Kansas Belle Dinner Train in Baldwin City, Kansas

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Baldwin City, Kansas · Updated October 19, 2026 · 9 min read

Heritage railroad with a museumDid not return after the 2020 season

For years the Kansas Belle Dinner Train gave Baldwin City an evening out in the style of the 1940s, with dinner served in vintage cars on the Midland Railway's historic line.

  • Midland Railway's dinner train
  • 1940s-style dining in vintage cars
  • Ran year-round in Baldwin City
  • Ended after the 2020 season

Kansas Belle Dinner Train at a glance

Hours
No longer operating
Admission
Not applicable; the dinner train ended after 2020
Best for
History of Kansas dinner trains

Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Kansas Belle Dinner Train? 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 Baldwin City.

Page 1 of 8

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

Like it so far? See the full book

25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from 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 Midland, and the last call in 2020

The Kansas Belle was the dinner train of the Midland Railway, the volunteer-built heritage line on former Santa Fe track out of Baldwin City. It promised the mystique of train travel with elegant dining reminiscent of the 1940s, and it ran year-round, so couples, families and groups could book a meal on the rails in any season. Guests remember meals made from fresh local ingredients, attentive service and the slow, scenic roll through the countryside.

The Kansas Belle did not return after its 2020 season, and it is no longer operating. Its Facebook page, followed by more than 13,000 people, remains a record of the trips and the people who made them. For a dinner on a train in Kansas today, the Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad runs the Smoky Valley Limited dinner trains.

What a Kansas Belle evening was like

Passengers boarded vintage cars in Baldwin City for a meal served on board as the train rolled along the Midland Railway's line. The atmosphere aimed for the elegance of 1940s rail dining, and the train ran year-round.

Where families can ride instead

The Kansas Belle no longer runs. Families looking for a train ride with kids can try the Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad's Pumpkin Harvest Express and Cowtown Santa Express, or check whether the Midland Railway is running excursions in Baldwin City.

Plan your visit: tips for Kansas Belle Dinner Train

  • Do not book through old listings; the train no longer runs.
  • For a Kansas dinner train today, look at the Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad's Smoky Valley Limited.
  • Ask locally whether the Midland Railway runs excursions from Baldwin City.

The Kansas Belle no longer runs holiday dinners, but other Kansas railroads still offer seasonal trips. See our guide to Christmas train rides in Kansas for current options.

Part of the Midland Railway family

The Kansas Belle operated on the Midland Railway, whose nonprofit historical association restores equipment and runs the line. Anyone who wants to help preserve rail history in Baldwin City can start with the Midland Railway Historical Association.

Rail stops near Baldwin City

The Midland Railway Historical Association, which ran the line the Kansas Belle used, is in Baldwin City too. The Old Depot Museum in Ottawa is about 12 miles away and the Historic Santa Fe Depot in Lawrence about 14 miles. Find more in our list of Kansas rail museums.

Every train museum in Kansas

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of Rally the corgi dreaming about his toy turtle, green bone and yellow ball
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

A fancy dinner on a train sounds like the kind of trip you would pack carefully for. In our book, Rally packs his own suitcase with his turtle toy, his green bone and his yellow ball, the things that matter most to a corgi. I like to think every Kansas Belle passenger brought along their own favorite little comforts for the ride. Rally and his suitcase are waiting on our coloring pages.

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
Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

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

Work or volunteer at Kansas Belle Dinner Train?

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

Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.

Kansas Belle Dinner Train: 20 questions answered

Is the Kansas Belle Dinner Train still running?

No. The Kansas Belle Dinner Train in Baldwin City did not return after the 2020 season and is no longer operating. Older listings and directory pages may still show it, but there are no current trips to book. For a dinner train in Kansas, look at the Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad's Smoky Valley Limited.

What is the Kansas Belle Dinner Train schedule?

There is no current schedule, because the Kansas Belle ended after the 2020 season. When it ran, it offered year-round dining trips out of Baldwin City. If you are looking for a dinner train schedule today, the Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad posts dinner train dates on its website.

Can I buy Kansas Belle Dinner Train tickets?

No. The Kansas Belle is no longer operating, so tickets are not available. Be cautious of old listings that still appear online. As of October 2026, the Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad sells dinner train tickets from $72 to $110 for trips out of Abilene.

What was the Kansas Belle Dinner Train?

The Kansas Belle was a dinner train in Baldwin City, Kansas, that ran on the Midland Railway. It offered elegant year-round dining in vintage cars, styled to recall the mystique of 1940s train travel, with meals made from fresh local ingredients served as the train traveled the line.

