WHAT TO EXPECT
Riding aboard a vintage train can be an exciting and memorable occasion. Our events are meant to be sensory experiences – from the onboard accommodations and food service to the dramatic sights and sounds of a historic locomotive pulling the train. Passengers can enjoy standard accommodations in coach and deluxe coach classes, or opt for a special experience aboard first-class lounge cars straight out of the 1940s and 50s.
The Indiana Rail Experience is managed, staffed, and operated by volunteers of the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society (FWRHS), a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) educational organization and all events and excursions are major fund-raising activities for historic rail preservation projects.
All guests, passengers, patrons, and riders are expected to adhere to the following rules and policies.
RAILROAD RULES & SAFETY
- The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society (FWRHS) reserves the right of rescind service and eject any passenger who refuses to obey safety rules or whose behavior has been or may be detrimental to other passengers and/or crew.
- All passengers, onlookers, and members of the general public should stay at least 25 feet away from the railroad tracks at all times, except in the event of boarding or alighting the train.
- FWRHS employs uniformed and plainclothes police officers as security for our events. These are duly licensed and recognized law enforcement officers.
- Please wear sturdy, comfortable shoes. Do not wear flip-flops, sandals, or open-toed or high-heel shoes.
- For the Indiana Railroad Experience, open windows, doors, and vestibules may be available as part of your accommodations. Consult your event and ticketing information for details and observe all train crew instructions on the proper use and enjoyment of these amenities.
- Small coolers and jugs for food and drink are welcome. Large, two-handled coolers are prohibited due to space limitations.
- Cigarette smoking and electronic cigarettes (i.e. vapes) are prohibited. Smoking of pipes or cigars is only permitted on specific cars, in specifically designated spaces, and in conjunction with special occasions.
- Steam locomotive no. 765 is a coal-burning locomotive and often produces cinders that fly through the air and can be dangerous to the eyes. Passengers must wear safety glasses or eye protection is required if riding in an open vestibule, window, platform, doorway, or open-air car during a trip.
- One of the most dramatic parts of a steam locomotive is its melodious whistle. Operated as a warning and communication device the whistle can nevertheless be very loud, especially for young children or guests with hearing sensitivities. It is highly recommended that passengers with these considerations plan accordingly, with noise-canceling headphones or hearing protection. Earplugs may not be available onboard the train.
- FWRHS cannot guarantee the security of cameras and other personal property – you must keep track of your belongings.
DISCLAIMERS
FWRHS reserves the right to revise terms, conditions, disclaimers, and notices at any time.
Please do not call any railroad companies or Amtrak regarding these excursions. Their offices, call centers, and employees do not have information about these trips and cannot make reservations.
All schedules, timetables, and event amenities and offerings may be altered by the FWRHS at any time due to railroad logistics, late departures, mechanical substitutions, or other unforeseen circumstances. Due to the unique and historic nature of the equipment we are operating, mechanical breakdowns are uncommon but can occur. We reserve the right to substitute motive power or rolling stock as necessary.
In addition, schedules and timetables may be adjusted due to other railroad traffic or operations that our trains encounter.
Every effort will be made to operate trains as advertised but as these are special, one-time events, the FWRHS, and the railroad companies cannot guarantee times and assume no consequential liability for inconvenience or expense caused by delays or cancellations. Do not book other transportation or make time-sensitive reservations.
LIABILITY
These operations take place at, on, and within working railroad facilities. Please be mindful of your safety and the safety of your guests. Watch your step, be mindful of moving railroad equipment, uneven surfaces, or bad footing, and pinch points for fingers, arms, and limbs. Do not walk on the railhead and obey instructions from the train crew at all times.
Your presence and participation indicate that you, as a ticket holder, ticket purchaser, guest, passenger, crew, or vendor accept the limits of liability from inherent risks of all activities and operations.
ADA ACCOMMODATIONS
For many events, the Indiana Rail Experience utilizes a portable wheelchair lift for use in combination with Deluxe Coach No. 142, which has an ADA restroom. At present, this is the only ADA passenger car in our train. Additional ADA information will be reflected on our ticketing and event pages and the ADA car will be listed as “Deluxe Coach No. 142 – ADA Car.”
