Idaho Northern and Pacific Railroad in Southwestern Idaho, Idaho
Rail preservation groupFreight short line; no public museum or visiting hours posted
The Idaho Northern and Pacific Railroad (reporting mark INPR) keeps about 120 miles of old Union Pacific branch lines working in southwestern Idaho and eastern Oregon, on a route whose roots go back to an 1897 gold rush railroad.
- Reporting mark INPR
- About 120 miles of track
- Former Union Pacific branch lines
- Ran the Thunder Mountain Line
Idaho Northern and Pacific Railroad at a glance
- Hours
- No public visiting hours
- Admission
- Not applicable; no public museum
- Best for
- Rail historians and fans of Idaho short lines
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Contact and directions
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to Idaho Northern and Pacific Railroad? 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 Southwestern Idaho.
Rally Takes the Train
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A short line on old Union Pacific branches
The Idaho Northern and Pacific Railroad is a small freight railroad in southwestern Idaho and eastern Oregon. It owns about 120 miles of track that once belonged to the Union Pacific as branch lines, and it is a subsidiary of the Rio Grande Pacific Corporation, based in Fort Worth, Texas.
Part of its route along the Payette River traces back to the Idaho Northern, incorporated in 1897 to reach the gold country of the Thunder Mountain Mining District, with track reaching Emmett in 1902. Starting in 2001, INPR took over full operation of the Thunder Mountain Line passenger excursions out of Horseshoe Bend, adding themed trains and the rentable INPR 047 caboose. That excursion service has since been reported permanently closed. The railroad does not operate a public museum or post visiting hours for any collection.
Where to see this railroad's history
There is no INPR museum to tour. The best ways to connect with the story are the restored Boise Depot nearby, the Thunder Mountain Line's archived photos and history pages, and the Digital Library of Idaho, which keeps online railroad collections and an Idaho railroad visual history.
Don’t miss
- INPR 047 cabooseThe railroad's caboose was rented out for birthday parties on the Thunder Mountain Line.
- Digital Library of Idaho railroad collectionsOnline collections cover Idaho railroads and street cars and can be browsed from home.
Seeing trains with kids in the area
There is nothing to visit at INPR itself, and working freight tracks are never a place to play. Families with train fans will do better at the Boise Depot, about 5 miles away, or with a ride on the Silverwood steam engine train in north Idaho.
Plan your visit: tips for Idaho Northern and Pacific Railroad
- Stay off active rail lines and railroad property.
- Visit the Boise Depot for a public rail history stop nearby.
- Browse the Digital Library of Idaho for historic railroad images.
Who runs it
INPR is a working freight railroad owned by the Rio Grande Pacific Corporation of Fort Worth, Texas, not a volunteer museum. Its crews keep former Union Pacific branch lines in service, and for several seasons its staff also ran the Thunder Mountain Line passenger trains.
Public rail stops in the Boise area
The Boise Depot is about 5 miles away, and the story of INPR's passenger trains is on our Thunder Mountain Line page. The Sumpter Valley Railroad in Oregon, about 126 miles off, still runs historic trains. Browse Idaho's train museums for more.
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
Freight lines like this one are not built with little passengers in mind, and neither are big train steps. In our book, Rally's short corgi legs cannot reach the top stair, so Dad gives him a boost. My kids still laugh at that page as they sound out the words. If you have a reader at home, our list of train books for toddlers is a good place to start.
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
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- Christmas train rides in Idaho
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- Every Amtrak route with kids
Work or volunteer at Idaho Northern and Pacific Railroad?
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.
Idaho Northern and Pacific Railroad: 20 questions answered
What is the Idaho Northern and Pacific Railroad?
The Idaho Northern and Pacific Railroad, reporting mark INPR, is a small freight railroad in southwestern Idaho and eastern Oregon. It owns about 120 miles of former Union Pacific branch lines and is a subsidiary of the Rio Grande Pacific Corporation of Fort Worth, Texas.
Is there an Idaho Northern and Pacific Railroad museum?
No public INPR museum or visiting hours are posted. The railroad is a working freight line, not a museum. To see Idaho rail history in person nearby, visit the Boise Depot, and for photos, browse the Digital Library of Idaho's railroad collections online.
Can the public visit the Idaho Northern and Pacific collections?
There is no posted public program for viewing INPR equipment or records. The railroad does not list tours, open houses or an archive reading room. Rail fans interested in its history can start with the archived Thunder Mountain Line pages and the Digital Library of Idaho.
What does INPR stand for?
