Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad

What Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad does

Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad is a family-owned heritage tourism operator founded in 1997 in Trego, Wisconsin, running scheduled scenic passenger train rides from the Trego Depot along a route between Spooner and Hayward that follows the Namekagon River and crosses the Bean Brook Trestle. The business operates Tuesday through Saturday across most of the calendar, with peak rides selling out months in advance. The portfolio spans seven plus distinct experiences: a $105 Dinner Train (most popular), a $499/couple overnight Bed & Breakfast Train marketed as America's only moving B&B, a $75 Wine & Cheese Train on the historic 1956 Budd Sky Parlour car, a Family Pizza Train ($34-$42), a $22-$30 Sightseeing Train, plus seasonal Holiday Wine, Santa, Sweetheart, and Spring BBQ variants. Pricing is unit-based per seat or per couple with onboard food, beverage, and cash bar components layered in.

The company's core technology asset is its rolling stock: a fleet of restored vintage passenger cars including the Budd-built 1956 Sky Parlour 'Namekagon View' (featuring a 20-seat theater, mahogany bar, and upper-level dome lounge) and, more materially, the 1935 Mark Twain Zephyr Art Deco Streamliner acquired in 2020 and currently under multi-year restoration. The Zephyr, one of nine stainless-steel streamlined trains built by the Budd Company, is scheduled to debut in 2027 as the only Shovelnose Streamliner available to ride in the United States, with onboard theater, display, tavern, and dining configurations. Commercial operations run on a direct-to-consumer stack consisting of the spoonertrainride.com website integrated with FareHarbor for booking, phone sales, TripAdvisor for review-driven acquisition, and Facebook for organic social. All sales are end-consumer, with no B2B, reseller, or wholesale channels disclosed.

Revenue derives almost entirely from ticket sales and onboard food and beverage. Pricing is fixed per experience, with cash bar and ancillary drink purchases adding a transaction layer. The customer base is highly diversified across families, adult couples, and rail tourists, with no enterprise or repeat-anchor accounts. The business carries the structural profile of a small privately-held operator: family ownership (Greg, Mardell & Alexander), 11-50 employees, no external funding, no subsidiaries, and a single depot and route. Material forward catalysts are concentrated in the 2027 Zephyr launch and progressive filling of shoulder-season demand with new themed products.

Name

Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad

Legal name

Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad

Website

https://spoonertrainride.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad is a family-owned heritage tourism operator in Trego, Wisconsin, running scheduled themed scenic train rides — including Dinner, Bed & Breakfast, Wine & Cheese, Pizza, and Sightseeing — for families, couples, and tourists along the Namekagon River corridor.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Heritage Railway Tourism

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation (487), Rail Transportation (482)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Tourist/Scenic/Heritage Passenger Rail Operators (TLAFADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Luxury/Tourist Scenic Intercity Rail Operators (THAIAAAF), Rail Journey Package Tour Operators (THAKADAN), Tourist/Heritage Regional Rail (Commuter-Adjacent) Services (THAIACAJ)

Keywords

• Scenic train rides
• Heritage railway tourism
• Dinner train experiences
• Bed and breakfast train
• Themed excursion trains

Headquarters

HQ city

Trego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Train Ride Tickets: Primary revenue from selling tickets for various themed train rides including Dinner Train, Bed & Breakfast Train, Wine & Cheese Train, Pizza Train, Sightseeing Train, Santa Train, and Holiday Wine Train. Tickets range from $22 to $499 depending on ride type and duration.
2. Onboard Food and Beverage: Revenue from onboard dining services, alcoholic beverages from cash bar, and additional drink purchases during train rides. Cash bar available on most trains, with beverages included in some ticket prices and additional drinks available for purchase.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad operates themed scenic excursion train rides from its Trego, Wisconsin depot, including dinner trains, the only moving bed & breakfast train in America, wine and cheese tasting rides, family pizza rides, and sightseeing trips along the Namekagon River. The company is also restoring the historic 1935 Mark Twain Zephyr Art Deco Streamliner for a planned 2027 launch. All rides are sold directly to consumers through the company's website and phone office.

