Regularly scheduled trips aboard the Whitewater Valley Railroad located in Connersville, Indiana, are available from May through October. Hop aboard the locomotive for a ride to dinner at the Laurel Inn. Seasonal events, such as the Fall Foliage excursion or Pumpkinliner, are perfect for seeing the Indiana scenery during the autumn season. You will get into the holiday spirit with a ride aboard the Polar Express or Santa Claus Limited, both featuring opportunities for children to talk to Santa and make their Christmas gift requests. Entire cabooses are available for families or groups to rent during the regular schedule or on special event train rides.
Indiana Transportation Museum offers train rides through scenic Indiana, starting from the station in the Forest Park neighborhood of Noblesville. Programs of interest include opportunities for school children, with the Pumpkin Train, Railroads in the Midwest and the Polar Bear Express. While the Pumpkin Train and Polar Bear Express operate only during the holidays, the Railroads in the Midwest provides an opportunity to teach students about the transportation history in the state of Indiana as well as the Midwest. Students board a 1937 coach that rolls along the second oldest functioning railway in Indiana. Train tours are available Tuesday through Friday and include a tour of the museum.
You can spend nearly two hours and 20 miles round trip on board the French Lick Scenic Railway train. The journey starts in French Lick and travels through the Hoosier National Forest giving views of limestone rock formations along the way. Ride through the 2,200-foot Burton Tunnel during a weekend tour, which features an actual train robbery. Experience the thrill and excitement as your train is held up by cowboys on horseback before they are apprehended by local marshals. The first-class Spirit of Jasper dessert train spends one hour touring the hills of Indiana as you enjoy coffee and desserts.
