250 Buckeye Train & Transportation Celebration

Celebrate Am250-Ohio with a Round Trip Historic Train Ride

Reminiscent of the 1976 Freedom Train, we invite you to hop on board the 250 Buckeye

Train for a memorable 250 th Anniversary experience. Passengers will journey through

beautiful Ohio as they travel to the Am250-Ohio Transportation Celebration in Dennison,

Ohio on April 25 and 26, 2026.

Commemorate America's semiquincentennial traveling by rail on a round trip excursion along the historic

Panhandle Line of the Pennsylvania Railroad, heading east from our state capital,

Columbus, Ohio. This special excursion will be nostalgic of the golden age of the

railroad that helped to build our nation and once saw 22 passenger trains a day through

Dennison in the 1900s, heading towards Pittsburgh or Columbus. This route was once

the most direct railroad route from New York to St. Louis and part of the National

Defense Strategic Railway.

Passengers will travel in the footsteps of American presidents Lincoln, Eisenhower,

Truman and Taft, as well as celebrities like Doris Day and Dean Martin. Circus trains,

troop trains and Pennsylvania Railroad specialty trains such as the Spirit of St. Louis

once filled this line. Riders will have the opportunity to enjoy their excursion on vintage

passenger cars pulled by the Ohio Central Railroad's diesel engines as they pass

through beautiful Ohio countryside. These 240-70 mile excursions will take you

through small town Americana passing through communties such as Pataskala, Marne,

Black Run, Frazeysburg, Trinway, Adams Milles, West Lafayette, Newcomerstown, Port

Washington, Lock 17, Gnadenhutten and Uhrichsville. Be sure to wave as we go by!

On Board Activities

As you enjoy a relaxing train ride heading towards Dennison and the Transportation

Celebration, passengers will be treated to a variety of entertainment including history,

music, storytelling, historical character impersonators, games and activities. Light

snacks are included with the tickets, with additional snacks available for purchase.

Enjoy the Transportation Celebration during Your 3-hour Layover

Passengers will disembark in Dennison for a 3-hour layover to explore everything

Trains, Planes and Automobiles at the Transportation Celebration. Be sure to visit our

National Historic Landmark, The Dennison Railroad Depot Museum, site of a historic

WWI and WWII Canteen that served 1.5 million soldiers. Highlights of the event

include a 250-vehicle automobile show, WWII and Canteen Reenactors, 1940s USO

type shows, Age of Steam locomotive, museum displays, food trucks and Vintage

Aircraft flyovers! Event information, schedules and maps will be available as of June 26

at: https://america250-ohio.org/250-Buckeye-Train.

Passenger Car Descriptions and Prices

All coaches have closed windows, nearby restrooms and air conditioning. Passengers

have their choice of the following seating:

First Class Seating: Our best coaches, roomier space, less people, tables

or pull out trays, complimentary snack and beverage each way and one Victory Pass per ticket.

Deluxe Class Seating: Deluxe is similar to First Class, without tables. Includes a complimentary snack each way.

Coach Class Seating: This is our standard seating. Includes a complimentary snack each way.

Veteran Discount: Military Veteran ID required

Victory Pass

To make the most of your experience, purchase a Victory Pass for only $20. A Victory

Pass includes FREE Museum Admission to our National Landmark, 10% off in our

Museum’s Whistle Stop Railway Gift Shop, a Sampler Pass for four free samples at our

food trucks and a small collector’s souvenir presented on the train. First Class tickets

include one Victory Pass per ticket. These will be included in your Ticket Packet.

Train Information

All trains will be round trip and run rain or shine. The Buckeye Train is operated by trained professionals

on the Ohio Central Railroad, a division of the Genesee & Wyoming Railroad. Safety is

a top priority, and all coaches are FRA (Federal Railroad Administration) approved with

a qualified mechanic on board. Priority is given to maintaining planned schedules, but

the railroad reserves the right to adjust schedules. For this reason, no refunds will be

given for late train arrivals. We are also not responsible for passengers missing

scheduled departure times. Any passenger missing a departing train will be responsible

for their own travel arrangements.

Passengers will be expected to follow all safety rules as written here and announced on

the train. Trained Car Hosts will assist passengers in boarding and step boxes will be

used for the passengers’ convenience. Because this is a special train with temporary

boarding sites, we strongly encourage anyone unable to safely climb up 10 steps or

walk extended distances of 500 feet to consider driving to the Transportation

Celebration, rather than taking the train.

