The conductor of the classic Napa Valley Wine Train is using the old ride to blaze a new path. For 35 years, the train has transported passengers through Napa Valley's wine country, the California region north of San Francisco that is home to more than 400 wineries. The locomotive, with quarters inspired by classic Pullman cars, has long been a way to see the sprawling area, carrying visitors through the valley in style and luxury.
The engine has been renamed the 1864 to honor the year the rail line was founded, and is compliant with stringent Environmental Protection Agency standards.The train is one of the few to use the engine, which less fuel and means the train has nearly zero emissions. There's no more billowing black smoke, said engineer Artemus Rogerson. 'It's nice driving this in the valley and not having a cloud of smoke,' Rogerson said.