FAQ
During offsite excursions away from our home in Owosso, such as the Fall Color Tours, there is not always a depot to depart from. A mobile box office will be located at the front of the train for ticket pick-up.
We accept cash and all major credit cards (except American Express) for Membership or merchandise. For ticket purchases, we only accept credit card payments through our website.
Currently, the Steam Railroading Institute is not offering gift cards for sale. Previously issued gift cards will be accepted in the Welcome Center’s Gift Shop.
If an event or excursion says sold out online, we CANNOT sell any more tickets. If someone cancels their reservation and returns their tickets, their tickets will automatically open online. We DO NOT maintain a waiting list.
No group discounts are offered. However, entire passenger cars and cabooses are available for reservation by large groups far in advance.
If your plans change, please leave a voicemail at: (989) 720-3954, and the SRI office staff will process the cancellation.
- Trips cancelled 60 days or more before departure will receive a 90% refund (10% penalty)
- Trips cancelled between 8 and 59 days prior to departure will receive a 75% refund (25% penalty)
- No refunds will be granted within 7 days of the trip.
We advise you to be aware of scams. Please don’t purchase tickets from unknown sources. There are no authorized third-party ticket sellers for any of our excursions. If you feel like you are experiencing a scam, please contact us right away.
We do not allow ticket resale on our social media pages.
We do not monitor ticket reselling of any kind.
Children 24 months or younger that can sit on a parent’s lap for the entire trip do not need to purchase a ticket.
Unless otherwise noted on an excursion description, all ages are welcome aboard our trains.
Our rolling stock is in original historical condition, therefore our fleet of passenger cars are not ADA accessible, and fall under exemption from ADA regulations (Sec. 12142, Sec. 12148). Please contact us for more information before ordering tickets.
The Steam Railroading Institute reserves the right to change out motive power or rolling stock at any time, including substituting diesel power for steam. Departure times are subject to delays due to freight traffic or mechanical issues.
All firearms (Concealed or Open Carried) are prohibited on the property or on any locomotive, car, or equipment of the Steam Railroading Institute.
Smoking, vaping, or alcohol use of any kind on the train or in the SRI Welcome Center is prohibited. We may refuse passage to, or remove any passenger who appears intoxicated or whose behavior becomes unsafe or objectionable to fellow passengers or railroad representatives at any time.
By purchasing tickets from the Steam Railroading Institute or by entering our property, all guests agree to Steam Railroading Institute’s hold harmless policy.
Boarding opens approximately 30 minutes prior to departure.
There are restrooms located within the Steam Railroading Institute’s Welcome Center.
On board the train, there are restrooms in our coaches but not in our diners. For caboose riders, there are NO traditional restrooms in the cabooses. The Ann Arbor and Chesapeake & Ohio 3674 cabooses are vintage and each have an old fashioned (Out-House Style) restroom that are only used in case of an emergency.
During North Pole Express, or any large event, free parking is available in the public lot located directly north of the museum grounds just across the river. There is a privately-owned lot directly across the street from SRI that offers paid parking. SRI is in no way associated with this paid lot. We ask visitors and passengers to be considerate of designated business/residential lots around Downtown Owosso and keep them clear for their customers/residents. Handicap parking is available on the Institute grounds.
For offsite excursions away from our home in Owosso, passengers will receive email communication with recommendations to designated parking nearby.
For excursion trains, including the North Pole Express, strollers must meet the following qualifications:
- Strollers need to be portable, small, and easily loaded on to a rail car.
- Only “Umbrella”-type folding strollers will be allowed.
- Passengers will be asked to store the strollers in the overhead luggage racks above their seats.
- Double and Triple strollers are not permitted.
Strollers that do not meet the qualifications will be denied access to the train.
Unless otherwise noted, light snacks and beverages are allowed on the train. Coolers are not permitted. There is food and beverages available at end destinations but there is no concession car on the train.
Alcohol: *ABSOLUTELY NO OUTSIDE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES MAY BE BROUGHT ONTO THE STEAM RAILROADING INSTITUTE GROUNDS AND ON THE TRAIN! IF ALCOHOL IS FOUND, IT WILL BE CONFISCATED.
Select excursions will have adult beverages available for purchase in designated passenger cars.
Events and excursions operate regardless of the weather, visitors and passengers should plan accordingly. Unless there is a State of Emergency declared by local or state government forbidding us from operating, we will run. We will do our best to contact you in the case of an emergency. If your event or excursion is unable to run due to an emergency, your tickets will be fully refunded.
Beginning on March 15, 2011, only dogs are recognized as service animals under titles II and III of the ADA. Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support (ESA Animals) do not qualify as service animals under the ADA. For more information regarding ADA Service Animals, please visit: www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm
All Service Animals must be leashed and wearing proper Service Animal identifiers (Vest, Jacket, etc.) always. Please call ahead if you will be bringing a service animal onboard.
*Other than the animals defined above, no pets allowed under any circumstances*
The Steam Railroading Institute’s Welcome Center and excursion cars are heated and cooled accordingly.
All firearms (Concealed or Open Carried) are prohibited on the property or on any locomotive, car, or equipment of the Steam Railroading Institute.
Coach Cars: Seats are generally grouped in fours with two seats facing opposite of two seats. Some of our cars do have a small table in between the grouping. Each of our coaches hold 70 passengers. Entrance onto and departure off the trains all require climbing up and down stairs.
Diner Cars: Vintage dining cars hold up to 40 people. Seats are restaurant-style booths around a table. Each table seats 4 passengers.
