The Lackawaxen River keeps the Stourbridge Line company for much of its run from Honesdale, sliding past the windows as the train makes its unhurried way through the countryside. This is not transportation in the hurry-up sense. It is a chance to settle into a coach, watch the river and wooded landscape pass by, and let somebody else handle the route.
Most excursions run roughly 90 minutes to two hours, depending on the outing. That leaves enough time for conversation, a little daydreaming, and the sort of close looking that a drive through the same country rarely encourages.
Honesdale gives the outing a fitting starting point. The station area, nearby historic buildings, and Main Street scenery make a pleasant pre- or post-ride wander, especially for travelers building a longer afternoon around downtown sightseeing, a local museum, or a festival.
Stories Along the Route
The scenery has company onboard. Conductors and guides share information about the Stourbridge Line, Honesdale, local history, and points of interest visible from the train. The commentary gives the ride a local frame without turning it into a classroom exercise.
Expect bits of railroad story alongside notes about the communities, businesses, events, and sights along the way. It is an easy format for a mixed-age group: people who want to watch the view can do that, while listeners have plenty of regional context to take home.
A Coach With Some Railroad Character
Coach 1993 offers a particularly memorable place to ride. The restored car has comfortable velvet seats, a pleasing old-railroad touch that suits an excursion built around slowing down.
Its seat backs can be flipped during the return portion of the trip so riders can continue facing the direction of travel. It is a small practical flourish, but a good one; nobody has to spend the ride home looking at the scenery receding behind them.
Views are available from both sides of the train. The river may be more prominent from one side on a particular leg, so the landscape changes a little as the train changes direction.
When the Ride Includes Dinner
The Stourbridge Line also runs dining-oriented excursions, trading a simple sightseeing ride for a seated meal with table service. The atmosphere is relaxed enough for friends getting together and polished enough for an anniversary, birthday, or other modest celebration that calls for more than an ordinary restaurant table.
Menus vary by excursion, but dinner offerings have included crab-stuffed flounder followed by strawberry cheesecake, and some meals have been provided by Sidel's. The useful point is that these are scheduled dining events rather than an add-on available on every train, so the menu and format are worth checking when choosing a date.
A meal changes the pace in a nice way. Instead of trying to fit lunch around the outing, the meal becomes part of the afternoon or evening, with the countryside moving quietly beyond the windows.
Autumn With Pumpkins and Cider Donuts
Fall brings one of the line's more family-friendly outings, the Pumpkin Patch Express. The ride is paired with time at a pumpkin patch, turning a rail excursion into a fuller autumn afternoon.
The patch activities have included cornhole, beanbag toss, a small bounce house, and Halloween-themed photo opportunities. A food truck selling cider donuts adds an appropriately seasonal excuse to linger.
This is the sort of outing that can work across generations without asking everyone to enjoy the day in exactly the same way. Younger riders can head for the games, adults can browse and take photos, and the train ride itself gives the whole group a shared beginning and end.
A Costume Night on the Rails
The Blue Moon Halloween ride takes a different route into the season. Music, snacks, wine service, and a costume-forward mood make it more of an evening social event than a pumpkin-patch family excursion.
Elaborate costumes are very much in the spirit of the train, and the event has developed into a return tradition for some groups. It is a good reminder that the same rail line can feel quite different depending on the themed outing on the calendar.
Fall foliage trips are another seasonal option, though the color naturally depends on the date and the progress of the season. The river-and-country setting gives those rides plenty to work with even when the leaves are not at their absolute peak.
A Little More Railroad Time
A related Stourbridge Line train museum extends the railroad theme beyond the excursion itself. Historical exhibits give visitors another way to explore the region's rail story at a slower, more browseable pace.
Families will find a notably well-stocked playroom, with an extensive train table and model trains, Lego sets, two computers, and a small gardening- or farm-themed play area. It offers children a place to engage with the subject hands-on while adults take in the displays.
Among the museum exhibits is a display about Native Americans that includes arrows, dresses, and related artifacts. The combination of railroad material and broader regional history makes the museum more than a quick stop for train fans alone.
Planning the Outing
Tickets can be purchased online, and booking ahead is especially sensible for weekend, dinner, and themed excursions. The special-event trains have limited dates and distinct formats, so it pays to select the experience first and then build the day around it.
Parking near the excursion has been described as ample. Once aboard, the main decision is simple: settle in for the commentary, keep an eye on the river, and leave enough room in the day for Honesdale's historic downtown before or after the ride.