The Great Pumpkin Train — North Shore Scenic Railroad

The North Shore Scenic Railroad runs the Great Pumpkin Train from the St. Louis County Depot in Duluth, Minnesota. The operator describes a pumpkin field that appears once a year along the tracks and can only be reached by train. When the train pulls into the patch, every ticketed passenger claims a pumpkin to haul home.

The ride lasts about 90 minutes round trip, and admission to the Lake Superior Railroad Museum is included, so passengers can explore trains and history at the Depot afterwards, where the operator lists balloon twisting, ventriloquism and magic, until 5 p.m. The railroad calls it a Duluth tradition.

Two kinds of seats are sold. Coach passengers board in the order they check in; dome car seats put passengers in the upper-level viewing cars, with lounges below to store pumpkins, and concessions are available with those tickets. Children aged two and under ride free but only ticketed passengers receive a pumpkin. The railroad says trains run rain or shine and in snow.

A 90-minute round trip to a pumpkin field with a pumpkin for each ticketed passenger, then the Lake Superior Railroad Museum and entertainment at the Depot such as balloon twisting, ventriloquism and magic. Restrooms are on the train. The operator suggests bringing a grocery bag or three to carry pumpkins.

Boards at the back of the St. Louis County Depot, 506 West Michigan Street, Duluth, Minnesota; the main entrance is upstairs, and the railroad is on level 1. The museum is open only until 5 p.m., so passengers on later trains are advised to come early. Coach passengers board in order of check-in. The pumpkin patch is not wheelchair accessible for getting off the train; wheelchairs can be loaded at the station into non-heated coaches, and there are no accessible restrooms on board. No group-rate discounts are available. Children aged 2 and under ride free but only ticketed passengers get a pumpkin. Ramp parking on both sides of the Depot is sometimes free on weekends.