Product overview

Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad operates a portfolio of tourist train ride experiences centered at Trego Depot, Wisconsin. The company offers multiple distinct train experiences including Dinner Trains (elegant multi-course dining experiences with private compartments), the Bed & Breakfast Train (America's only moving B&B with overnight sleeper accommodations), Wine & Cheese Train (adults-only tasting experience on historic Sky Parlour car), Family Pizza Train (most popular family offering with onboard pizza), Sightseeing Train (scenic historical experience), and seasonal offerings including Holiday Wine Train, Santa Train, Sweetheart Express (Valentine's), and Spring BBQ trains. The company is also restoring the historic Mark Twain Zephyr (1935 Art Deco streamliner) for a 2027 launch. All trains depart from Trego Depot and operate on routes between Spooner and Hayward, Wisconsin, primarily along the Namekagon River corridor.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mark Twain Zephyr: The World Famous 1935 Art Deco Streamliner - a historic shovelnose train being rebuilt as a future attraction.

Products and services

• Dinner Train Ride A 2.5-hour evening dinner train experience departing at 5 PM Tuesday through Saturday, featuring private dining compartments for groups up to 6 people, a three-course meal (appetizer, soup, entree, dessert) prepared on board, and a cash bar. The route passes through farm fields, deep woods, and along the Namekagon River. Intended for couples and groups seeking a scenic dining outing.
• Bed & Breakfast Train America's only moving bed & breakfast train. Overnight experience for adults 21+ featuring first-class sleeper deluxe cars with queen beds, private bathrooms with toilet, sink, and tiled shower, a cocktail hour in the Ranch Car Bar, a four-course dinner, and continental and hot breakfast. Aimed at couples seeking a unique overnight getaway.
• Wine & Cheese Train Ride Adults-only (21+) 2-hour scenic train ride aboard the Sky Parlour 'Namekagon View' car (built by Budd in 1956), featuring four samples of Wisconsin-produced wine, award-winning cheese varieties, a mahogany bar, an upper-level dome lounge, and a 20-seat movie theater. Includes a souvenir wine tumbler. Targeted at couples and adult groups.
• Family Pizza Train The company's most popular family train ride. A 2-hour trip through farm fields, deep woods, the Namekagon River, and a stop at the Bean Creek Trestle, with a personal-size pizza (pepperoni, sausage, or cheese) baked fresh on board and a first soda or bottled water included. Additional beverages available from the bar. Designed for families with children.
• Sightseeing Train Ride A 2-hour scenic train ride aboard a historic train from the golden era of passenger trains, passing through the deep woods of northern Wisconsin, the Namekagon River overlook, the Potato Creek valley, and Bean Brook from a trestle bridge. A conductor is available to answer questions about railway history. Targeted at families, tourists, and rail enthusiasts.
• Holiday Wine Train Adults-only (21+) 2-hour holiday-themed train party through the snow-covered Northwoods, featuring a bottle of holiday wine from Door Peninsula Winery in a souvenir bag, a custom wine tumbler, a hot and cold hors d'oeuvres buffet, a cash bar, soft holiday music, and traditional decorations with an optional visit to a fully decorated Santa Car. Aimed at adults seeking seasonal social experiences.
• Santa Train Christmas-themed family pizza train with a 2-hour ride, a personal pizza, a first beverage, a visit with Santa, access to his private car for photos, and a holiday cookie with hot chocolate on the return. Private dining compartments accommodate families up to 6 people. Designed for families seeking a holiday tradition.
• Sweetheart Express Dinner Train A romantic Valentine's month dinner train through the snow-covered Northwoods featuring a 4-course dinner created in the onboard kitchen, including a shared shrimp cocktail, soup, a choice of entree, and dessert, with post-dinner cocktails available in the Ranch car. Targeted at couples celebrating Valentine's season.
• Sweetheart Bed & Breakfast Romantic overnight bed and breakfast train experience for couples, featuring a private dinner table for two or group party options with menu options including Flat Iron Steak, Norwegian Atlantic Salmon, or Four Cheese Ravioli, and gluten-free alternatives. Aimed at couples seeking a February seasonal getaway.
