Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad in Trego, Wisconsin
Heritage railroad with a museumTrain ridesTrains run Tuesday to Saturday through Christmas 2026
The Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad is a family-run excursion line in Trego that has spent nearly 30 years carrying guests through farm fields, deep woods and along the Namekagon River in restored passenger cars, including what it calls America's only moving bed and breakfast train.
- Founded April 1, 1997
- Family Pizza Train from $34
- Overnight bed and breakfast train
- Bean Creek Trestle stop
- 1935 Mark Twain Zephyr, rides 2027
- Named in USA Today 10 Best
Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad at a glance
- Hours
- Trains run Tuesday to Saturday through Christmas; departure times vary by train, so book online
- Admission
- Sightseeing train from $22; Family Pizza Train $42 ages 13+ and $34 ages 2 to 12; dinner train $105 per person; bed and breakfast $499 per couple
- Train rides
- Two-hour sightseeing and pizza trains, 2.5-hour dinner trains and overnight bed and breakfast trains along the Namekagon River
- Seasonal events
- Santa Pizza Train, Holiday Wine Train, Sweetheart Express Dinner Train, Spring BBQ Dinner Train, Sweetheart Bed and Breakfast
- Plan for
- About 2 to 2.5 hours, or overnight
- Best for
- Families on the pizza train and couples on dinner or overnight trains
- Best ages
- Ages 2 and up
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Contact and directions
- AddressN6639 Dilly Lake Road, Trego, WI 54888(opens in a new tab)
- Phone(715) 635-3200
- Emailinfo@spoonertrainride.com
- Websitespoonertrainride.com(opens in a new tab)
Follow Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to Wisconsin Great Northern 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 Trego.
Rally Takes the Train
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A Mom and Pop railroad on old Chicago and North Western rails
The Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad was founded on April 1, 1997, and operates from Trego, Wisconsin, on old Chicago and North Western track laid more than a century ago. Travel Wisconsin describes the excursion route as a 15-mile stretch between Spooner and Springbrook, while Wikipedia counts 26 miles of track between Spooner and Hayward, with passenger trains stopping at Springbrook.
The railroad calls itself a Mom and Pop operation looking toward the next generation, and its thank-you notes are signed by Greg, Mardell and Alexander. Over nearly three decades the family has built a lineup that goes well beyond a simple ride: a dinner train with private dining, a Santa Pizza Train with a visit to Santa's private car, and an overnight bed and breakfast train that it says is the only one on a moving train anywhere. When USA Today readers voted on the 10 best scenic train rides, the railroad finished just behind three steam narrow gauge mountain lines, and it called itself humbled to make the list.
Its biggest project is the Mark Twain Zephyr, a 1935 stainless steel streamliner built by the Budd Company for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy. Christened in Hannibal, Missouri on October 25, 1935 for the 100th anniversary of Mark Twain's birth, it ran for 23 years before retiring in 1958, then passed through seven owners and was stripped and vandalized before reaching Wisconsin in 2020. A rebuild once thought out of reach is under way, with rides planned for 2027.
Namekagon River views from golden era cars
Every ride boards restored passenger cars from the golden era of train travel and heads through farm fields and deep Northwoods forest along the Namekagon River, part of the St. Croix National Park System, with views the railroad says you cannot reach any other way. The two-hour sightseeing and pizza trips stop at the Bean Creek Trestle, and the dinner train stretches to about two and a half hours.
Food is a big part of the experience. Pizza is baked fresh in the onboard dining car kitchen, the dinner train serves a multi-course meal, and wine and cheese trains feature Wisconsin products. Guests on the bed and breakfast train spend the night aboard. The Mark Twain Zephyr's renovated cars, including the observation car Tom Sawyer, the dining car Huckleberry Finn and the tavern lounge Effie Dean, once part of the Pioneer Zephyr, are being prepared to carry riders, with an onboard theater telling the Zephyr story.
Don’t miss
- The Family Pizza TrainThe railroad's most popular family ride: a personal pizza baked on board, a first soda or water, and a stop at the Bean Creek Trestle.
- The Bed and Breakfast TrainAn overnight stay aboard a restored train, which the railroad describes as the only moving bed and breakfast train in America.
- The Mark Twain ZephyrThe fourth of nine Budd-built Burlington Zephyrs, christened in Hannibal in 1935. The railroad says it will be the only shovel nose streamliner you can ride, starting in 2027.
- Bean Creek TrestleA stop on the two-hour family trips, and a good moment to look down at the Northwoods from the train.
- Effie Dean tavern loungeA former buffet coach from the Pioneer Zephyr, reborn as a lounge car for the Zephyr train set.