INPR is the reporting mark of the Idaho Northern and Pacific Railroad. Reporting marks are the letter codes painted on rail equipment so railroads can identify who owns each car, which is why you may see INPR on cars such as the INPR 047 caboose.
Who owns the Idaho Northern and Pacific Railroad?
The Idaho Northern and Pacific is a subsidiary of the Rio Grande Pacific Corporation, which is based in Fort Worth, Texas. The parent company's staff also handled operations for the Thunder Mountain Line passenger trains when INPR ran them.
Where does the Idaho Northern and Pacific Railroad run?
INPR operates in southwestern Idaho and eastern Oregon on about 120 miles of track that were once Union Pacific branch lines. Part of its territory follows the Payette River near Horseshoe Bend, where the Thunder Mountain Line excursions once ran.
Did the Idaho Northern and Pacific run the Thunder Mountain Line?
Yes. After another company marketed and ran the Thunder Mountain Line from 1998 to 2000, INPR took over full operations for the 2001 season. It extended service to Horseshoe Bend and added more themed train rides, including dinner, pumpkin and Santa trains.
Is the Thunder Mountain Line still running?
No, by current reports. Rail travel guides updated in August 2026 describe the Thunder Mountain Line as permanently closed. Families looking for a train ride in Idaho can try the Silverwood Theme Park steam engine train in Athol instead.
How old is the Idaho Northern line?
The original Idaho Northern was incorporated on December 18, 1897 by Colonel W. Dewey to serve the gold camps of the Thunder Mountain Mining District, and its track reached Emmett on March 29, 1902. Today's INPR operates on branch lines with that long history.
Can you ride a train on the Idaho Northern and Pacific?
Not at present. INPR is a freight railroad, and its passenger excursion service, the Thunder Mountain Line, has been reported permanently closed. No public passenger trips are posted on its lines, so families who want a ride should look at other Idaho options such as Silverwood.
Can kids see trains on the Idaho Northern and Pacific?
There is no public viewing area or family program posted. Never let children play on or near active tracks. For a kid-friendly railroad outing in the area, the Boise Depot is about 5 miles away, and Silverwood in north Idaho offers a steam train ride.
What was the INPR 047 caboose?
INPR 047 is a caboose that the railroad rented out on the Thunder Mountain Line for birthday parties and family outings of up to ten people. It carried the railroad's own reporting mark, which made it a fun keepsake for young rail fans.
Where can I find historic photos of Idaho railroads?
The Digital Library of Idaho has railroad collections online, including an Idaho railroad visual history and street car material. The Thunder Mountain Line's archived website also keeps photo and history pages about the Payette River line.
What other railroads built lines in Idaho?
The Digital Library of Idaho notes that the Utah and Northern Railway, a Union Pacific affiliate founded in 1878, built through the Fort Hall Reservation that year. Idaho's surviving depots also tell the story, including the Union Pacific depot in Boise and the Northern Pacific depot in Wallace.
Does the Idaho Northern and Pacific offer tours?
No tours are posted. INPR does not list group visits, shop tours or open houses. If you are researching the railroad for a school project or book, the Digital Library of Idaho and the Thunder Mountain Line history pages are the most accessible public starting points.
Can I volunteer with the Idaho Northern and Pacific Railroad?
INPR is a commercial freight railroad, and no volunteer program is posted. If you want hands-on railroad preservation work, consider a volunteer museum or heritage railroad, such as the Sumpter Valley Railroad in eastern Oregon.
Is the Idaho Northern and Pacific a Union Pacific railroad?
Not today. Its track once belonged to the Union Pacific as branch lines, and the original Idaho Northern was thought to be in the Union Pacific camp in the 1890s. INPR is now owned by the Rio Grande Pacific Corporation.
Is there a Christmas train on the Idaho Northern and Pacific?
Not currently. When INPR ran the Thunder Mountain Line, December brought a Santa Express and Dinner with Santa on the Montour Route, but that service is reported closed. Check Idaho Christmas train listings for current holiday rides.
How can I contact the Idaho Northern and Pacific Railroad?
INPR does not post visitor contact details for a museum or collection. For general rail history questions, the Boise Depot and Idaho's other depot museums are more practical contacts, and the Digital Library of Idaho can help with historic images.
What train museums are near the Idaho Northern and Pacific?
The Boise Depot is about 5 miles from the railroad's southwestern Idaho base, and the Thunder Mountain Line's old Horseshoe Bend depot is about 9 miles away. The Sumpter Valley Railroad in eastern Oregon, about 126 miles off, still runs historic trains.
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