New Hope Valley Railway (NHVR), the Triangle’s Train, announced its schedule for the 2016 season begins Sunday, April 10, in conjunction with the North Carolina Science Festival and concludes on Dec. 3, 4, 10 and 11 with Holiday Santa train rides. The railroad is located in Bonsal, N.C., 30 minutes south of Raleigh.

During operating months, weekend ride days at the railroad are typically the second Sunday and last Saturday of each month. Weekday ride days are held the fourth Friday of each month April to September and new this year are ride days held the second Wednesday of the month May to November.

“Families, train enthusiasts and others can ride behind a real locomotive and learn about railroad history when visiting New Hope Valley Railway,” says NHVR President Chris Tilley. “Our 2016 schedule includes new events and other themed events everyone can enjoy.”

The Strawberry Festival on April 30 and the Brew ‘n’ Choo Oktoberfest on Sept. 24 are new events. Other themed special events include additional Brew ‘n Choo beer & wine nights, reenactment ride days, military appreciation, ice cream social, grandparent’s day, Track or Treat Halloween Express and Holiday Santa Trains.

Each ride day will include activities in the rail yard, train rides pulled by either the diesel or steam locomotive, and food trucks. Passengers ride in covered, open-air passenger cars pulled by an NHVR locomotive through the scenic woods.

NHVR is also home to the North Carolina Railway Museum, which houses a collection of antique train cars, artifacts and historic train memorabilia. A Model Garden Railroad, the G-scale, with miniature trains that run on more than 1,000 feet of railroad track is also at the rail yard.

Visitors are encouraged to purchase tickets online at www.TriangleTrain.com. Any unsold tickets will be available at the train yard ticket booth the day of the ride.

New Hope Valley Railway 2016 Schedule

Weekend Ride Days

April 10 – North Carolina Science Festival

April 30 – Strawberry Festival (new event)

May 7 – Celebrate Mom and National Train Day

May 28 – Brew ‘n’ Choo

June 11 – The Great Locomotive Chase (reenactment)

June 12 – The Great Locomotive Chase (reenactment)

June 25 – Brew ‘n’ Choo

July 10 – Military Appreciation

July 30 – Diesel, Steam & Ice Cream

August 14 – Ride day

August 27 – 2nd Annual Brew ‘n’ Choo Pizza Party

September 11 – Grandparents’ Day

September 24 – Brew ‘n’ Choo Oktoberfest (new event)

October 15 – Track or Treat Halloween Express

October 22 – Track or Treat Halloween Express

October 29 – Track or Treat Halloween Express

November 13 – Ride day

December 3 – Holiday Santa Train

December 4 – Holiday Santa Train

December 10 – Holiday Santa Train

December 11 – Holiday Santa Train

Weekday Ride Days

Fridays at 10 a.m.

April 22

May 27

June 24

July 22

August 26

September 23

Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. (new this year)

May 11

June 8

July 13

August 10

September 14

2016 Operate-a-Loco Dates

Sign up to drive a real locomotive on Saturdays during public ride day weekends and in May, on Sunday. More information can be found at www.triangletrain.com/operate-a-loco.

April 9 (Diesel only)

May 8 (Diesel only)

July 9

August 13

September 10

November 12