Pizza on the rails and a Northwoods trestle
For families, the Family Pizza Train is the one to book. Kids choose pepperoni, sausage or cheese pizza baked right in the dining car, and the two-hour trip covers fields, woods, river views and a stop on the Bean Creek Trestle. Children 2 to 12 ride for less, and the sightseeing train is a cheaper option for families who would rather pack snacks.
At the holidays, the Santa Pizza Train adds a visit to Santa's private car. Dinner, wine and cheese, and bed and breakfast trains are aimed at couples, and several wine trains are for guests 21 and older, so check the age details before booking with kids.
Plan your visit: tips for Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad
- Book online ahead of time; themed trains like the Sweetheart Express sell out.
- The Pizza Train includes your first soda or water; more drinks are sold at the bar.
- Wine and Holiday Wine trains are for ages 21 and up.
- The Holiday Wine Train runs November 13 to December 20, 2026, with 2- and 4-person tables.
Holiday season brings the Santa Pizza Train, which the railroad says is the only one with a visit to Santa's private car, and the adults-only Holiday Wine Train through the snowy Northwoods from November 13 to December 20, 2026. In February the Sweetheart Express turns the dinner train into a month-long Valentine's celebration. For more holiday rides around the state, see our list of Christmas train rides in Wisconsin.
The family behind the Northwoods train
This is a privately run, family-owned railroad rather than a nonprofit museum, guided by Greg, Mardell and Alexander, who sign the railroad's notes to riders. The best way to support it is to ride: book a pizza, dinner or overnight train, and follow the railroad on Facebook for news about the Mark Twain Zephyr rebuild and its 2027 debut.
Other rail stops in the North Country
The Osceola & St. Croix Valley Railway is about 57 miles southwest, and the Historic Soo Line Depot in Ashland is about 67 miles northeast. Across the line in Duluth, about 64 miles away, the Lake Superior Railroad Museum makes a fine add-on. See every Wisconsin train museum for more ideas.
- Ironhorse Central Railroad MuseumChisago City, MN · about 62 mi
- Lake Superior Railroad MuseumDuluth, MN · about 64 mi
- North Shore Scenic RailroadDuluth, MN · about 64 mi
- Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range Railway historic collectionDuluth, MN · about 64 mi
- Historic Soo Line DepotAshland, WI · about 67 mi
- Minnesota Transportation MuseumSt. Paul, MN · about 88 mi
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
An overnight train is the kind of trip that needs a real suitcase, and here guests actually sleep on board. In our book, Rally packs his own bag before he rides: his turtle toy, his green bone and his yellow ball, the things that make anywhere feel like home. My mom loved that detail when she first told me the story. You can read how her idea became our book 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 Wisconsin: every museum by town, with a map
- Train museums in every state: search by town or near you
- Christmas train rides in Wisconsin
- Halloween train rides in Wisconsin
- Every Amtrak route with kids
Work or volunteer at Wisconsin Great Northern 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.
Sources
- Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad official website(opens in a new tab)
- Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad on Facebook(opens in a new tab)
- Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad on Tripadvisor(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.
Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad: 20 questions riders ask
Where is the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad?
The railroad is based at N6639 Dilly Lake Road, Trego, Wisconsin 54888, just outside Spooner in the state's northwest Northwoods. Its excursions run on old Chicago and North Western track toward Springbrook. Call (715) 635-3200 or email info@spoonertrainride.com if you need directions to the boarding area.
What is the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad route?
Trains run on former Chicago and North Western track through farm fields and deep woods along the Namekagon River. Travel Wisconsin describes a 15-mile stretch between Spooner and Springbrook, and Wikipedia says the railroad has 26 miles of track between Spooner and Hayward with passenger stops at Springbrook. The family rides stop at the Bean Creek Trestle.
Is there a Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad route map?
The railroad's website does not show a detailed route map, though its contact page links to a Google Map of the Trego location. The line follows the Namekagon River, part of the St. Croix National Park System, between the Spooner and Springbrook areas. Ask the railroad at (715) 635-3200 for route details.
How much are Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad tickets?
As of October 2026, the sightseeing train starts at $22, the Family Pizza Train is $42 for ages 13 and up and $34 for ages 2 to 12, wine and cheese trains are $75 per person, the dinner train is $105 per person and the bed and breakfast train is $499 per couple. Book online at spoonertrainride.com.
Does the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad offer ticket discounts?
The railroad's website does not advertise discount codes or reduced fares, other than lower child prices on the Family Pizza Train. The sightseeing train, from $22, is the least expensive way to ride. Follow the railroad's Facebook page or call (715) 635-3200 to ask about any current offers.
What is the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad schedule?