Where was the Kansas Belle Dinner Train in Baldwin City?

The Kansas Belle operated in Baldwin City, Kansas, on the Midland Railway line. Directory listings give 1515 High Street, Baldwin City, KS 66006, the same address listed for the Midland Railway Historical Association. Another listing used 215 Highway 56. The train is no longer running.

When did the Kansas Belle Dinner Train close?

The Kansas Belle did not return after the 2020 season. Its Facebook page remains online with more than 13,000 followers, but no trips have been offered since. The Midland Railway, which hosted the train, is a separate historical association in Baldwin City.

Who operated the Kansas Belle Dinner Train?

The Kansas Belle was the Midland Railway's dinner train. The Midland is a heritage railroad on former Santa Fe track between Baldwin City and Ottawa, operated by the nonprofit Midland Railway Historical Association, which restores railroad equipment and runs excursion trains.

What did a Kansas Belle dinner include?

Guests described meals made from fresh local ingredients, served with attentive service in vintage dining cars as the train rolled through the countryside. The atmosphere was designed to feel like 1940s rail travel. Menus varied over the years and are no longer offered, since the train ended after 2020.

Is there another dinner train in Kansas?

Yes. The Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad runs the Smoky Valley Limited dinner trains out of Abilene, featuring Kansas home cooking from area restaurants. As of October 2026, dinner trains run on select dates through December 31, with prices from $72 to $110. Check its website for dates.

Was the Kansas Belle good for families with kids?

The Kansas Belle was built around a sit-down dining experience rather than kid activities. Since it no longer runs, families now look to other trains, such as the Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad's Pumpkin Harvest Express and Cowtown Santa Express, which are designed with children in mind.

Did the Kansas Belle run Christmas dinner trains?

The Kansas Belle ran year-round, so it served guests through the holiday season. It no longer operates. For Christmas trains in Kansas today, the Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad runs the Cowtown Santa Express and offers group holiday dinner trains with catering.

Did the Kansas Belle offer murder mystery dinners?

The Kansas Belle no longer runs, so no murder mystery trips are available on it. Murder mystery and themed dinner trains still run elsewhere in Kansas. Check current Kansas dinner train listings for show nights and dates. Read the date on any listing to be sure the trip is current.

Can I still ride the Midland Railway in Baldwin City?

The Midland Railway has run excursion trains from Baldwin City, including festival trains and haunted rides, but it does not post a current schedule online. Confirm whether it is operating before planning a trip around it. Local news or Baldwin City visitor information may have the latest word.

Where can I see photos of the Kansas Belle Dinner Train?

The Kansas Belle's Facebook page is the best remaining collection of photos from its trips, posted by the operators and passengers over the years. It is followed by more than 13,000 people and shows the dining cars and evening runs.

Can I book a private Kansas Belle charter?

No. The Kansas Belle no longer operates, so private charters are not available. The Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad offers charters for weddings, reunions, birthdays and company events, along with group holiday trains seating 24 to 160 guests. Charters there should be booked well ahead of your event date.

Are the Kansas Belle dining cars on display anywhere?

Where the Kansas Belle's cars are today is not posted online. Ask the Midland Railway Historical Association in Baldwin City whether any of the equipment remains on the line or can be seen by the public. Please stay off railroad property unless you have permission.

Why do I still see Kansas Belle listings online?

Directory and map sites often keep business listings long after an operation ends. The Kansas Belle did not return after 2020, so any listing showing hours or ticket links is out of date. Check the date on any page before relying on it.

What is there to do in Baldwin City for train fans?

Baldwin City is home to the Midland Railway, a heritage line on former Santa Fe track toward Ottawa. Ottawa's Old Depot Museum is about 12 miles away and Lawrence's Historic Santa Fe Depot about 14 miles, so a rail-themed day trip is still possible.

How can I help preserve rail history in Baldwin City?

The Midland Railway Historical Association is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) that restores historic railroad equipment and operates the line the Kansas Belle used. Membership is the usual way to get involved; check its website for the current membership form. Members help restore equipment and keep the line's history alive.

What train museums are near Baldwin City, Kansas?

The Old Depot Museum in Ottawa is about 12 miles away and the Historic Santa Fe Depot in Lawrence about 14 miles. The Kansas Museum of History in Topeka is about 32 miles, and the Belton, Grandview and Kansas City Railroad in Missouri is about 35 miles from Baldwin City.

Keep exploring

More family train guides from Rally

Kelsey Cecil
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