Is there a more romanticized way to travel than to ride the train across the country, overnighting in a private Pullman Car? Imagine not having to share your Pullman Car, but instead customizing it into a home away from home—with a kitchen, separate baths, a living area, and a large private bedroom. It’s the kind of travel that evokes the life of a railroad tycoon, and now it’s possible at Rassawek Vineyard in Goochland, which features a customized Pullman Car among its three railroad car properties available to adventurous travelers.

Located less than an hour from Lake Anna, Rassawek complements the lake experience with a park-like atmosphere and unique accommodations, including two large cabins. The train cars are perched along a ridge, with a country store just beyond the “railroad crossing,” an outdoor concert area and the Salmontown in the dale below, and a pavilion used for destination weddings just across the slight valley, brightly reflecting the evening sun.

The property also includes several structures that faithfully recreate tradesmen’s business areas, such as a sawmill. Multiple ponds dot the vineyards, ideal for exploring along five miles of private hiking trails or for casting a fishing line. Truly distinctive features—such as a treehouse entered through the trunk of its tree and a crooked covered bridge—add to the sense of discovery during a self-paced tour.

An evening in a Pullman Car can be serene or lively, depending on other events happening at the property. During concerts from the Sawmill Music Series, guests enjoy an atmosphere filled with country music, children playing in the park, pizza and ice cream vendors, line dancing on the lawns, and wine tasting in the country store. After the music ends, staff quietly return the grounds to calm, allowing the property to settle into peaceful solitude for a restful night’s sleep. Mornings bring encompassing quiet, broken only by birdsong, the hum of a passing hummingbird, a distant train whistle, or the occasional prop plane circling above the nearby James River.

Rassawek is a popular wedding destination, and its autumn festival—with rodeo once again this year—draws large crowds. On most days, however, its unique accommodations offer a bucolic and private retreat that pairs perfectly with a weekend visit to Lake Anna.

Dave Richards

Dave Richards and his wife danni are long time Lake Anna residents (since 1996) with a penchant for travel.   They also LOVE to stay in unique places, which have included a hanging spherical tree house in Qualicum BC, the Marilyn Monroe suite in Edith Palmer’s place in Virginia City NV, and a quonset hut in Yosemite.  Closer to home, they have stayed in the Lighthouse in Smithfield, the Silo at Kelly’s Ford, and the Tepee at Eagle’s Landing In Lynchburg.   They are looking forward to visiting the unique accommodations nearby at Lake Anna!