If you like trains, or just want a trek into Indiana, this is a pleasant and, to me, an interesting experience. You will become very familiar with a diesel train horn. The volunteers on the train with us were friendly and knowledgeable. We took a 45 minute trip from Connersville to Laurel. When we stopped at Laurel, we walked to the fire station and had a buffet style BBQ dinner. As the sun set, we returned to Connersville. I think that individuals might vary on how they perceived this trip based on personal tastes, but I, and my friends had a good time. read more

The mystery trip to Laurel was a club. There were 50 or more people who did not get food. I had chicken wing(which was not good) a roll and two cookies. Very disappointed. read more

We have been on the Polar Express out of Connersville 4 times starting in 2011. Our experience has varied depending upon the volunteers working the train car. The train is old, hard to hear the speaker system but it is warm and a smooth ride. These volunteers work hard and most endeavor to make the night magical. The greatest disappointment this last time was the lack of oversight of the teenagers in our car that were supposed to be entertaining and engaging the kids. It was lacking and rather boring. It has been magical in the past, but rather a dull ride compared to past experiences. The difference seems to be most of the volunteers are teenagers instead of adults playing the hobo part, etc. Next time we will try French Lick. read more

Just a great experience with kids. The ride reminds you real Diesel engine experience. The horn, scenic drive, river bridges, clinking noises of bogies, screaming friction noise of wheel, everything worth for giving your train enthusiast kids the loving experience of train ride. If you are not too much in train- you might not like it. The train is completely run by volunteers as it's non for profit organization so don't expect commercial grade service but be thankful that hey are trying to restore historic train route for your offspring to experience. Conductor volunteers were great, they checked and punched tickets to give real train experience. They talked to kids about train and even made arrangement for kids to spend sometime with engineer/ driver at the engine. Kids blew the horn, saw throttle and key. All worth every single penny. Metamora was equally lovely; a sleeping slow old time restored gem for your kids to experience. The mill and horse ridden canal boat ride were awesome. Boat ride was educational to me as well along with my kids. Never realized horse pulled boat on canal at one point of history. Ice cream was real taste, look from kids eye and experience history. It's was get experience for kids. Yes, kids do scream during train ride but isn't it for them to have enjoy as it's a surprise to them, not someone who spend life doing that and for them it becomes abstract! read more

Whitewater Valley Railroad - Thank - Parks Near Me - Connersville, Indiana

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While the people and the trip was an experience I would not say it was a "scenic" trip. Impressed when we had to come to a stop due to a downed tree. We were kept in the loop and even with this being a rather large tree the crew had the track cleared and the train under way very quickly! read more

Hello folks. I am giving this experience only 4 stars. Could be 5 stars real easy. The experience I recommend to everyone. It's fun. The volunteers were really fun and interacted with passengers and that made it even better. The two reasons I think this experience that is needed to make it a 5 star experience are the following: 1. Need to get more windows opened in Car Coach 7 and install original period sprocket style fans that work. The airflow was not great and the car was really hot for some folks. 2 have better displays and PA announced history of the railroad. We did not get much verbal history of the railroad as we road in the car. More historical facts would have helped Overall folks. I would go back again Items to consider before you take ride. Bring a cooler with water and lunch and snacks it's allowed. Bring personal hand held fans. Bring your camera. And most of bring the fun. Interact with volunteers. Make it fun. Finally a big shout out to the Circle D Rangers for a great job they did. Woman and Gentlemen and a big shout out to the youngest member who handed out candy and snacks. Please give the Circle D Rangers and look see on their Facebook group page. read more

We took the train on a small round trip and had a relaxing time. All the workers on the train are volunteers and can answer any questions you may have about the old passenger cars you are riding in. Keep in mind there are no bathrooms on the train so make sure you go at the station before departure. read more

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This was overall a great experience. My family and I have came to this Polar Express a few times over the years, and each time there is never a dull moment. The volunteers on crate 10 were amazing!! They made the whole experience magical for every family. Definitely would recommend! read more

Had a great trip from Connersville to Metamora for canal days, the train had plenty of room and all the workers were extremely helpful!

We took the polar express train ride last evening. They did a fantastic job! 6 adults and 4 children. Staff was attentive and very personable with each one of us! I loved going in the evening and picking Santa up at the North Pole! Just like the book! The kids wore their PJ's . We were served a large cookie and hot chocolate. They read the book on the way down to pick up Santa and the girls turned the pages for all the kids to see. Santa sat down with each family and talked with the children and gave each one a bell, very nice. Our grandchildren gave Santa their letter they wrote. We sang Christmas songs on the way back. Very nice holiday event! Everyone enjoyed it! read more

We did the daytime "Wild West Train" from Connersville to Metamora. The ride itself is about 18 miles, taking around an hour and 15 minutes more or less each way on a vintage train car. . The scenery itself is not spectacular, just good old Indiana farm fields and woods. The "Circle D Rangers" who make up the outlaws and lawmen are a hoot and you can tell they love what they do. I spoke with two of the oldest, ages 77 and 84 who are still full of enthusiasm for the rolls they play and who, by the way, get around better than I do at 30 years younger! It can be a rowdy, noisy, bumpy ride but it was all part of the fun. It culminates with a shoot out between the bad guys and the good guys outside the train which kind of freaked out a few toddlers but they were good with it when the "dead people" stood back up again. Coolers are allowed on the train if you care to take a picnic lunch or you can eat at one of the restaurants in Metamora. Metamora itself is an interesting place to visit and the two hour lay over just wasn't enough time. Probably could have been if we had not stopped in a restaurant for lunch. It has some nice shops but many sold just downright stupid things or primitive decor, which I am not into. A few nice antique stores, the mill and fudge and candy stores were fun! The favorite of my grandkids was the Gem Mine where you can run buckets of sand through sluice boxes to find the gems inside. (or you can buy some awfully pretty ones in the gift shop). All in all, it was a nice way to spend a day and I, along with my 6 and 11 year old grandchildren enjoyed it. read more

We came as a group of 3 families with small children all 6 and under. The atmosphere, characters, everything was just awesome. We really enjoyed ourselves, getting to have santa sit with you and chat on the train was really great, our kids loved it. So many great photo opportunities. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is because the ride was just too long, especially for small kids 2 hrs sitting in a train is just too much. We all felt afterwards, that 60-90 min would have been a much better length, most people are driving probably at least an hour or so to get here, we actually drove 4 hrs. So when you have all that sitting, adding 2 more hours was a bit much. read more

Sorry I wanted to enjoy this so much but I did not at all. I can think of no highlight of the trip. The scenery was terrible, the train ride was crazy bumpy and oh so very uncomfortable, my back ached for days. All we saw along the way was dry woods and a stream that went in and out. There was nothing to see. Then we arrived at what my daughter calls Metamucil(Metamora) and all there were were old houses that had rubbish in them. I only bought a little box with my name and a charm with my name. when I got home I saw the woman put in the wrong charm with the name Ruth! I will keep that until hell freezes over because no way am I ever going back there. I wish I could give it a good review, Oh God how I wanted t to be great, but it truly was not. There was no guides, we just wandered around smelling horse poop which I stepped in twice. We ate at a restuarant in a very old house that was also a bed and breakfast the choices were not very good. I would say maybe they were being authentic but I guess chicken fingers are not very 1830's Or the dry cheese burger I choked down due to hunger was very 1830's either. They did not have fries they had fried potatoes and they were half done. The only thing I got from the place was the knowledge that it is a trip I will never take again. read more