Charlie Russell Chew Choo in Lewistown, Montana
Heritage railroad with a museumTrain ridesDinner trains spring to fall; North Pole Adventure in the holiday season
Montana's dinner train has rolled out of the Hanover Boarding Station near Lewistown for more than 25 years, following an old Milwaukee Road spur on a 56-mile round trip over three tall trestles and through the half-mile Hoosac Tunnel.
- 56-mile round trip
- Three historic trestles
- Half-mile Hoosac Tunnel
- Former Milwaukee Road spur, 1912 to 1913
- Prime rib dinner and live music
- North Pole Adventure each holiday season
Charlie Russell Chew Choo at a glance
- Hours
- Scheduled trains only; boarding opens one hour before departure at the Hanover Boarding Station
- Admission
- 2026 dinner train: adults $151, children 13 and under $129; VIP $181 and $159
- Train rides
- Montana Dinner Train spring to fall; North Pole Adventure on 14 holiday trains; charters available
- Seasonal events
- Montana Dinner Train, North Pole Adventure, Harvest Dinner Train, Wandering Wizard Train, MT Cowboy Poetry Dinner Train, Chokecherry Festival Dinner Train
- Plan for
- About 5.5 hours for the dinner train with boarding; 1.5 hours for the North Pole Adventure
- Best for
- Couples, groups and families celebrating something special
- Best ages
- North Pole Adventure for ages 2 to 10; dinner train for older kids
- Parking
- At the Hanover Boarding Station, 10 miles northwest of Lewistown
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Contact and directions
- Address408 E Main St, Lewistown, MT 59457(opens in a new tab)
- Phone(406) 535-5436
- Emailcrcc@midrivers.com
- Websitemontanadinnertrain.com(opens in a new tab)
Follow Charlie Russell Chew Choo
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to Charlie Russell Chew Choo? Bring Rally along.
In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Lewistown.
Rally Takes the Train
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Grandmommy and Papa are at the last stop. Get the full hand-painted book, $13.99 on Amazon.
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Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.
Dinner on the old Milwaukee Road spur
The Charlie Russell Chew Choo follows the route of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad, better known as the Milwaukee Road. This stretch was a spur line built between 1912 and 1913 to connect Lewistown with Great Falls, carrying the railroad across the rolling ranch country at the geographic center of Montana. Lewistown began as a mining town and is now largely agricultural, and the line still crosses the same open land.
The dinner train began running more than 25 years ago, and the Lewistown Area Chamber of Commerce handles its reservations and group bookings. Over the years it has grown from a single dinner run into a season of experiences: general dinner trains, specialty trains such as the Montana Cowboy Poetry Dinner Train and the Chokecherry Festival Dinner Train, a Harvest Dinner Train, a Wandering Wizard Train and, at Christmas, the North Pole Adventure.
What sets the trip apart is the railroad itself. Old Milwaukee Road engineering carries the line over three historic trestles, including the Spring Creek Trestle just past the boarding site, and through the Hoosac Tunnel, about half a mile long. Riders often come as much for that ride across Big Sky Country, with its wildlife and long sunsets, as for the meal.
Four and a half hours across central Montana
Every trip starts at the Hanover Boarding Station, about 10 miles northwest of Lewistown, where you board an hour before departure. The Montana Dinner Train then runs four and a half hours in climate-controlled, non-smoking coaches. Along the 56-mile round trip you cross three trestles and pass through the Hoosac Tunnel while ranchland, mountains and prairie roll past the windows, and wildlife is often close to the tracks.
Dinner is a full course prime rib meal with dessert, plus a no-host cash bar and music from local entertainers. The western show is part of the evening: cowboys, saloon girls and train robbers stage a holdup with a live shootout and a getaway. VIP tickets add a T-shirt, priority boarding and a complimentary drink with dinner.
Don’t miss
- The Hoosac TunnelThe historic tunnel is about half a mile long, and riding through it in the dark is a highlight of the trip, especially for kids.
- The three trestlesThe train crosses three tall historic trestles on the old Milwaukee Road spur, with wide views over the prairie below.
- The Spring Creek TrestleWatch for it near the start: the boarding station sits just past this trestle.
- The train robberyCostumed train robbers stage a holdup and live shootout during the dinner run, then make their getaway.
- The North Pole AdventureA shorter holiday trip with Christmas stories, snacks and a visit to the North Pole, made for families with young kids.
