Lewistown, MT
Charlie Russell Chew Choo
4.1· 42 Google reviews
Trip at a Glance
Source checked 2026-08-25- TypeSeasonal dinner and themed passenger-train experiences boarding on Hanover Road near Lewistown
- LocationLewistown, MT
- Rating4.1 ★42 Google reviews
- UpcomingSat, Oct 24
- Typical rideThe regular dinner ride is about 4.5 hours; North Pole Adventure is about 1.5 hours; no duration was found for Harvest or Wandering Wizard
About Charlie Russell Chew Choo
Charlie Russell Chew Choo is the Lewistown area's seasonal Montana Dinner Train program, administered by the Lewistown Area Chamber of Commerce and operated with Central Montana Rail. The regular dinner product is a 56-mile round trip from Hanover/Kingston Junction toward Denton and back, lasting about 4.5 hours. Current official pages describe three historic trestles, a half-mile tunnel, a prime-rib dinner, dessert, local music, staged Western entertainment, a cash bar, climate-controlled non-smoking coaches, and a vegetarian meal option. The four current products have different dates, durations, prices, boarding buffers, and sale states, so a published occurrence must never be presented as an available seat.
Compare the Four Published Train Products
Choose the visit that fits your groupTravelers researching the full 4.5-hour dinner experience or watching for a future published season
Montana Dinner Train
The three remaining published 2026 dinner dates are September 13, September 26, and October 10; all three are explicitly marked sold out.
Adults and families seeking the farm-and-ranch interpretation and locally focused meal
Harvest Train
October 2 is listed at $160 per person with 2:30 p.m. boarding and a 3:30 p.m. departure; the official page links a purchase form but does not expose remaining capacity or ride duration.
Families comparing the two published Halloween-themed sessions
Wandering Wizard Train
October 24 has family-oriented 5:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. sessions at $69 per person, and both sessions are explicitly sold out.
Families planning a roughly 1.5-hour holiday train after the announced sale opens
North Pole Adventure
Eight dates from November 27 through December 19 each list 5:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. sessions; tickets are scheduled to go on sale October 5 at 8:00 a.m.
Upcoming Events
Official schedule information
2026 special-event calendar
Schedule information was checked against the linked official source. Dates, availability, and operating conditions can change. Check the live official calendar ↗
Plan Your Visit
- ArriveRegular dinner and Harvest departures publish a one-hour boarding buffer; Wandering Wizard and North Pole Adventure publish 30-minute boarding buffers
- ParkingAn older official boarding PDF labels gravel parking at Kingston Junction, but current visitor pages do not publish a current lot layout, surface guarantee, capacity, lighting, or accessible-space specification
- AccessibilityA current state tourism directory applies a generic accessibility tag, but no reviewed source publishes boarding steps, ramp dimensions, doorway or aisle widths, lift availability, onboard wheelchair positioning, or an accessible-restroom contract; call before purchase for a specific need
- RestroomsA tourism directory lists public restrooms, but the current operator pages do not describe location, onboard availability, accessible features, or operating-hours access
- BoardingBoard at Hanover Boarding Station on Hanover Road, not at the Lewistown Area Chamber office; the current site publishes no numeric boarding street address
- Drive From LewistownThe current contact and product pages place boarding about 10 miles and approximately 20–25 minutes from Main Street Lewistown
- Regular RouteThe regular Montana Dinner Train is a 56-mile round trip from Hanover/Kingston Junction toward Denton and back
- Regular DurationThe regular dinner ride is about 4.5 hours; North Pole Adventure is about 1.5 hours; no duration was found for Harvest or Wandering Wizard
- Regular ExperienceCurrent official pages describe three historic trestles, a half-mile tunnel, climate-controlled non-smoking coaches, local music, staged Western entertainment, and a no-host cash bar
- Regular MealThe regular product publishes a prime-rib dinner with dessert and says a vegetarian meal option is available
- Regular FaresThe current 2026 page lists regular adult age 14+ at $151 and child age 13 and under at $129; VIP is $181 adult and $159 child and adds a T-shirt, priority boarding, and one complimentary drink
- Harvest FareHarvest Train on October 2 is listed at $160 per person; the page links a purchase form but exposes no remaining capacity
- Wizard FareWandering Wizard on October 24 is listed at $69 per person; both the 5:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. sessions are marked sold out
- North Pole FareNorth Pole Adventure is listed at $71 per person, with age 12 months and under free; tickets are scheduled to go on sale October 5, 2026 at 8:00 a.m.
- AvailabilityAs checked August 25, the September 13, September 26, and October 10 dinner trains are sold out; Harvest is form-linked with capacity unknown; both Wizard sessions are sold out; North Pole is scheduled but not yet on sale
- CancellationThe reviewed dinner, Harvest, and Wizard pages publish nonrefundable/no-show terms inside a 21-day window and a $10 processing fee; read the exact official terms before purchase
- ContactCall 406-535-5436 or email crcc@midrivers.com; use those contacts for boarding directions or access needs before purchase
- EquipmentThe official About page describes five 1950s stainless-steel Budd-built Rail Diesel Cars now pulled by Central Montana Rail diesel locomotives, but it does not identify a guaranteed current locomotive, car, consist, or assignment
Find the Depot
The Trains
The official About page says the passenger cars are 1950s stainless-steel Budd-built Rail Diesel Cars, each originally self-powered, and that the Chamber bought five cars in 1996 after the first 1994 trip used two leased cars. It further says the cars are now pulled by diesel locomotives owned by Central Montana Rail. Those statements provide historical car context, not a guaranteed current consist: the reviewed current pages name no locomotive model or number, assign no specific power or car to a departure, and make no promise that all five cars operate together. Historical photographs or roster claims must not be converted into current assignments.