Caboose: Vintage cabooses hold up to 12 people. The upper-level cupula to view the top of the train holds two seats facing each other to each side. The cupula is only accessible by climbing a ladder type stairway on each side.
Passengers can walk between cars except for the caboose. Caboose riders may not leave the caboose until the train is at a complete stop.
Please provide prior notification to the Steam Railroading Institute staff of any special physical needs that are required by a patron visiting the Institute or riding our trains. The museum grounds and excursion cars are not fully handicap accessible due to the historical preservation nature of the property and equipment.
Handicap parking is available on the north side of the Welcome Center with a ramp leading up to the door. Everywhere else throughout the Institute is on one level. Please note that the Welcome Center, outdoor displays, hobo camp, 7.5” gauge miniature railroad and backshop/turntable are spread out with some uneven surfaces. Transportation is available to easily move our guests throughout SRI.
There are NO wheelchairs for rent.
Due to our rolling stock being in original historical condition, our fleet of passenger cars is not ADA accessible, and fall under exemption from ADA regulations (Sec. 12142, Sec. 12148). We sometimes have a limited number of seats available for passengers with limited mobility, but passengers will still need to climb several stair steps. Please contact us for more information before ordering tickets.
Contact us to ask about lost and found: (989) 725-9464.
All times are approximate. Because track conditions can change, excursion duration can fluctuate.
There are a select number of events where shuttle service may be available. All passengers will receive communication service when it is offered for an event.
Dress for the weather. We strongly encourage that visitors and passengers wear comfortable, closed toed walking shoes. Sandals, heels, or open toed shoes are not recommended and may make it unsafe for you to ride.
Running of the Pere Marquette 1225 and other historic steam locomotives are not guaranteed. All our events and excursions include the disclaimer that we reserve the right to change out motive power or rolling stock at any time, including substituting diesel power for steam. We will do everything possible to run the 1225, but historic steam locomotives can be unpredictable.
Please be mindful of your safety and the safety of your fellow visitors and passengers. Watch your step, be mindful of moving railroad equipment, uneven surfaces or bad footing, and pinch points for fingers, arms and limbs. Please don’t walk on railroad tracks and keep back at a safe distance of 25 feet. Always follow the instructions from SRI staff and volunteers.
Your presence and participation indicate that you as a visitor or passenger accept the limits of liability from inherent risks of all activities and operations.
Your entry constitutes your consent to such photography, filming and recording, and to be used in all media. You hereby authorize the use of your appearance, voice and name for any purpose whatsoever in connection with SRI. You understand that all photography, filming and recording will be done in reliance on this consent given by you when entering the museum property including but not limited to grounds and train excursions.
Your support and participation are greatly appreciated!
The Steam Railroading Institute is following all CDC and State of Michigan guidelines regarding Covid-19. To ensure the health and safety of our staff, volunteers, visitors, and passengers alike, we ask that everyone adhere to the current Covid-19 guidelines while on the SRI grounds and trains.
- Mask mandate by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is no longer in effect. Masks will not be required in the Steam Railroading Institute’s Welcome Center or onboard the train. The CDC continues to recommend that people wear masks in indoor public transportation settings. We will continue to monitor the Covid-19 situation as it develops and follow the guidelines laid out by the TSA, state and local health departments.
- Hand sanitizer stations will be available throughout the museum grounds and on the train. Passenger car interiors and indoor areas such as the gift shop and bathrooms are thoroughly cleaned and sanitized throughout the day.
- If you have any symptoms, please refrain from visiting the Steam Railroading Institute until you are no longer experiencing illnesses.
All patrons, invitees, guests and volunteers (“Patron”) entering onto any Steam Railroading Institute (“SRI”) property or equipment or participating in any SRI event (“SRI Activities”) is considered voluntary participation and may subject a Patron to the possibility of physical injury, loss of life and loss of or damage to a Patron’s property (collectively, “Risks”) and the Patron agrees to the following waiver of liability of any Risks or Claims at SRI Activities:
- The Patron agrees, to fullest extent permitted by law, to release and hold harmless Great Lakes Central Railroad, Inc., State of Michigan, Department of Transportation, its commissioners officers, directors, employees, agents, volunteers, and contractors (collectively, “Releasees”) from any claim, demand, loss, liability, damages, and attorney fees and costs whatsoever arising from, related to, or resulting from these Risks (“Claims”), except those caused totally by the negligent acts or omissions of any or all of the Releasees: and,
- The Patron agrees, to fullest extent permitted by law, to release and hold harmless SRI, its officers, directors, employees, agents, volunteers, and contractors (collectively, “SRI Releasees”) from any claim, demand, loss, liability, damages, and attorney fees and costs whatsoever arising from, related to, or resulting from these Risks and Claims; and,
- The Patron agrees without exception to rely on SRI insurance liability coverage limits if the Patron asserts any Claims against SRI related to the Risks resulting from and during SRI Activities. For clarity, the Patron waives all rights of Claims or Damages against the Releasees and SRI Releasees except insurance coverage limits of SRI for such Claims or Damages.
- This Agreement shall be binding on any Patron’s estate, heirs, executors, administrators, successors, and assigns, as well as any other party asserting a Claim on behalf or on behalf of a Patron’s estate.
- I hereby expressly agree that (1) this Agreement shall be governed and construed according to the laws of the state of Michigan without regard to its conflict of laws provisions and I expressly submit to the jurisdiction of such courts.
- This Agreement contains the entire understanding between and among the parties concerning these matters.
Please contact us and we’ll get back to you soon.