Indiana Rail Experience Returns For 2024 Season

Indiana’s Best New Experience expands to include new Picnic Trains, Bike Train, World War II event on Labor Day Weekend, and additional Christmas Trains

NORTHEAST INDIANA – After being named Indiana’s Best New Experience in 2023, the Indiana Rail Experience has returned to the region with an extended calendar of events that will delight visitors with new offerings and popular favorites on Memorial Day through Christmas. The Indiana Rail Experience offers the opportunity to travel aboard vintage passenger trains operated with historic steam and diesel locomotives from the 1940s and 50s on a private railroad line that links Western Ohio, Northeast Indiana, and Southeast Michigan. Tickets are on sale now at indianarailexperience.org.

In addition to its popular train rides, including the Indiana Ice Cream Train, Wine & Whiskey Train, Wine & Chocolate Train, Cigar Train, Fall Color Train, Railroad Camp, and Christmas Train, the Indiana Rail Experience is introducing the Picnic Train, Bike Train, and hosting its second World War II themed event, Rolling Victory, on Labor Day Weekend. In addition, organizers are once again hosting the Tails & Ales Train, a special train ride that welcomes dogs and their owners and supports local humane shelters.

Group bookings, charters, and private tours are also available, and the fall color Autumn Limited trips on Friday, October 25th have been set aside exclusively for large tour groups and private businesses to reserve tickets. For more information on these offerings, click here.

AN ECONOMIC ENGINE FOR THE REGION

“The Indiana Rail Experience has proven to be transformational not just for our organization, but for the communities we serve,” stated Kelly Lynch, Executive Director for the Fort Wayne Railroad. “In 2023, we welcomed over 15,000 passengers who according to the tourism bureau brought an estimated $2.5 million in economic impact on the region. The ability to celebrate our authentic history and have a meaningful impact on Northeast Indiana has long been our goal, and we’re thrilled to grow our third season to include more events, attractions, and opportunities to welcome more people to discover what our state has to offer. None of this would be possible without our donors or volunteers, who all work to make these attractions come to life.”

INVESTING IN A NEW ATTRACTION

Last year, the Fort Wayne Railroad announced the acquisition of the historic Pleasant Lake railroad depot and has successfully raised over $120,000 to invest in the restoration of the historic structure, and the acquisition of seven historic New York Central railroad passenger cars to double train capacity in the ensuing years. Thanks to ongoing fundraising and donor support, the station’s restoration and the fleet of cars are presently ongoing. The first phase of depot restoration will occur this summer and the first restored New York Central car is planned to enter service this fall.

In addition, the Fort Wayne Railroad will be adding two newly renovated first-class open-air passenger cars to the fleet. These cars, which were once part of the famous traveling Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus train, will feature both dining car tables and lounge-style seating and open windows for passengers to enjoy the sights and sounds of the passing countryside and increase train capacity by an additional 70 seats.

Earlier this year, the organization was awarded a $250,000 grant from the Indiana Destination Development Corporation to establish the Pleasant Lake Campus, which is imagined as a hub of amenities and facilities to further support the tourism program. Development of the campus will begin later in 2024.

ABOUT

For over 50 years, the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society has created unique and memorable experiences through its celebration of the Golden Age of Railroading – a special era of American transportation, innovation, and connectivity between the 1930s and 1950s. The Fort Wayne Railroad has operated historic steam locomotive Nickel Plate Road no. 765 extensively in public exhibition and passenger train excursion service and its events routinely welcome visitors from all 50 states and half a dozen countries. Its operations are made possible entirely through volunteers and funded by ticket sales, memberships, donations, grants, and sponsorships. For more information, visit fortwaynerailroad.org.

Named Indiana’s “Best New Experience” by state tourism officials, the Indiana Rail Experience offers a variety of train trips and events including hour-long rides, themed event trains, and all-day excursions aboard our historic passenger trains from the 1940s and 50s! Click here to join our mailing list to get notified as ticket sales roll out for each event in 2024!

2024 PUBLIC EVENTS CALENDAR

All trips are roundtrips. Dates, venues, prices, and trip details are subject to change.

APRIL 27 – TATUAJE CIGAR TRAIN
Diesel-powered cigar train. Departing Pleasant Lake, Indiana for Hillsdale, Michigan. Tickets include a variety of amenities and cigars.