• Spring BBQ Dinner Train A spring-themed dinner train featuring a special BBQ menu of St. Louis Style BBQ Ribs, Beef Brisket, or Four Cheese Ravioli, with bartender service in the restored Great Northern Ranch Bar Car. Available weekends from March through April 2026.
• Spring BBQ Bed & Breakfast An early-season overnight BBQ experience with wood-paneled cars, cocktails from the Ranch Bar, and fresh BBQ prepared in the onboard kitchen, offered as a date night or with group friend packages. Available weekends from March through April 2026.
• Mark Twain Zephyr The historic 1935 Art Deco Streamliner built by the Budd Company and the fourth Zephyr built, which operated from St. Louis to Burlington, Iowa. Currently being rebuilt after acquisition in 2020, with planned 2027 launch as the only Shovelnose Streamliner available to ride in America, featuring an onboard theater, the Becky Thatcher display car, the Effie Dean tavern lounge, and the Huckleberry Finn dining car.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Door Peninsula WineryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDoor Peninsula Winery supplies the holiday wine featured on the Holiday Wine Train. Wine is provided in souvenir bags as part of the ticket experience. This partnership supports the local Wisconsin wine and culinary experience offering.
• FareHarborcoreTechnology or IntegrationFareHarbor provides the embedded booking and reservation system used on the company website. Handles ticket sales, calendar availability, and reservation management for all train rides. Integration allows for 'Book Now' functionality across all ride pages.
• Budd Company (historic)minorOthersThe Sky Parlour 'Namekagon View' car was originally built by Budd in 1956 for the famed El Capitan on the Santa Fe railroad. This historic relationship provides the provenance for one of their premium railcars.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Royal Gorge Route Railroad: Colorado scenic/dining train operating themed lunch, dinner, and wine-tasting rides through the Royal Gorge. Comparable dinner-train business model with adult-only and family offerings.
• Napa Valley Wine Train: California-based dining and wine-tasting scenic rail operator offering multi-course meals on restored rolling stock with adult-only and themed packages — directly comparable business model to WGNR's Wine & Cheese, Dinner, and B&B trains.
• White Pass and Yukon Route: Alaska/British Columbia heritage tourist railroad featuring scenic excursions and themed seasonal experiences on vintage rolling stock; comparable reliance on historic equipment and seasonal tourism demand.
• Strasburg Rail Road: America's oldest continuously operating railroad; heritage/tourist rail operator running themed rides (dining, seasonal events) from a single Pennsylvania depot — closely analogous size, family-legacy feel, and themed-ride diversification.
• Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad: Heritage narrow-gauge tourist railroad operating vintage steam-powered scenic excursions through Colorado mountains. Closest scale and operating-stage analog; regularly appears on the same USA Today 10Best scenic rail lists.
• Grand Canyon Railway: Operates themed scenic rail journeys with multiple classes of service and onboard dining/entertainment to a destination attraction in Arizona. Comparable diversified-ride portfolio and direct-to-consumer booking model.
• Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway: Pennsylvania-based scenic tourist railroad running themed rides including dinner, wine, and seasonal trains — closely comparable product mix and single-route operating profile.
• Verde Canyon Railroad: Arizona-based scenic railroad offering themed ride experiences including wine/ales tastings and seasonal trains (Starlight, Cabernet, Chocolate) — directly comparable adult-themed ride diversification and pricing architecture.
• Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad: Heritage steam tourist railroad running scenic excursions through Colorado/New Mexico mountains on vintage rolling stock. Comparable single-route, season-driven operation built around restored historic equipment.

Broad incumbents

• Mount Washington Cog Railway: Established New Hampshire heritage mountain railway (one of the USA Today 2026 top three vote-getters referenced by WGNR). Comparable historic-equipment-driven tourism model at larger scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/WIGNRR
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wisconsin-great-northern-railroad-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad