A holiday train tradition

BELLEVUE — All aboard for this year's Holiday Train. The Mad River & NKP Railroad Museum is giving train rides the next two weekends to celebrate the holiday season. The Holiday Train started in 2015 and it has grown and improved each year. It also serves as a fundraising event that helps support the museum, which is a nonprofit. According to museum vice president Dwayne Fuehring, families are always looking for a Christmas-themed event to enjoy, especially after the "Polar Express" movie — trains and Christmas have a connection. During the event, passengers receive a 10-minute train ride in one of the heated cabooses, followed by cookies and hot chocolate in a dining car and a visit with Santa Claus inside the Monument Station at the museum. "We offer an experience that a family with small children can enjoy without killing the whole day and without spending a fortune. We've tried to keep it affordable to attract as many families as possible," Fuehring said. "Our sponsors help in that regard as well by supporting the event to keep our ticket prices low." Sponsors for the event include Gilbert Heating, Cook & Associates, Gardner & Strayer Insurance Group, Beamer's Farm Service, Amsden House Restaurant and Hunter's Needs. Some changes have been made to the annual event to help improve the experience for passengers. "This year we were able to obtain and put into service an additional caboose bringing the total to three cabooses," Fuehring said. "We felt it was necessary to increase our capacity to meet the high demand we had last year. We also scheduled all of our trips and went to all online ticket sales." On Dec. 2, 3, 9 and 10, families can pick a time slot between noon and 5 p.m. for a train ride at the railroad museum, 253 Southwest St. in Bellevue. All tickets have to be purchased online because tickets won't be available at the event. Each rider must have a ticket regardless of age. Tickets are available at madrivermuseum.org/events. Last year, Fuehring said they had about 1,100 people ride the train in one day, which made for a long line. With the new format, the museum can accommodate 750 passengers a day. Fuehring hopes to increase the capacity in the future. "The online sales have really streamlined the process and has eliminated wait times to board the train," he said. The Holiday Train is run entirely by a volunteer staff. "Everyone here is giving their time to make the Holiday Train the best family experience possible," Fuehring said. "It's very rewarding to all of us when we can make children happy and families get a cherished holiday memory. That's the best compensation we can receive." The event had its first rides of the season this past weekend, and the days went smoothly, Fuehring said. The rain on Sunday didn't seem to dampen anyone's mood. "Between the capacity improvements and staggering the crowds throughout the day, the experience was better for everyone," he added. Want to go? What: Mad River & NKP Railroad Museum's Holiday Train When: Dec. 2, 3, 9 and 10 with time slots available between noon and 5 p.m. Where: The railroad museum at 253 Southwest St. in Bellevue Cost: Tickets must be purchased online at madrivermuseum.org/events