Please note, regardless of our lift and ADA car, that boarding and detraining sites may well have uneven footing, large heavy gravel, unusually high steps – sometimes as much as 20 inches, and walking is required at all locations.
Most of the passenger cars used on these trains were built in the 1940s and 1950s, decades before ADA handicap considerations were implemented on railroad passenger cars.
These historic cars mostly have narrow hallways, narrow doorways, and small restrooms and these can present many handicapped persons with insurmountable challenges.
Passengers with limited mobility need to be aware of these limitations and should expect such situations and should contact the Ticket Agent for planning and accommodations. We make every effort to reasonably accommodate guests with limited mobility.
If you are traveling in a wheelchair or other such device, you are responsible for providing any person(s) necessary to assist in loading, unloading, or onboard mobility and they must have the proper ticket.
ON-BOARD ACCOMMODATIONS
Generally speaking, seats are not assigned in our cars. Passengers who desire to sit together must make reservations simultaneously, on the same ticket order, and present themselves on the train together. Reservations will be made by car name or number, but not individual seats unless your accommodation is a suite, table, or room.
Some first-class cars have more than one type of seating arrangement within the car. Passengers may be asked to switch seats for everyone to get a sampling of the accommodations within that class. A class of tickets refers to accommodations and services and may not be specific to a car.
No merchandise vendors are allowed on the train unless specifically authorized by FWRHS in advance.
Restrooms are always available onboard and at our boarding sites. On-board train staff will direct you to the nearest restroom.
TICKETING
FWRHS members are traditionally granted special pre-sale access to tickets up to 24 hours before the general public.
Do not purchase tickets from individuals unless specifically authorized by our Ticket Agent. Should tickets be re-sold or gifted, the customer and passenger names must be updated so that our passenger manifests are accurate. We reserve the right to ID passengers as part of any pre-boarding process.
Do not purchase tickets from any website other than those linked from fortwaynerailroad.org or indianarailexperience.org. Beware anyone on social media claiming to have last-minute ticket availability and asking for personal or private messages.
REFUNDS
As each of our events is a fundraiser and largely staffed entirely by volunteers, we have implemented a new refund policy as of January 2024. This policy is as follows:
• Refunds or cancellations are only applicable 30 days before an event.
• Passengers may accept a rebooking for the same or comparable event, or be issued a coupon to use at their discretion for a future event should their refund request fall under the 30-day threshold.
• Passengers are responsible for being at the boarding site at least 30 minutes before departure time. Passengers are expected to plan and leave time for navigation, delays, parking, check-in, and boarding.
• Refunds are not applicable in the event of missed or late trains. Our staff will make every reasonable effort to rebook you or accommodate you on another train or future event.
• Delayed and “No show” guests are not entitled to a refund.
• Reserved tickets will be released for resale 10 minutes before departure.
• Any refund is subject to a 25% service charge and is only issued if there is a waitlist for that particular class of tickets.
• In the unlikely event of a cancellation, refunds will be issued, less any ticketing fees.
• All trains run rain or shine. Weather-related cancellations only occur in the event of a county or city-wide declaration of emergency or if severe weather poses a hazard to railroad equipment or infrastructure.
CONSENT TO PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEO RECORDING
By entering railroad property or participating in FWRHS events, operations, and excursions, and by your presence, you consent to be photographed, filmed, and/or otherwise recorded.
Your entry constitutes your consent to such photography, filming, and/or recording and any use, in any media throughout the universe in perpetuity, of your appearance, voice, and name for any purpose whatsoever in connection with the FWRHS.
You understand that all photography, filming, and/or recording will be done in reliance on this consent given by you by entering this area.
HOLD HARMLESS AGREEMENT
By entering railroad property or participating in FWRHS events, operations, and excursions and by your presence here, you and your guests agree to hold FWRHS harmless in the event of sickness (including COVID-19), physical risk, or damage. Foods at our events are processed in a kitchen that produces dishes with milk, wheat, soybean, fish, tree nuts, peanuts, eggs, and egg products. If you have a food allergy or special dietary requirements, please inform a member of staff or ask for more information.
You assume all related liability for accidents, negligence, combined negligence, and omissions.