History
Construction of the Milwaukee Road route through the Lewistown area began during the 1912–1913 period described by the official history.
The official history says daily passenger operations were in place by September 1914.
The first Charlie Russell Chew Choo trip ran July 4 using two leased cars.
The Lewistown Area Chamber of Commerce purchased five cars for the dinner-train program.
Current official pages publish four differentiated seasonal train products, while the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame inducted the Charlie Russell Chew Choo.
See full history
The official history places construction of the Milwaukee Road route in 1912–1913 and daily passenger service by September 1914. The first Charlie Russell Chew Choo trip ran July 4, 1994 with two leased cars. The Lewistown Area Chamber of Commerce bought five cars in 1996, and its current About page says those cars remain in use. The Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame's 2026 induction account independently identifies the Chamber and Central Montana Rail as the organizations behind the dinner train and says Central Montana Rail supplies diesel power. Historical railroad-company names and rolling-stock origins are background, not evidence of today's exact consist or locomotive assignment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the Charlie Russell Chew Choo board?
At Hanover Boarding Station on Hanover Road, about 10 miles and 20–25 minutes from Main Street Lewistown. Do not substitute the Chamber office; the current site does not publish a numeric street address for boarding.
How long is the train ride?
The regular Montana Dinner Train is about 4.5 hours and North Pole Adventure about 1.5 hours. The reviewed Harvest and Wandering Wizard pages do not publish ride durations.
How early should passengers arrive?
Regular dinner and Harvest departures publish a one-hour boarding buffer. Wandering Wizard and North Pole publish 30-minute boarding buffers. Add the published 20–25-minute drive from Main Street and your own travel margin.
How much are 2026 tickets?
Regular dinner: $151 adult 14+ and $129 child 13 and under; VIP: $181 adult and $159 child. Harvest is $160 per person, Wizard $69 per person, and North Pole $71 per person with age 12 months and under free. Recheck the applicable official page before purchase.
Does a published 2026 date mean seats are available?
No. The three remaining dinner dates and both Wizard sessions are sold out. Harvest links a purchase form but exposes no remaining capacity. North Pole is scheduled but tickets are not due to go on sale until October 5 at 8:00 a.m.
How many future 2026 services are published?
The detailed product pages publish 13 distinct service dates and 22 ticket sessions after August 25. No 2027 dates were found. The homepage's claim of 14 North Pole trains conflicts with the detailed page's eight dates and two sessions per date, which equals 16.
Is wheelchair boarding guaranteed?
No detailed boarding-access contract was found. A state tourism directory applies a generic accessibility tag, but no reviewed source gives step, ramp, doorway, aisle, lift, wheelchair-position, or accessible-restroom specifications. Call before purchase for a specific need.
What parking and restroom facilities are documented?
An older official map labels gravel parking, and a tourism directory tags parking and public restrooms. Current pages do not publish a lot layout, accessible-space detail, restroom location, or onboard-restroom specification, so confirm requirements directly.
What locomotive and cars will operate?
The official history describes five 1950s stainless-steel Budd-built Rail Diesel Cars now pulled by Central Montana Rail diesel locomotives. It does not promise a particular locomotive, number, car, or consist for a current departure.
What is the cancellation policy?
The dinner, Harvest, and Wizard pages publish nonrefundable/no-show terms inside a 21-day window and a $10 processing fee. North Pole tickets are described as nonrefundable. Read the exact product terms before checkout.
Sources & Verification
Source-checked August 25, 2026. This free profile has not yet been claimed or confirmed by the operator.
- Official Charlie Russell Chew Choo homepage for current identity, four products, dates, status summaries, and contact
- Official Montana Dinner Train page for remaining dinner dates, boarding and departure times, sold-out status, fares, VIP inclusions, meal, duration, route, and terms
- Official Harvest Train page for October 2 schedule, $160 fare, boarding time, experience, linked purchase form, and terms
- Official Lewistown Area Chamber Cognito purchase form linked from the Harvest page
- Official Wandering Wizard page for October 24 sessions, $69 fare, boarding times, sold-out status, and terms
- Official North Pole Adventure page for eight dates, two daily sessions, approximately 1.5-hour duration, $71 fare, age exception, sale time, and nonrefundability
- Official About page for route, meal, entertainment, climate-controlled coaches, history, Budd RDC context, Chamber ownership, and Central Montana Rail diesel power
- Official Contact page for Hanover boarding distinction, distance and drive time from Main Street, phone, email, and downloadable boarding map
- Official downloadable boarding map for historical Kingston Junction, Hanover Road, boarding-ramp, and gravel-parking labels; current visitor pages supersede its shorter travel-time label
- Official Central Montana regional tourism listing for address context and generic accessibility, parking, and restroom feature tags without physical specifications
- Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame 2026 induction profile for the Chamber and Central Montana Rail operating relationship
