Wisconsin Dells, WI
Riverside & Great Northern Railway
4.7· 758 Google reviews
Trip at a Glance
Source checked 2026-08-24- TypeVolunteer-run 15-inch-gauge living railway museum
- LocationWisconsin Dells, WI
- Rating4.7 ★758 Google reviews
- Typical ride30-45 minutes
About Riverside & Great Northern Railway
Riverside & Great Northern Railway is a volunteer-run living museum built around a real 15-inch-gauge railway and the surviving Sandley Light Railway Equipment Works. The current homepage describes a two-mile trip through rock formations and woods near the Wisconsin River. The accommodations page gives a 30-45-minute ride and asks riders to arrive 20 minutes early. It also publishes daily 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. grounds hours, while exact train times and prices are delegated to live booking. Treat grounds hours as a planning window, not a promise of continuous departures or a particular steam locomotive.
Plan a Sandley Railway Day
Choose the visit that fits your groupFamilies, railfans, first-time Dells visitors, and miniature-railway travelers
Ride the two-mile railway
Book a live departure, arrive 20 minutes early, and allow 30-45 minutes for the trip.
Steam historians, modelers, preservation volunteers, and industrial-history readers
Read the Sandley works
Explore the preserved shops and railway environment while respecting areas not normally open to the public.
Wheelchair users, visitors with limited mobility, caregivers, and group planners
Plan a wheelchair-coach trip
Call ahead because the special car accommodates one wheelchair per train and has a rolling-walker restriction.
Same-day travelers and visitors during unsettled weather
Use the weather decision
Light rain can run, but heavy rain, thunder, lightning, and unsafe conditions stop operation.
Photography, regional-history, architecture, and Dells-tourism travelers
Add H.H. Bennett Studio
Continue about three driving miles to the 1875 studio that helped make Wisconsin Dells nationally visible.
Current Operating Status
Official operating information
R&GN scenic trains use live date-and-time inventory
Schedule information was checked against the linked official source. Dates, availability, and operating conditions can change. Check official operating status ↗
Plan Your Visit
- ArriveArrive 20 minutes before the booked train
- WeatherOperates in light rain but not when heavy rain, thunder, lightning, or other conditions are unsafe; call when concerned
- RouteTwo-mile train ride through wooded and rock-cut scenery near the Wisconsin River
- Duration30-45 minutes
- Published HoursCurrent accommodations page says daily, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m.; live booking and day-of operations control actual trains
- Fares And DeparturesCurrent site routes exact times and prices to FareHarbor; select a live date before relying on inventory
- Wheelchair CoachOne wheelchair per train can use a special coach; advance notice is requested; rolling walkers are not allowed in that coach
- Grounds AccessGrounds, restrooms, and public locations are described as generally accessible for wheelchairs, walkers, and limited mobility
- Food And FamilySnack shop, picnic facilities, changing stations, play area, gift shop, and yard games are described onsite
- MilitaryCurrent FAQ advertises 30% off for active-duty military and veterans with military ID
- Steam BoundaryThe railway preserves authentic steam equipment, but the current site does not guarantee a specific locomotive for every departure
- AddressN115 County Road N, Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965 · 608-254-6367
Find the Depot
The Trains
The current roster identifies four 15-inch-gauge steam locomotives: Sandley-built No. 82, No. 98, No. 128, and No. 1916. Nos. 82 and 98 are 4-4-0 American types; Nos. 128 and 1916 are 4-4-2 Atlantics. The roster describes No. 98 as still in service, while restoration and acquisition narratives do not establish daily availability for every locomotive. Do not infer a specific engine, coach count, capacity, fuel, or consist from a ticket or from the 2003 gallery photograph.
History
The first Sandley R&GN carried fare-paying passengers in Janesville.
A golden-spike ceremony marked the Wisconsin Dells opening.
The preservation society was activated.
Volunteers returned a train to the restored line.
R&GN reopened as a living museum.
The railway acquired Sandley-built Milwaukee County Zoo locomotive No. 1916.
See full history
Elmer and Norman Sandley opened their first 15-inch railway in Janesville in 1949 as a demonstration of minimum-gauge steam railroading. They moved to Wisconsin Dells between 1952 and 1955, using an abandoned La Crosse & Milwaukee Railroad roadbed, and held the Dells line's golden-spike ceremony in 1953. After the Sandley Works entered bankruptcy, preservation volunteers organized in 1988, restored the property and track, returned a train to the line in 1989, and reopened the living museum in 1990.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the train ride?
The operator publishes a 30-45-minute duration for the two-mile ride and asks guests to arrive 20 minutes early.
What time do trains leave?
The site publishes daily 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. grounds hours but sends exact train times and prices to live booking. Grounds hours are not a timetable.
Is this a real railroad?
Yes. It is a rideable 15-inch-gauge railway and living museum preserving Sandley shops, locomotives, rolling stock, and practice.
Will my train use steam?
The railway preserves operating steam locomotives, but reviewed sources do not promise a particular engine for every departure.
Is the train wheelchair-accessible?
A special coach accommodates one wheelchair per train. Call ahead when possible; rolling walkers are not allowed in that coach.
Does it run in rain?
It operates in light rain but not when heavy rain, thunder, lightning, or other conditions make operation unsafe.
Can we eat there?
The operator describes food and drink for purchase, a snack shop, and picnic facilities.
Are the 2026 event dates complete?
The events page publishes selected specials, but live booking controls exact ride inventory. This guide suppresses inherited events rather than presenting a partial calendar as complete.
Sources & Verification
Source-checked August 24, 2026. This free profile has not yet been claimed or confirmed by the operator.
- Official scenic-ride identity and two-mile route
- Official hours, duration, arrival, amenities, groups, and access
- Official weather, discount, concessions, and wheelchair FAQ
- Official Sandley and preservation history
- Official locomotive roster
- Official selected special events
- Official live booking inventory
- Licensed exact-railway gallery source
