuilt working waterwheel that mills flour.