If you’re looking for a low-stress, family-friendly rail outing that still feels like a real train experience, the Indiana Rail Experience (IRE) has built one of the region’s most approachable excursions around a simple, perfect idea: ride the rails through farm country and enjoy complimentary ice cream along the way. Their Indiana Ice Cream Train is designed for everyone—families with young kids, casual visitors in town for the lake, and even adults who just want an hour away from screens and schedules.
Operating out of downtown Angola, Indiana, these round-trip runs pair vintage passenger equipment with a short, scenic route that showcases the rural landscape of Indiana’s northeast corner. It’s not a day-long commitment, it doesn’t require deep railroad knowledge, and it doesn’t overwhelm first-timers with too many moving parts. You show up, board, settle into your seat, enjoy the ride and your treat, and return right where you started—smiling and maybe planning your next trip before you even reach the platform.
Quick facts at a glance
- Experience: One-hour, round-trip excursion with complimentary ice cream included
- Typical departure point: Downtown Angola (with select festival departures in nearby towns)
- Motive power: Historic diesel on most dates; Nickel Plate Road steam locomotive No. 765 featured on Memorial Day weekend trips
- Seating mix: Open-window, air-conditioned deluxe coach, adult-only lounge options, and family table seating
What is the Indiana Rail Experience?
The Indiana Rail Experience is a passenger excursion program in northeast Indiana that hosts a variety of seasonal rides—ranging from summer-themed trains to adult-oriented tastings—while leaning into one major strength: the region’s railroad heritage still feels alive. Their schedule often mixes approachable “gateway” events (like the Ice Cream Train) with special excursions that appeal to longtime enthusiasts.
The Ice Cream Train sits at the center of that mission. It’s a practical, repeatable event that fits summer tourism patterns (especially around Angola’s lake culture), yet it still delivers the atmosphere people want: vintage cars, a real railroad right-of-way, and the unmistakable rhythm of a train rolling across jointed rail and grade crossings.
The Ice Cream Train experience
The concept: simple, scenic, and sweet…