Our convention planning committee has worked with both the North Shore Scenic Railroad and the Lake Superior Railroad Museum to bring you an opportunity to enjoy a private, VIP rail experience that is sure to satisfy! A special thank you to Craig Symington MMR® for assisting us in putting together this opportunity! Please see the details below for a full description of this experience.
Schedule
This excursion is being held on Tuesday September 1st, 2026 the day prior to the official beginning of our convention. From vacationing in the Duluth or Twin Cities areas before hand or taking advantage of the opportunity to experience operating sessions being held up in Thunder Bay, Canada, you’ll have multiple choices to arrive at the North Shore Scenic Railroad Museum in time to board the train by 10:00 AM. All activities at the museum are scheduled to be completed by 4:00 PM.
Prior To The Excursion
- Use our mail-in registration, purchase a ticket for the North Shore Scenic Railroad Excursion.
- Use your passport and travel to and stay in Thunder Bay, Canada; Take advantage of the operating sessions on two fabulous layouts being held there and then travel down to Duluth for the excursion.
- Vacation in the Duluth area; We have made arrangements with the Holiday Inn, Downtown Duluth, Minnesota for a limited number of discounted hotel rooms available on both August 31st and September 1st, 2026. Reservations for these rooms must be made by August 1, 2026.
Please click here to make a hotel reservation at the Holiday Inn hotel with our special rate code ‘NNG’.
Travel To The Excursion
For those arriving early in the Twin Cities, you will have the following options to travel to Duluth:
- Preferred option; Use our mail-in registration, purchase a chaperoned round trip motorcoach ticket which leaves the DoubleTree Bloomington convention hotel at 7:00 AM.
- Provide your own transportation.
Enjoy The North Shore Scenic Railroad Train Ride
Leave the Duluth museum at 10:00 AM and take a two and a half hour, 34 mile chaperoned train trip riding one of the railroad’s diesel powered consist of 2 coaches, 2 dome cars, a baggage car and a trailing caboose from the museum in Duluth, Minnesota to Palmer’s, Minnesota and back. Using our mail-in registration, purchase a ticket for your choice of car to ride in and sit back and take in the views of downtown Duluth, the shore line and Lake Superior on your trip.
Enjoy Lunch On The Train
Included with your ticket, enjoy a buffet style lunch served in the baggage car to eat at your seat. Lunch consists of a selection of scrumptious sandwiches, salads and desert catered by Midcoast Catering Co. Included in your ticket price, you will be able to select a single soft drink or adult beverage ticket to be provided on the train.
Take In The Lake Superior Railroad Museum
We purposely selected a shorter train ride to allow participants to spend more time at the museum; After you return from your train trip, the North Shore Railroad Museum, located in the historic Duluth Union Depot, has one of the largest collection of locomotives and rolling stock as well as exhibits on Duluth area history to take in. We’ve allowed ample time for you to both view a good portion of the museums collection and participate in a private tour of the museum’s shop, which is typically not open to the general public, to view the restorations that are taking place.
Travel Back To The Convention Hotel
Since there are multiple options to travel to the excursion, we are offering multiple options for you to return to the DoubleTree Bloomington convention hotel.
- Preferred option; Using our mail-in registration, purchase either a chaperoned round trip motorcoach ticket or one of the limited number of one-way motorcoach tickets. The motorcoach will leave the Duluth museum at 4:00 PM, returning to the DoubleTree Bloomington convention hotel by approximately 7:00 PM.
- Provide your own transportation.
For questions or additional information, please contact us.
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