Best at Christmas for the little ones
The four and a half hour dinner train is long for small children, though child tickets for ages 13 and under are offered and the tunnel and the train robbery tend to hold kids' attention. For younger riders, the North Pole Adventure is the better fit: an hour and a half of Christmas stories, snacks and a trip to the North Pole.
Allow time for the 20 to 25 minute drive from Main Street in Lewistown to the boarding station, and plan to arrive an hour before departure so no one is rushed.
Plan your visit: tips for Charlie Russell Chew Choo
- Book early: every 2026 dinner train sold out.
- Drive north on Highway 191 for 3 miles, then left on Highway 426 for 8 miles and watch for signs.
- A 21-day cancellation policy applies, with a $10 processing fee.
- Call (406) 535-5436 for group rates or to charter the train.
From late fall, the train turns into the North Pole Adventure, an hour and a half trip with Christmas stories, snacks and a visit to the North Pole. It runs on fourteen trains during the holiday season, and tickets go fast in a town this size, so watch the train's website and Facebook page for the release. For more holiday rides around the state, see our guide to Christmas train rides in Montana.
Run with the Lewistown Area Chamber
Reservations and group bookings go through the Lewistown Area Chamber of Commerce, whose offices are at 408 East Main Street, and local entertainers and costumed performers supply the music and the western show on board. The best way to support the train is to ride it, book a charter for a reunion or company event, and share the trip with friends.
Other rail stops in central Montana
The Central Montana Rail and Judith Basin railroad heritage exhibits are about 38 miles away. The Montana Museum of Railroad History in Great Falls, about 93 miles west, is free and fills in the bigger story of Montana's railroads. You can find the rest on our page of train museums across Montana.
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
Half a mile of tunnel is a long time to sit in the dark if you're small. In our book, Rally rides through a tunnel too, and the whole car goes black before a big bright light and happy cheers. I wrote it the way my mom told it to me, and I think about kids on the North Pole train here holding their breath for that same moment of light. Our story is on our story page.
Free for train families
Print the Rally coloring pages before you go
Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.
Get the free coloring pages
A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)More for train families
- Train museums in Montana: every museum by town, with a map
- Train museums in every state: search by town or near you
- Christmas train rides in Montana
- Halloween train rides in Montana
- Every Amtrak route with kids
Work or volunteer at Charlie Russell Chew Choo?
We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.
Sources
- Charlie Russell Chew Choo official website(opens in a new tab)
- Charlie Russell Chew Choo on Facebook(opens in a new tab)
Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.
Charlie Russell Chew Choo: 20 questions before you board
What is the Charlie Russell Chew Choo?
The Charlie Russell Chew Choo is Montana's dinner train, running out of the Hanover Boarding Station near Lewistown. Its 56-mile round trip crosses three historic trestles and passes through the Hoosac Tunnel on a former Milwaukee Road spur. It has operated for more than 25 years and also runs a holiday North Pole Adventure.
How much are Charlie Russell Chew Choo dinner train tickets?
As of October 2026, regular 2026 dinner train tickets are $151 for adults 14 and over and $129 for children 13 and under. VIP tickets are $181 for adults and $159 for children and add a T-shirt, priority boarding and a complimentary drink with dinner. Prices for the next season may change.
How do I buy Charlie Russell Chew Choo tickets?
Tickets are sold through the train's website, montanadinnertrain.com, and you can call the train director at (406) 535-5436 or email crcc@midrivers.com for reservations. As of October 2026, every 2026 dinner train date was listed as sold out, so watch for the next season's release and book early.
Are Charlie Russell Chew Choo tickets still for sale this year?
As of October 2026, all eight listed 2026 dinner and specialty train dates from July through October are marked sold out. North Pole Adventure tickets for the holiday season are sold separately, on fourteen trains. Check the website or call (406) 535-5436 to ask about remaining holiday seats or the next year's dates.
What is included on the Charlie Russell Chew Choo dinner train?
The Montana Dinner Train is a four and a half hour ride with a full course prime rib dinner, dessert, a no-host cash bar and music by local entertainers. You ride in climate-controlled, non-smoking coaches, and costumed cowboys, saloon girls and train robbers put on a western show with a live shootout.
Is there a Charlie Russell Chew Choo menu with prices?
