Questions about the Reservations:

•  I lost my confirmation or was unable to print.  What do I do?
If you made your purchase through our ticket office, we have a record of it under your name on the train manifest.  Simply show proper identification to the ticket clerk, and you will be given your tickets.
 
•  Can I make a ticket purchase for another person, and have someone else pick it up at the ticket office?
Yes, just make the purchase like normal and give the reservationist the name of the person’s name picking up the tickets.  Then give the confirmation number to the individual picking up the tickets.  Our ticket agents will check the manifest, and distribute the tickets.
 
•  Does an advance ticket purchase guarantee me a seat on the train?
Advance ticket purchases are good until ten (10) minutes before the departure time of the train you have booked.  As long as you arrive at the Ticket Office to pick up your tickets by then, you should have no problem getting aboard.
 
•  Does an advance ticket purchase guarantee me a seat on a particular car?
Seating preference is first come first serve.  If you have a preference for being seated in a particular car, please ensure you arrive early enough to be in line when loading begins .

Questions about the Train and Equipment:

 
•  What is the difference between the steam trains and the diesel trains?
The difference is the locomotive used to pull that particular train.  Steam locomotives hark back to the original technology of railroading and are therefore more nostalgic.  Diesel locomotives are newer, having been adopted by most railroads during the middle of the twentieth century.  We are only operating diesel trains at this time.
 
•  How long is the actual time on the train?
The total round trip riding time on the train lasts about one and a half hours under normal circumstances.
 
•  Where does the train go?
The train leaves from our depot in Stearns for a trip into the gorge of the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area.  Trips during April – October make a stopover at Blue Heron Miining Camp, a National Park interpretive site.  The layover is an hour and fifteen minutes to an hour and a half.  During November the trip is a train ride only into the gorge and back.  The Run to the Gorge is approximately one and a half hours.
 
•  Is the train air-conditioned/heated?
None of the cars on the train are air-conditioned. 
 
•  Are all the cars open cars?
We have two enclosed cars with heat.  The remaining excursion cars have roofs and sides, but no glass in the windows to allow everyone the opportunity to view the scenery along the route. 
 
•  Do you have handicap access to board the train?
Yes, the board platform is level with the excursion cars to easily accommodate anyone with special needs.  Please arrive early for your scheduled departure so that we can plan to assist you.
 
•  Is food available on the train?
Food is available at the Coal Bucket Concession during the Blue Heron layover. There are also snacks available to purchase at the gift shop.
 
•  Is there a toilet aboard the train?
There are no restrooms on the train.  Restrooms are provided at the Stearns Depot and Blue Heron Coal Mining Camp during your trip.
 
•  Is the ticket a round-trip, and if not, how do we get back to our car?
All tickets and reservations are sold on a Round Trip basis, returning you to the starting point after the ride.