From Utica to Thendara and up to Tupper Lake, a ride on the Adirondack Railroad train is not only a trip back in time, but also a chance to see the High Peaks, the Adirondacks and the wilderness in a way you've never seen before.

“We do traditional paper ticketing. None of this scanning stuff by the conductor. Our food service is on real china,” Volunteer Conductor Al Heywood said. “To just enjoy the Adirondacks, the smells … I have people in the fall who say, ‘I just, I love the colors, but just as much, I love the smells.’ ”

You can ignite your senses from the train’s open-air car or the views of the 360-degree dorm car.

“Those people have the advantage of sitting up above the rest of the train with a glass bubble above them,” Heywood said.

The new trip can last anywhere from an hour and a half to up to 11 hours, if you choose.

“This isn't just a ride from here to there. It's comfort. It's classy. It's a chance to relax and meet all sorts of new people,” Heywood said.

Even if you can’t make it out in time to see the foliage, the train runs through the winter, with other beauty rides and a “Polar Express” adventure.