A historic 1940s steam train will arrive in Hillsdale, hailing from Indiana, at 12 p.m. Oct. 7 and Oct. 8 with a three hour layover in the city each day. 

Steam locomotive No. 765 will arrive on the train tracks across from the Hillsdale Brewing Company both days, said Heather Tritchka ‘98, senior admissions interviewer for Hillsdale College and a volunteer coordinator for city events.

“We also invite all the businesses to either be open or to bring down a booth and set something up, kind of in that area, so the people getting off the train have food options and merchandise that they can buy,” Tritchka said. 

Sam Fry, marketing and development coordinator for the City of Hillsdale, said each inbound train typically draws between 400 and 500 people.

“For some, it is their first time visiting Hillsdale,” Fry said. “This presents a tremendous opportunity for our local businesses to capitalize on the influx of visitors and showcase Hillsdale’s unique offerings. These events are a significant boost to our local economy.”

Tritchka said the event will also feature food trucks to accommodate the expected crowd.

“The local businesses like Handmade, Hillsdale Brewing Company, Rough Draft, and Pub and Grub are absolutely slammed with customers when the trains come into town,” Tritchka said. “That is why we also have a couple of food trucks so that everyone can find something to eat within a reasonable amount of time.”

The Indiana Railway Experience is a not-for-profit organization focused on education and fundraising for the preservation of historical railroads, run by volunteers from the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society. Passengers on the train will embark on an “all-day excursion through the Indiana and Michigan countryside,” according to the Indiana Railway Experience website.  The train will depart from Pleasant Lake, Indiana at 9:30 a.m., arrive in Hillsdale at 12 p.m., and depart at 3 p.m. to return to Indiana. 

“It’s a fun block party for our community members to come down and enjoy,” said Gianna Green, a communities manager with CL Real Estate and a member of the committee centered on coordinating train events.

This historic train ride is a part of an expansion by the Indiana Railway Experience in coordination with the Indiana Northeastern Railroad and Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society, said Professor of Chemistry Mark Nussbaum, who volunteered at a previous train event in town. 

“The company was looking for a new destination for their train rides and they thought they would try Hillsdale,” Tritchka said. “A few people from the city, mainly Gianna Green, Felicia Finch, and myself, were asked to put together a committee so that it would be a successful trip.” 

Finch is co-owner of Hillsdale Brewing Company.

Following the success of the first trip, the train company told the city they would bring more trains to Hillsdale, said Tritchka. 

Kelly Lynch, the Vice President of the Fort Wayne Railroad, said the mission of Indiana Railway Experience is to preserve historic railroads and ensure the story is shared with as many people as possible.

An outbound train will also be departing from Hillsdale and traveling to Angola, Indiana on Oct. 14 and Oct. 15. Hillsdale residents can purchase tickets for the Michigan Fall Color Train at the Indiana Rail Experience website.