On Saturday October 10th, 2015 I had the distinct pleasure of riding the Elegant Dinner Train at the Mid Continent Railway Museum in North Freedom, Wisconsin. The Museum is located about 20 minutes outside of the Wisconsin Dells and also close to Devil's Lake State Park; it is about a 3-1/2 hour drive from Chicago. You can find plenty of lodging options nearby from swanky in the Wisconsin Dells to camping at Devil's Lake and everything else in between. The museum has a massive collection of historic railroad equipment (a lot of which I have photographed) and also operates regular train rides and other special events, like the Elegant Dinner Trains, on approximately 3-1/2 miles of track between North Freedom and Quartzite Lake. Most rides do one roundtrip to Quantize Lake and back with the opportunity to stretch your legs at each end. The Elegant Dinner train does 2 leisurely round-trips, giving you plenty of time to enjoy the ride. The cost is $75.00/per person without alcohol and $85.00/per person with alcohol. I must say, the ride is worth every penny; a meal of this caliber alone in a fancy restaurant would cost at least that much or more and doesn't include a ride on a historic train. The meal is 5 courses, starting out with an tray of mini-appetizers, salad, soup, entree, and dessert. The service was fantastic, the wait staff is very friendly and makes sure your glass is never empty. The property is massive; I recommend arriving at least an hour before your ride so you have time to explore the large collection of equipment on hand. The following is pictures mostly of the equipment and some of the train ride.
