Midwest Rail Rangers
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The Midwest Rail Rangers is a 501(c)(3) non-profit based in St. Croix Falls, WI. We have a rail history display at our headquarters that is open by appointment.
We provides on-board educational programs on the South Shore Line and at railroad museums. Almost everyone enjoys a private rail car excursion... but if you don't know what you're seeing out your window... it's like watching the Travel Channel with the sound turned off. You're simply going to miss a lot of interesting information about the people and places passing by. That's where the new APRHF Rail Rangers program comes in! Experienced volunteers can now be arranged to be aboard you next excursion, providing an educational, but yet fun and entertaining, interpretive program for passengers. This can include route guide handout sheets, live narration from guides provided over a wireless speaker system, special activities catered toward children and teens, custom-made route guide booklets for sale, and even a book signing event with travel authors. The possibilities are endless! And, because Rail Rangers is part of the non-profit American Passenger Rail Heritage Foundation, all of this done at a very minimal cost to the private rail car owner or group organizing the rail charter.
09/30/2026
09/27/2026
Join the Midwest Rail Rangers for a presentation on Wednesday night at 5pm at the Polk County Historical Society in Balsam Lake, Wisconsin.
Curious to know more about our speaker next week? Look no more! From the Intercounty Leader's website:
Robert Tabern has been Senior Editor of the Inter-County Leader since July 2022.
Raised in the north suburbs of Chicago, Robert discovered a passion for journalism while attending Glenbrook North High School in Northbrook, Illinois. In 1997, Robert moved to Jonesboro, Arkansas, to attend Arkansas State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism.
After graduating from college in December 2001, Robert held various media and communication roles here in the Midwest. Robert later decided to return to his roots—a career in journalism—as Senior Editor of the Inter-County Leader in July 2022.
In his spare time, Robert enjoys traveling around the country and the globe. Robert co-founded and currently manages a 501(c)(3) non-profit railroad organization called the Midwest Rail Rangers, which provides historical programs on trains across a seven-state region. Robert has also written and published more than 20 railroad history books and railroad route guides.
Robert, who currently lives on Big Lake in Eureka Center, Wisconsin, is only the sixth editor in the Inter-County Leader’s 93-year history. Robert follows in the footsteps of earlier Inter-County Leader Editors, including Bennie Bye (1933-1953), Romain Brandt (1953-1958), Elmer Haumant (1958-1963), Bernice Asper (1963-1983), and Gary King (1983-2022).
Come check out Robert's Speaker Series event on the Soo Line railroad from Dresser to Duluth next Wednesday, September 30 at 5:00 PM at the Polk County Museum. We hope to see you then!
09/18/2026
Midwest Rail Rangers President Robert Tabern is at the North Shore Scenic Railroad and Lake Superior Railroad Museum today and tomorrow. Join him on the 11am and 1:30pm departure to hear more about the histroic Santa Fe Big Dome!
09/17/2026
Join the Midwest Rail Rangers tomorrow (Friday, Sept. 18) and Saturday (Sept. 19) at the North Shore Scenic Railroad in Duluth, Minnesota. We will have docents riding on the 11am and 1:30pm dome car departures. We will be providing passengers with a little history on the dome cars... and have 2 of our books pertaining to Duluth for sale! See you "up north"!
09/15/2026
Our next history open house takes place on Wednesday, Sept. 16 from 5:30 - 8:30pm at 106 S. Washington Street in St Croix Falls, WI. St St. Croix Falls Historical Society VP and Midwest Rail Rangers President Robert Tabern will be talking all this trains! Copies of his new Soo Line Sixth Subdivision book will also be for sale. This is open house style so no need to come at a specific time... just drop in when its convenient for you!!
08/29/2026
Join this Midwest Rail Rangers today for our August onboard Interpretive Program on the South Shore Line. We leave from Millennium Station at 10:45am and Michigan City at 12:58pm. Come learn about Illinois and Indiana history as we enjoy a scenic train ride together!!
Ride along with the Midwest Rail Rangers for free onboard interpretive programs aboard the South Shore Line on Saturday, August 29.
Enjoy engaging and educational commentary about Chicago landmarks, Northwest Indiana's industrial heritage, and the natural wonders of Indiana Dunes National Park and Indiana Dunes State Park as you travel along one of the region's most scenic rail corridors.
Eastbound Program
Train #505- Departs Chicago Millennium Station: 10:45 a.m. CDT
Westbound Program
Train #508 - Departs Michigan City - Carroll Avenue: 12:58 p.m. CDT
A valid South Shore Line ticket is required to participate. As an added value, up to three children ages 13 and under ride free with each paying adult.
We are in the process of updating all of our affiliated train history websites to https standards. This will take a few months... but we recently completed https://www.pacificparlourcar.com. Take a look and learn more about the Pacific Parlour Cars. Other sites will be updated in the months ahead with a goal of completing the transformation by the end of 2026.
PacificParlouCar.com - by the Midwest Rail Rangers This website traces the history of the Pacific Parlour Cars, which operated on Amtrak's Coast Starlight during the mid-1990s and 2018
We had 11 people stop by our open house tonight at the Saint St. Croix Falls Historical Society! Thanks for stopping by to talk railroad history and your memories of passenger trains on the Soo Line. Our next event is an onboard educational program on the South Shore Line on Saturday, Aug. 29 from Chicago to Michigan City. We will host another book signing and open house at the St. Croix Historical Society from 5:30pm to 8:30pm on Wednesday, Sept. 16.
08/19/2026
Join the Midwest Rail Rangers at the St. Croix Falls Historical Society tonight from 5PM to 9PM. We will have the Baker Building open and be talking about Soo Line Railroad History! 106 S. Washington Street in Downtown St Croix Falls, WI.
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2043 231st Street
Saint Croix Falls, WI
54024
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