Practically everyone loves a train ride. The problem for those of us living in North Idaho is there are few trains to ride - unless you want to get on the midnight train to Seattle. But if you have kids that want the experience of riding the train, that option doesn't really cut it.
Starting in late July and running through late October, the Lions Club of North Pend Oreille Valley runs an excursion train set up exclusively for those wanting the experience of riding a train. The train depot is in Ione, Washington and runs north to Metaline Falls which is about 10 miles according to the Lions' web-site. The cost is extremely affordable - $8 for ages 2 - 12, $12 for those 13 - 64 and free for kids under 2 years of age.
The Lions Train Rides web-site is extremely detailed in regards to getting tickets, what to expect, describing the ride and scenery, how to buy tickets and pick them up etc. Purchasing tickets online through the Lions' web-site was hassle free using PayPal.
Since there is so much information about the train ride on the Lions' website, I'll focus here on our experience and fill in some details that might be helpful for those needing some extra supports.
From Coeur d' Alene, the drive to Ione is about two hours. It's a beautiful trip on a two lane road so depending on traffic, the trip might take a little longer. You should expect to check in at the depot about 30 minutes prior to your departure time. People start to line up at the tracks and the seating in the cars is first come, first served.
As is our nature, we arrived in Ione about an hour before departure and luckily, we spied a cute little park at the edge of town. We detoured to the park to let the kiddo get out and explore the slide, sand box and swings. The city park is located on the banks of a small lake so just be prepared for that. Also, the playground equipment is "old style". There is a covered gazebo in the park with restroom facilities. I'm not sure if the restrooms are available all the time - there was an event going on when we showed up so they may only be open during special occasions.
The train depot is about 5-6 blocks from the park and there appeared to be ample parking at the depot. The parking is not paved so for those using a chair, it might be a bit more difficult to navigate. There was also a restroom facility located at the depot but there were lines for that one; I'm glad we found the park restrooms and got that one out of the way! From what I could see, the restrooms appeared to be accessible.
There are food vendors located at the tracks and you are allowed to bring food and drink onto the train. My kiddo spied the kettle corn and I should have gotten him some for the trip because he didn't let me forget it for the entire ride - live and learn.
You will have your choice of cars when it's time to board the train. There is one caboose car, a few "open" cars and a few regular passenger cars. Once you get on a car, you cannot move to another one. We chose the open cars because it appeared people could move around, stand up and be a bit more casual than a regular seated passenger car. If you choose the open car, you should be prepared with coats, hats, blankets etc. because it does get a bit cold rolling through the forests.
In the open car, there are seats in the middle of the car. Most people were trying to find a seat right when they boarded but once the train started moving, people were standing up and looking out. Don't stress if you can't find a seat before the train starts to roll - you will be able to sit if you need to once the ride starts.
We boarded the train about 15 minutes prior to our departure time. The train actually started 5 minutes late so that meant 20 minutes of waiting on the car. This was probably the most difficult part of the trip for us. My kiddo was excited to ride the train but he was not excited about waiting. I think he was probably a bit confused too about the "hurry up and wait" part of the trip. I suggest bringing books or other things to keep the kiddos occupied while you wait for the trip to begin. There is one train car that is wheel-chair accessible and it's an open-air car. There is a ramp for this car but since I didn't ride on that car, I'm not sure how it was structured on the inside.
Once the train started, the kids were up and looking out of the train at everything going by. The train is a bit wobbly; those with a tendency towards motion sickness might not feel too comfortable on this ride. The train whistle blows fairly often as the train crosses a road or two. Those with sound sensitivity may be bothered by this and unfortunately, there's no pre-warning as to when the whistle will be going off. Be prepared also for someone narrating the trip over the speakers, pointing out intesting geography and giving history lessons. Fortunately for us, the PA system stopped working so we were able to enjoy the ride in peace! Again, for those with sound sensitivity, this may be bothersome.
The trip itself is an up and back excursion. We traveled through two tunnels and over one spectacular bridge. One of the tunnels is long and it is pitch-black in the middle. Many people were taking pictures and the abundance of camera phones made it impossible to truly be "in the dark". The train stops on the bridge once to offer opportunities for pictures and just soaking in the sights.
Once we reached the half-way point, the train stopped and we were "robbed" by bandits. This little bit of theater allows time for the engine to move to the other end of the train and gives a local group an opportunity to do a little fundraising. Bring a few quarters along to drop in the robber's bag. This of course was more waiting time - probably about 15 minutes.
Once the engine was back on, we headed back to the Depot in Ione. The entire train ride lasts about one hour and 45 minutes. On the trip back, my kiddo was rather done with the whole thing and he wanted to just sit on my lap and get warm. He did get up for the tunnels and the bridge but it was probably a bit too long of a trip for him (especially considering the 2 hour car ride to get there).
Because my kiddo has some food allergies, we didn't plan on eating in Ione as I couldn't count on finding anything to eat that didn't have wheat in it. Newport, Washington is on the road to/from Ione and is a larger town with a Safeway and various fast food options. It would be a good rest stop with familiar foods and eating options.
There is a bit of a tricky intersection in Newport and if you choose the wrong way, you'll end up going to Sandpoint rather than Coeur d' Alene adding another hour on to your trip (yes, I know this from experience).
I recommend going but be prepared for some waiting and dealing with a bit crowding on the train car.
