Fall-Pumpkin fun on the rails

This October, the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum is inviting families to trade their everyday routines for a scenic ride through the crisp rural landscape of northwest Indiana, where fall colors and pumpkin picking await.

The museum will run its popular Pumpkin Trains every Saturday in October from its depot in historic North Judson — a town that sits at the storied junction of four former railroads: the Erie, Chesapeake & Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York Central.

The diesel-powered excursions cover a 10-mile round trip out to the Kankakee River, lasting approximately 45 minutes. After the leisurely journey, passengers are dropped off at the Pumpkin Patch on the museum grounds, where kids and adults alike can play games and choose the perfect pumpkin for carving.

"It's a fun-filled ride through the countryside with a real mix of fall colors," museum organizers said.

Beyond the train ride, visitors can explore the admission-free museum, which houses a diorama of the four railroads that once converged in North Judson. The museum also boasts one of the largest collections of working railroad signals in the region, a restored World War II Pullman Troop Car, and an array of rolling stock, engines, and memorabilia from a bygone era of American railroading.

The Pumpkin Trains are scheduled every Saturday in October. Check the website for departure times and prices. Tickets are available online at www.hoosiervalley.org or by calling the depot on Saturdays at 574-896-3950. Many of the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum special trains sell out, so booking is recommended.  Passengers who purchase tickets online must pick them up at the ticket office before boarding. Arrive at least 30 minutes before departure.

The Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum is an all-volunteer, nonprofit educational organization dedicated to preserving railroad history in northwest Indiana. Through interpretive displays and its tourist railroad operations, the museum educates the public about the region's rich railroading heritage.

For additional information, visit www.hoosiervalley.org.