Steam Railroading Institute
Steam Railroading Institute things to do, attractions, restaurants, events info and trip planning
Description
cultural
entertainment
family friendly
The Steam Railroading Institute is located at 405 South Washington Street, Owosso, Michigan. It was founded in 1969 as the Michigan State University Railroad Club. It became the Michigan State Trust for Railway Preservation, and later adopted its present name.
attractions: Owosso Curwood Castle, Curwood Castle Park, restaurants: Jade Buffet, Wrought Iron Grill, Roma's Of Owosso, Foster Coffee Company, Fortune House Restaurant, Val's Pizza FRIES, The Avenue Bar and Grill LLC, Tanglewood Restaurant & Lounge, The Sideline Sports Bar Owosso, Area 52 Diner
Ratings
Description
The Steam Railroading Institute is located at 405 South Washington Street, Owosso, Michigan. It was founded in 1969 as the Michigan State University Railroad Club. It became the Michigan State Trust for Railway Preservation, and later adopted its present name.
Posts
Very cool and unique experience for my 5 year old. The people working(volunteer's) were very friendly and did a great job. The parking in Owosso is convenient, the train station is right across the street if you pay $10. Otherwise there is plenty of parking throughout the area that's free of charge. We rode in the Holly car which was one of the basic accomodations on board but it was still comfortable. The train was decorated nicely & we sang Christmas carols on the ride directed by one of the volunteers while drinking hot cocoa & eating candy canes. We also walked through several of the other train cars to visit the gift & snack car. The gifts were reasonably priced & so we're the snacks. The "North Pole" aka the Village of Ashley does a great job of getting into the spirit of Christmas. We visited the Grinch right when we arrived followed by a carousel & ferris wheel ride. After that we played kids games to win a prize & watched a magic show which was funny & entertaining. We enjoyed a small lunch at one of the several options they have for dining. Overall this little trip will make a great memory for families, especially the little ones, & I definitely recommend it.
Dustin TheisDustin Theis
20
The North Pole Express was a magical experience. We went with a group of my Mom-Friends and our kids. We got the seats in the dining cars. The kids sipped on hot cocoa, had delicious treats brought to us on the on the way there and back. The staff in our car (Holly) lead Christmas songs and shared historical information about the train. The conductor came around on the way home and signed the Polar Express book that we bought in Ashley. Ashley completely transformed into the North Pole. All of the staff and vendors there were so incredibly joyful and in character! I was so impressed, it was Disney level commitment. There was a free magic show there, the Grinch, shops, rides, a toy shop where kids could make a toy and so many nods to the Polar Express movie. We loved it! Worth every penny and we will definitely do this again. Also making a trip back to Ashley because we didnât get to do everything. If you go, definitely wear your pajamas like in the movie! Lots of people do this or wear matching shirts and holiday hats, necklaces, etc. You can bring snacks on the train, so that is great. Water bottles and non-sugary snacks are a good idea for the kiddos.
Jennifer MarieJennifer Marie
50
My family and I did this on 11/20/22 at 10am. Boarding and getting our tickets were pretty easy and stress free. This was our second time joining but I must say the first time was a bit better. There wasnât much entertainment once we were on the train, it would have been nice to see the guy walking on top of the train like he was back in 2018. The staff were very nice and helpful. Also, once we got to Ashley is called âChristmas townâ but there wasnât much Christmasy to it. The carnival rides were up but not working so that was disappointing. Also, there could have been more to do for the kids. The few games we did play were $5 a piece which I thought was overpriced but we did still do them. There were games that were inside and those were free so that was nice. I like all the different opportunities to keep warm inside. A little more time would have helped as well. Overall it was nice and my son and bf enjoyed it and I appreciate them working to make sure we sat together. Weâll do it again next year and hopefully theyâve done some upgrades to it. If not, then next year will be our last!!! Oh and bring back the 1225 đ
IsMine LoveIsMine Love
10
A must go to if you like trains and or history in general. Has one of the largest functioning steam engine trains which frequently gives rides especially in the fall for a color tour and then in the winter around Christmas due to it being in the movie The Polar Express, a large excitement for children. They also have diesel train rides and take the Polar Express to community functions like the Howell Melon Festival... Nice gift shop. Large train yard where one can go through different vintage cabooses and passenger cars. A roundhiuse for maintaining the trains. Excellent docents. It's within walking distance of beautiful downtown historic Owosso where there are many great restaurants, three blocks from a very nice hotel called The Comstock with a upscale restaurant and bar and pool. Plus one can visit Curwood Castle Museum and a nice art center. Within walking distance of a historic play house called The Lebowski Center, a proximal movie theater, with many pubs having weekend live music. Great town to be on a bicycle.
Gary PollitzGary Pollitz
20
We went for the North Pole Express experience. We (the adults) were not as thrilled as the kids (the kids liked the experience of just riding the train). I understand it is run by volunteers.... But if you don't want to be happy and spread holiday cheer, stay off the holiday train. Our "crew" didn't even interact with us. Just asked if we wanted cocoa. They literally just handed things to us, no talking, no smiles. It was just disappointing because we were hoping for singing, dancing, anything!! They all hung out in the front and chatted amongst themselves. We also were disappointed that we had to buy a ticket for our child with special needs who cannot sit in a seat by herself (she sat on our laps the entire time). It was an expensive excursion of which we enjoyed the train ride and seeing the 1225, but we will not spend that much money on it again.
Heidi YoungHeidi Young
40
Take the family to go to the North Pole on the Polar Express
Kevin HartKevin Hart
30
Nearby Attractions Of Steam Railroading Institute
Owosso Curwood Castle
Curwood Castle Park

Owosso Curwood Castle
4.6
(283)Click for details

Curwood Castle Park
4.7
(82)Click for details
Nearby Restaurants Of Steam Railroading Institute
Jade Buffet
Wrought Iron Grill
Roma's Of Owosso
Foster Coffee Company
Fortune House Restaurant
Val's Pizza FRIES
The Avenue Bar and Grill LLC
Tanglewood Restaurant & Lounge
The Sideline Sports Bar Owosso
Area 52 Diner

Jade Buffet
4.3
(761)$
Click for details

Wrought Iron Grill
4.5
(589)$$
Click for details

Roma's Of Owosso
4.1
(374)$$
Click for details

Foster Coffee Company
4.8
(253)$$
Click for details
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