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Halloween Train Rides

- find Ghost Trains and other Halloween Trains

By , About.com Guide

Halloween train - photo © Yvonne Lashmett, courtesy of Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad,

Photo © Yvonne Lashmett, courtesy of Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.

Kids love to ride choo-choos, and a number of tourist railroads are offering themed holiday rides. Christmas trains are the number one type, but Easter Bunny Express runs and Halloween train rides are pulling out of the station too.

Often, a Halloween train will have a theme -- such as pirates-- and guests are encouraged to dress up. Plan ahead and book early, as many Halloween trains run only on a couple of dates in October.

Pumpkin patch train rides are a fun option, with young kids. The train travels to a pumpkin patch, where kids can pick out a pumpkin to take home. Several trains run "The Great Pumpkin Patch Express Train" featuring characters from the Peanuts comic strip; the Peanuts cartoon tv special, "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown," has been a Halloween classic since it aired in 1966.

Halloween Train - Samples

  • Stanley Park Ghost Train, Vancouver BC:
    Popular short ride on the Miniature Railroad in Stanley Park; other fun on-site too.
  • Adirondack Scenic Railroad, Lake Placid, NY:
    Kids can dress up for the Oct. 31 Halloween Train, which runs several times during the day. (An adult train runs the night before.)
  • Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, Durango CO:
    Peanuts™ The Great Pumpkin Patch Express Train runs on multiple nights in October; have fun with Snoopy, Charlie Brown, and other characters from the classic Peanuts comic strip, and take home your own pumpkin.
  • Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, NC:
    Another tourist railroad that offers the Peanuts™ Great Pumpkin Patch Express. Fun at the Patch includes campfire marshmallows, trick or treating, bouncy house, hayrides, and live music. Passengers get a photo op with Charlie Brown, Lucy and Snoopy, and kids can pick out their own pumpkin. This train ride runs through most of October.

*Always check web sites for updates!

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