A historic train visiting town on October 1, 2022. Logan Washburn | Collegian
When the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society brings old-fashioned steam engine trips back to Hillsdale this summer, the town can expect more tourism, according to the society’s Vice President Kelly Lynch.
“This was a huge opportunity for our organization because typically our steam locomotives and trains operate throughout the entire Eastern United States,” Lynch said. “This was significant because we’ve never had such a big venue for our trains right in our own backyard.”
The society signed an operating agreement with Indiana Northeastern Railroad in 2022, according to Lynch. The railroad operates in South Milford, Indiana, and Hillsdale.
According to the society, the train currently has 30 trips scheduled starting in May, expanding from 10 trips last year.
A few of these excursions are fall foliage “full-color” trips to and from Hillsdale.
The society is a nonprofit, and donations, ticket sales, and its large base of volunteers support the trips, according to Lynch.
“We’ve started to make a few relationships,” Lynch said. “But because that’s a new community to us, we don’t know a lot of people. So we’re looking for people to become part of this in a way that they can support it through donations, through sponsorships, and through grants.”
Though the historical society is run by volunteers, it has big plans for the future of locomotive excursions, Lynch said.
“Last year was so successful that the Indiana Tourism Association named the railroad excursions the best new experience in Indiana out of all the tourist attractions, which is also pretty incredible,” Lynch said. “That’s because we were able to bring more than 7,000 people and $300,000 in spending to the economy.”
The society similarly hopes to bring more business to the Hillsdale area. It has also considered creating a commuter train experience to bring people to and from the Hillsdale County Fair this fall.
Indiana Northeastern has restored 100 miles of railroad in Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio that was almost abandoned in the 1990s, according to the Indiana Northeastern Railroad.
According to Lynch, the railroad offers excursions for every type of person. There are ice cream train trips for families and a wine and whiskey train for those over age 21.
“We have tickets that cost $15 and we have tickets that cost $300, so we’re very conscious about making this something that is accessible to people of all ages,” Lynch said. “You don’t have to be of a certain income bracket to enjoy these train rides.”
