Halloween Trains in New Jersey

All aboard! Halloween and hayrides go hand-in-hand, but you might not have heard of a Halloween train; adding a creepy factor to a train ride really enhances the whole spooky vibe of Halloween. Throughout our lovely state of New Jersey, various railroads can take you and the family for a Halloween-themed ride. Read below for some great ones; some are scary, some just take you to a pumpkin farm but, regardless, these trains bring on the fun!

Located in Phillipsburg, The Great Pumpkin Train at the Delaware River Railroad runs from to the end of October, weekends only! Families can ride the steam train through the beautiful fall landscape of Western New Jersey. Take the train to a pumpkin patch located in a little glade in front of the historic Carpentersville Lime Kilns dating from the 1700's. At the Pumpkin Patch,  everyone is welcome to get  off the train and every child can pick their own free pumpkin. If that’s not amazing enough, for those little ones who just LOVE Thomas the Tank Engine, explore the world’s ONLY ‘Thomas the Tank Engine’ corn maze. It’s not Halloween-y per se, but it’s certainly very cool.

All aboard the haunted express! A haunted train? Beat that, Disney World’s Haunted Mansion! The Haunted Express at New Jersey Museum of Transportation at Allaire State Park is a must-see. The Haunted Express travels only by night through the haunted woods of Allaire State Park. Trains leave every 30 minutes from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm, Saturdays and Sundays until October 30. (Tickets are $7.50) Note: To schedule a group event on a weekday, contact Allaire Village at 732-919-3500.

On Sunday, October 7th at the Whippany Railroad Museum, the Special "Pumpkinliner" caboose trains make frequent departures from the Museum site throughout the day. Trains depart at 12:30, 1:15, 2:00, 2:45, 3:30, 4:15, and 5:00PM. You can also 'ride-in-style' aboard an elegantly-restored 1927-era Central Railroad of New Jersey club car, 'Jersey Coast'. A train-lover’s dream! Admission to the Museum site, including Museum Building, Grounds and Rolling Stock Collection is: ADULTS - $1.00, CHILDREN under 12 - 50 cents.

The Black River and Western Railroad has Eerie Limited, an evening excursion from Flemington to Ringoes and return. On the way, learn the stories of tragedies, wrecks, and hauntings from the long history of the railroad lines operated by Black River & Western. Very…well, eerie! Recommended for ages 15 and up. Reservations required. (Allow about two hours for the trip.)