As of October 2026, the railroad says trains run Tuesday through Saturday through Christmas. Dinner trains are scheduled from May 5 to December 17, 2026, and bed and breakfast trains to December 20. Holiday Wine Train times are Friday at 5 pm, Saturday at 11 am, 2 and 5 pm, and Sunday at 11 am and 2 pm.
What is the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad Pizza Train?
The Family Pizza Train is the railroad's most popular family ride. Guests choose a pepperoni, sausage or cheese personal pizza baked fresh in the dining car, with a first soda or bottled water included. The two-hour trip passes farm fields, woods and the Namekagon River and stops at the Bean Creek Trestle.
What is the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad dinner train like?
The dinner train is a two-and-a-half-hour trip with a multi-course meal served as the train glides through farm fields, deep woods and along the Namekagon River. As of October 2026 it costs $105 per person. The railroad says it offers the only dinner train with private dining, and it is its most popular ride.
What is the Wisconsin Great Northern bed and breakfast train?
It is an overnight stay aboard a restored train, which the railroad calls America's only moving bed and breakfast train. Guests enjoy an evening scenic ride and spend the night on the historic car. As of October 2026 it costs $499 per couple and runs through December 20, with Sweetheart and Spring BBQ versions earlier in the year.
Does the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad have a Christmas train?
Yes. The Santa Pizza Train includes a visit to Santa's private car, which the railroad says no other train offers. For adults, the Holiday Wine Train runs November 13 to December 20, 2026, with holiday wine and hors d'oeuvres at $75 per person. Book holiday rides early on spoonertrainride.com.
Is the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad a good excursion train for kids?
Yes, on the right trains. The Family Pizza Train and the sightseeing train are both two hours and built for families, with children 2 to 12 paying less on the pizza train. Kids can watch the woods and river and stop on the Bean Creek Trestle. Wine trains are 21 and up, and dinner trains are aimed at couples.
What sightseeing tours does the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad offer?
The Sightseeing Train Ride is a two-hour trip aboard a historic train from the golden era of passenger travel, through the Northwoods and alongside the Namekagon River, from a vantage point the railroad says is not accessible any other way. As of October 2026 fares start at $22, making it the simplest ride for families.
What is the Mark Twain Zephyr at the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad?
The Mark Twain Zephyr is a 1935 art deco stainless steel streamliner, the fourth of nine Zephyrs built by Budd for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy. It was christened in Hannibal, Missouri, ran until 1958 and arrived in Wisconsin in 2020 after seven owners. The railroad plans to carry riders on it starting in 2027.
What equipment is on the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad roster?
The railroad's website does not publish a full equipment roster. It runs restored passenger cars from the golden era of train travel, including dining cars, and its Mark Twain Zephyr set includes the observation car Tom Sawyer, the dining car Huckleberry Finn and the lounge Effie Dean, a former Pioneer Zephyr buffet coach.
When was the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad founded?
The railroad was founded on April 1, 1997, and describes itself as having nearly 30 years of making bucket list dreams come true. It is a family-run Mom and Pop railroad, and notes to riders are signed by Greg, Mardell and Alexander, who say they are looking toward the next generation.
What do reviews say about the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad?
The railroad was named in USA Today readers' 10 Best Scenic Train Rides, placing it as the best of the rest behind three steam narrow gauge mountain railroads. It has a TripAdvisor listing under Great Northern Train Ride, Spooner, where you can read traveler reviews. For Reddit discussion, search the platform directly.
Where can I see photos of the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad?
The railroad's website includes photos of its trains and of the renovated Mark Twain Zephyr cars, including the Tom Sawyer observation lounge and the Huckleberry Finn dining room. Its Facebook page, WIGNRR, posts updates, and traveler photos are on its TripAdvisor listing.
Are there adults-only trains on the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad?
Yes. The Wine and Cheese Train and the Holiday Wine Train are for guests 21 and older and cost $75 per person as of October 2026. The wine and cheese ride features Wisconsin-made wine and cheese and a souvenir tumbler, and the holiday train serves wine and hors d'oeuvres at two- and four-person tables.
How long are rides on the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad?
Sightseeing, pizza and wine and cheese trains last about two hours. Dinner trains, including the Sweetheart Express and Spring BBQ versions, run about two and a half hours. The bed and breakfast train is an overnight stay. Plan a little time before departure to find the boarding area in Trego.
What train attractions are near the Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad?
The Osceola and St. Croix Valley Railway is about 57 miles away, and the Ironhorse Central Railroad Museum in Chisago City, Minnesota, about 62 miles. Duluth, about 64 miles north, has the Lake Superior Railroad Museum and the North Shore Scenic Railroad, and the Historic Soo Line Depot in Ashland is about 67 miles.
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