MAY 24th, 25th, 26th – ICE CREAM TRAINS
Steam-powered train rides departing Angola. Tickets start at $15.00.

MAY 25th – WINE & WHISKEY TRAIN
Steam-powered train ride departing Angola for passengers 21-and-over. Tickets start at $75.00.

JUNE 1st & 2nd – ICE CREAM TRAINS
Diesel-powered train rides departing Angola. Tickets start at $15.00.

JUNE 8th – BIKE TRAIN | HISTORY CYCLES BACK
Diesel-powered train ride from Pleasant Lake, Indiana to Angola, Indiana, and a bike ride return for a gathering at the historic Pleasant Lake depot. Tickets are $40.00.

JUNE 8th – PICNIC TRAIN
Diesel-powered train rides during the evening and afternoon for families and adults. Tickets start at $9.00 for coach passengers and first-class tables for $75.00.

JUNE 15th & 16th – TRI-STATE SCENIC EXCURSION
All-day, roundtrip steam excursion between Edon, Ohio, and Hillsdale, Michigan on Father’s Day. Tickets start at $99.00.

JUNE 17th – THROTTLE TIME
Step into the cab of a historic steam or diesel locomotive and become an engineer or fireman for a 45-minute session while you operate the locomotive over the railroad. Ticket sales begin May 1st.

JULY 6th & 7th – WINE & CHOCOLATE TRAIN
Diesel-powered train rides departing Angola for passengers 21-and-over. Tickets start at $75.00.

JULY 13th & 14th – ICE CREAM TRAINS
Diesel-powered train rides departing Angola, Indiana. Tickets start at $15.00.

AUGUST 1st & 2nd – INDIANA RAIL CAMP
Immersive, three-day railroad skills and educational camp for young adults to develop their passions and skills and for scouts to earn their Railroad Merit Badge. Camp admission and registration are $150.00.

AUGUST 9th & 10th – PLEASANT LAKE DAYS
Static displays and tours of the restoration of the Pleasant Lake depot.

AUGUST 11th – PICNIC TRAIN
Diesel-powered train rides during the late morning and early afternoon for families and adults with a meet with Little River Railroad in Hillsdale, Michigan.  Tickets start at $9.00 for coach passengers and first-class tables for $75.00.

AUGUST 23rd, 24th & 25th – ASHLEY – HUDSON DAYS
Diesel-powered train rides and during the Ashley-Hudson Days festival.

AUGUST 30th – SEPTEMBER 1st – ROLLING VICTORY / WWII EVENT
A three-day living history event celebrating American military, railroad, and home front history featuring vintage train rides, World War II reenactors, battles, a 1940s Dinner and Dance, classic automobiles, and an immersive and educational experience for all ages in Pleasant Lake, Indiana. Ticket sales begin in May.

SEPTEMBER 2nd – THROTTLE TIME
Step into the cab of a historic steam or diesel locomotive and become an engineer or fireman for a 45-minute session while you operate the locomotive over the railroad. Ticket sales begin May 1st.

OCTOBER 5th – TAILS & ALES TRAIN
Climb aboard this pet-friendly train for a Saturday afternoon cruise that will benefit local animal care centers. Registration is $45.00. Ticket sales begin May 1st.

OCTOBER 12th – ROCKY PATEL CIGAR TRAIN
Diesel-powered cigar train. Departing Pleasant Lake, Indiana for Hillsdale, Michigan. Tickets start at $199.00 and include a variety of amenities and cigars.

OCTOBER 19th & 20th – FALL COLORS STEAM SPECIAL
All-day steam-powered fall color excursions in Indiana and Michigan departing Pleasant Lake, Indiana. Tickets start at $119.00. Ticket sales begin July 10th.

OCTOBER 25th, 26th & 27th – AUTUMN LIMITED
2.5 hour, diesel-powered train rides departing Pleasant Lake, Indiana for Reading, Michigan. Tickets start at $35.00. Ticket sales begin July 10th.

NOVEMBER 15th, 16th, 17th, 22nd, 23rd, 24th –
CHRISTMAS CABOOSE RIDES – Traditional diesel-powered Christmas train rides and group charters aboard Santa’s caboose in New Haven, Indiana. Tickets start at $9.00.

DECEMBER 6th, 7th, 8th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd
INDIANA CHRISTMAS TRAIN – Diesel-powered holiday excursions and events departing Pleasant Lake. Tickets start at $35.00