The Head of The Lakes Private Railcar
A very Exclusive Private Railcar Unique Railroad Tycoon VIP Delicious Fun Special Unforgettable Experience
This is far more than a train ride. It is your own private executive railcar, traveling as part of a North Shore Scenic Railroad excursion. Your reservation includes exclusive use of the entire car, called Head of the Lakes, for your group, with room for up to 20 guests. The experience is ideal for around 10 people, wonderfully intimate with fewer, or an unforgettable private getaway for just one or two. Your experience includes beverages and on select trips, complimentary snacks, with entrées available as an optional addition to your reservation. Although the Head of the Lakes traincar travels as part of a public train excursion, the car remains completely private, positioned at one end of the train and reserved exclusively for your party.
From the moment you step aboard, the experience feels elevated. Your personal car attendant welcomes you, shows you around, assists with seating and beverage service, and makes sure everything is ready for your journey. But you won’t be able to sit long as you’ll want to explore the traincar that you get to “own” for the duration of the ride. It is a rare opportunity to experience the railroad the way a railroad executive, or perhaps a railroad tycoon, once did. Before you have much time to settle in, the locomotive sounds its horn, the train begins to move, and your private journey is underway
Originally designed as a business observation car, the Head of the Lakes represents the railroad’s ultimate home-field advantage: Cars like this were built for executives and VIP guests to ride in a sophisticated place to entertain investors, conduct business, host friends and family, or simply enjoy the privilege of traveling in style. Today, you can experience that same spirit for yourself.
The car features comfortable lounge seating in the main salon, separated by a partition containing a hidden television screen that can be used for presentations, displaying the train’s onboard cameras, watching a movie or virtually anything else your group may need on a screen. At the center of the car, a large custom table seats up to eight, with additional stools at the adjacent bar where your car attendant can be found preparing beverages and snacks. Beyond the bar is a full kitchen, a private restroom, and a small office/lounge, which is nice for a quiet conversation, a phone call, or a few moments away from the group.
On the first leg of your journey, the Head of the Lakes rides directly behind the locomotive at the front of the train. But the highlight comes on the return trip, when the locomotive moves to the opposite end of the train and your private railcar becomes the rear observation point. Step outside onto your back platform, breathe in the fresh Lake Superior air and enjoy the reverse view as you make your way back toward the Duluth Depot. As the train travels along the Lakewalk, wave to people along the shore and enjoy a perspective of Duluth that few passengers ever experience. For a moment, you may feel less like a passenger and more like the owner of the railroad.
The private Head of the Lakes railcar experience is perfect for intimate celebrations, milestone occasions, corporate gatherings, client entertainment, private meetings or simply anyone looking to experience something truly extraordinary. One reservation gives your group exclusive use of the Head of the Lakes for the entire journey.
Bring up to 20 guests, or keep it intimate and make the car entirely your own. Menu selections will be made during the booking process. Due to the historic nature of the railroad equipment, the Head of the Lakes is not wheelchair accessible. Learn more today! Here’s some sample pricing for the base packages, available any operating day of the railroad:
- Daytime 2.5 hour excursion departing at 1:30pm (Friday-Sunday): $1,250 flat rate. Snacks & Drinks included.
- Evening Dinner Train: $1,500 for the car. Drinks included, food is additional (about $45 per person depending on the order)
- Two Harbors Full-Day excursion, 10am-4pm (Thursdays only): $2,000 with snacks & drinks included. Lunch is additional or separate.
Some history of the railcar: Built in 1959, the traincar today called the Head of the Lakes was made by National Steel Car, numbered CN92 as a business car. It was created for the Canadian National Railway’s senior executives. Following construction, the car was sent to the Canadian National’s prestigious Montreal shops, where its interior was specially outfitted for executive travel, entertainment, and corporate functions. For more than three decades, it traveled throughout the Canadian National (CN) system, serving as a luxurious setting for executive transportation, entertaining clients, and public relations events. Its final CN assignment was as the private car of the Vice President of the Prairie Division, based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. In 1994, the car was purchased from CN and moved to Southern California, where it continued its life named the “Scottish Thistle” as a private railcar for elites to charter on the back of Amtrak trains. It was carefully maintained and modernized over the years, and more recently underwent a full overhaul to become the “Head of the Lakes” traincar it is today.