Information
Ride our live steam trains along a 3 mile roadbed winding through scenic canyons, beautiful wooded areas, and majestic rock cuts beside the Dells of the Wisconsin River.
Before or after your ride, enjoy a picnic with your family, visit our exhibits and learning center, and stop by our Museum Store with your children for a wide selection of railroad and museum memorabilia, books and magazines, videos and music, hats and clothing for children and adults, and Thomas the Train Products™.
Family Friendly
The Riverside & Great Northern is a family-friendly museum. We make every effort to provide a safe, comfortable and enjoyable experience for the whole family.
We have a snack shop and picnic facilities on the grounds — bring your own picnic, if you like — so your family can enjoy lunch together while watching the action.
Our bright, clean restroom facilities have changing stations for parents of young children. Our grounds provide an area for you and your kids to enjoy an hour or two out in the sun.
We hope you will bring your family and enjoy every minute of your visit with us.
Special Needs and Accommodations
The Riverside & Great Northern Railway provides limited accessibility for visitors with special needs.
The Museum’s grounds, restrooms and public locations are generally accessible to visitors with limited mobility and visitors using wheelchairs and walkers.
We can accommodate one wheelchair per train on a special car constructed for visitors in wheelchairs. We are delighted to add the wheelchair car to our trains as needed. Please let us know in advance, if possible.
Please call us at 608-254-6367 if you have questions about special needs accommodations, or to schedule the wheelchair car.
Groups and Parties
The Riverside & Great Northern is a great place for you to bring a school, church or other group of ten or more for a unique learning experience, or for you host a never-to-be-forgotten birthday party for a young or young-at-heart family member or friend.
The Riverside & Great Northern will work with you to make your group’s visit to our living museum a memorable experience.
We can arrange for special evening tours if we have two weeks’ advance notice.
Our experienced, friendly volunteers can give your group a tour of the Riverside & Great Northern’s workshops and other areas not open to the general public.
Your group can learn the history of the Sandley Light Railway Equipment Works and Riverside & Great Northern Railway, or learn the workings of our locomotives and rolling stock with experienced steam engineers and other volunteers as your guides.
Let us know who you are and what you are interested in doing while at the Riverside & Great Northern, and we will try to meet your needs.
We will make every effort to provide your group with a special experience designed to meet your interests.
Group Rates
Adults: $13
Seniors: $10
Children: $8
Under 3 years: Free
Train ride is 30 to 45 minutes