The dinner is included in your ticket, so there is no separate menu to order from. The train serves a full course prime rib dinner with dessert. Drinks come from a no-host cash bar, which means you pay for them on board; the train does not post bar prices online, so bring a card or cash.
What is the Charlie Russell Chew Choo route?
The train follows the route of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad on a spur built from 1912 to 1913 to connect Lewistown with Great Falls. The 56-mile round trip runs through central Montana ranchland, over three trestles including Spring Creek, and through the half-mile Hoosac Tunnel.
Where does the Charlie Russell Chew Choo board?
All trains board at the Hanover Boarding Station, about 10 miles northwest of Lewistown and 20 to 25 minutes from Main Street, just past the Spring Creek Trestle. Drive north on Highway 191 for 3 miles, turn left on Highway 426 for 8 miles, and watch for signs. Boarding begins one hour before departure.
Does the Charlie Russell Chew Choo have a North Pole train?
Yes. The North Pole Adventure is an hour and a half trip with Christmas stories, snacks and a trip to the North Pole. Tickets are offered on fourteen trains during the holiday season. Check montanadinnertrain.com or call (406) 535-5436 for current dates and prices.
Is the Charlie Russell Chew Choo a Polar Express train?
The Charlie Russell Chew Choo's holiday ride is called the North Pole Adventure rather than the Polar Express. It is a family trip of about an hour and a half with Christmas stories, snacks and a visit to the North Pole, running on fourteen trains each holiday season. Book through the train's website.
What do people say about the Charlie Russell Chew Choo?
Visitors and local tourism groups tend to praise the scenery, the tunnel and trestles, and the dinner. The Central Montana tourism listing calls its prime rib the best full course prime rib dinner east of the Rockies and notes that wildlife is often close at hand. Read recent reviews on travel sites before you book.
Where can I see photos of the Charlie Russell Chew Choo?
The train's Facebook page and its website show the coaches, the trestles and the scenery along the route. Central Montana tourism listings also share images of the ride. If you ride, watch for the Spring Creek Trestle near the start and the Hoosac Tunnel for the classic photos.
How long is the Charlie Russell Chew Choo ride?
The Montana Dinner Train lasts about four and a half hours, plus an hour of boarding beforehand, so plan for most of an afternoon and evening. The North Pole Adventure is much shorter at about an hour and a half, which suits young children better.
Is the Charlie Russell Chew Choo good for kids?
Older kids usually enjoy the tunnel, the trestles and the train robbery, and child tickets cover ages 13 and under. The dinner train runs four and a half hours, though, which is long for toddlers. For little ones, the North Pole Adventure at about an hour and a half is the easier choice.
What specialty trains does the Charlie Russell Chew Choo run?
Besides general dinner trains, the Chew Choo runs specialty trips such as the MT Cowboy Poetry Dinner Train and the Chokecherry Festival Dinner Train, plus a Harvest Dinner Train, a Wandering Wizard Train and the holiday North Pole Adventure. Each has its own page on the train's website with dates.
Can you charter the Charlie Russell Chew Choo?
Yes. The train can be chartered for special events such as reunions, company outings or celebrations. Group rates are also available on scheduled trains. Contact the Lewistown Area Chamber of Commerce at (406) 535-5436 or crcc@midrivers.com to ask about dates and pricing.
What is the Charlie Russell Chew Choo cancellation policy?
A 21-day cancellation, no-show, no-refund policy applies, and it includes a $10 processing fee. In practice, that means you should cancel more than 21 days before your train if your plans change. Call (406) 535-5436 with any questions about a booking.
What time does the Charlie Russell Chew Choo leave?
Departure times change through the season. In 2026, summer trains departed between 4:30 pm and 5:30 pm, and fall and specialty trains as early as 2:30 pm, with boarding one hour before each departure. Check your ticket and leave 20 to 25 minutes to drive from Lewistown.
How long is the Hoosac Tunnel on the Charlie Russell Chew Choo?
The Hoosac Tunnel is about half a mile long, and the train runs through it on every trip. Together with the three historic trestles, it is one of the engineering highlights of the old Milwaukee Road spur that the Chew Choo follows.
What train museums are near the Charlie Russell Chew Choo?
The Central Montana Rail and Judith Basin railroad heritage exhibits are about 38 miles away, the Montana Museum of Railroad History in Great Falls about 93 miles, and the Livingston Depot Center about 111 miles. The Great Falls museum is free, which makes it an easy add-on.
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