Acessibility Statement

Due to the historic nature of vintage rail equipment, the trains are not handicapped

accessible. Historic and antiquated rail passenger equipment are exempt from ADA

regulations under U.S. Code: Title 42: Section 12184. The passenger cars and most

boarding facilities used on these excursions were constructed before disability

accessibility laws were adopted. Platforms, boarding areas, stairs, step-boxes, seating,

and especially doorways, passageways, aisles, and onboard restrooms may not

accommodate all passengers. We will make all reasonable efforts to accommodate

differently abled passengers who desire to ride the train. Motorized wheelchairs and/or

scooters cannot be accommodated onboard any of our trains at any time.

Ticketing Information

Tickets will be available to purchase on June 26, 2025. Each passenger will receive a

Commemorative Buckeye Train Ticket perfect for saving to make the occasion.

Ticketing is handled through The Dennison Railroad Depot Museum and can be

purchased online at DennisonDepot.Eventbrite.org or over the phone at 740.922.6776

Tuesday through Friday 10am-5pm, Saturday and Sunday 11am-3pm. Tickets are non-

refundable. Some fees may apply. Seats are assigned as purchased, so it is important

to know the correct number in your party before purchase. We cannot guarantee

additional tickets purchased for your group at a later time will be seated with the original

set of tickets. Tickets will be mailed directly to you.

Boarding Information

Please be aware of which train you are selecting as departure locations and times vary.

April 25, 2026: Columbus to Dennison.

Mileage: 240 miles roundtrip.

Boarding Location: Nationwide District, across from the Marconi Garage at 245 Marconi Boulevard, Columbus Ohio.

Parking Directions: Parking will be in the nearby parking garages at 245 and 170 Marconi Drive. Fees may apply.

Details and prices here. https://www.arenadistrict.com/map-and-parking/

Full Day Round Trip Experience Schedule:

Depart Columbus at 8am.

Arrive in Dennison at 12:30.

Enjoy a 3-hour layover at the Celebration.

Depart Dennison at 3:30.

Arrive in Columbus at 8pm.

Ticket Prices for Columbus:

First Class: $190

Deluxe Class: $170

Coach Class: $150

Veterans: $125**

Contact us for Group Rates.

Children 3 and under do not require a ticket, but must sit on a lap.

**Veterans are required to present Veteran ID to receive discount.

Cancellation Policy

 Tickets are non-refundable. Once tickets are purchased, we cannot change the

date, time, quantity or class of your tickets.

 Please arrive early! In order to depart on time, train doors must be shut five

minutes prior to departure. For departure, we strongly encourage you to arrive a

minimum of one-hour early to find parking and to be ready to board on time. No

refunds will be issued if you miss your train. After the layover, we strongly

encourage you to be at the Depot no later than 30-minutes prior to your return

departure. Doors will again close 5 minutes before departure.

Walk in the Footsteps of American Heroes

We encourage you to visit the Museum during your layover. The Dennison Railroad

Depot Museum is housed in a beautifully restored 1873 Pennsylvania Railroad Station.

As you visit, you will be walking in the footsteps of American heroes, those that served

on the battlefield, those that served on the Homefront in Canteens and the railroad that

kept troops and munitions rolling. As a symbol of America’s Homefront, you will visit the

men’s and women’s waiting rooms where you can still see the black paint from the

1940s blackouts in the windows and enjoy Homefront hospitality with a cup of free joe

and a cookie at the Canteen. Explore our exhibits including the Model Train Room

which uses Sanborn Maps to recreate Dennison, and our theaters where you can enjoy

oral history and the story of our Canteen. Kids can enjoy our Bing Scavenger Hunt and

take the ramp to go through our museum wing created of Railroad Cars where you will

find the Children’s Railroad Experience Car full of hands-on activities. Enjoy our feature

exhibit of the year and learn about our rare WWII Hospital Car. Don’t miss our Victory

Garden, caboose, Thermos Bottle Engine and the Locomotive 2700. Be sure to

complete your memories with a souvenir in the Museum Gift Shop.

Many thanks to the Ohio Central Railroad for making these train rides possible.

Host or Publisher Dennison Railroad Depot Museum