Ohio ~ Beer Tasting ~ Train Rides

Published: June 27, 2026

For a lot of people, “scenic train ride” means a short loop at a museum or a quick out-and-back behind a diesel. The Ohio Rail Experience (ORE) plays a different game. It aims for the feeling of a genuine mainline outing—miles of countryside, real railroad infrastructure, and vintage equipment that reminds you passenger travel used to be an event. ORE describes its trips as a blend of historic scenic railroading and the excitement of a mainline excursion, using railcars that largely date from the 1940s and 1950s, including vintage open-window coaches.

That bigger-scale approach is a big part of the appeal for the Quincy Sunset Tasting Train, a new offering that pairs an easygoing evening schedule with a signature scenic highlight: a high, dramatic crossing of the Quincy Bridge over the Great Miami River valley. If your ideal outing includes golden-hour light, small-town Ohio, and a curated sampling of drinks and bites—this one is built for you

About the Ohio Rail Experience

ORE is part of Cincinnati Scenic Railway, a nonprofit (501(c)(3)) that also operates the Lebanon Mason Monroe Railroad. ORE excursions are run in partnership with local historical societies, LM&M, and the Cincinnati Railway Company. What that means in practical terms: you’re not boarding a stationary display; you’re riding a coordinated excursion operating over lines that don’t normally host passenger trains, in some cases with stretches that haven’t seen passenger service in decades.

The organization also makes a point of variety. ORE notes that it aims to offer a new schedule each year and that many trips won’t be repeated annually—so if a route or theme catches your eye, it’s worth jumping on it rather than assuming it will return next season.

Quincy Sunset Tasting Train

The Quincy Sunset Tasting Train is scheduled for April 24, 2026, and it’s designed as a straightforward evening experience—no destination layover, no all-day commitment, just a relaxing ride with tastings, timed for the end-of-day glow.

Key details

Route: Jackson Center → Quincy → return (passing through Maplewood)
Duration: 2 hours
Mileage: 20 miles
Layover: None
Boarding/Departure: Boarding begins 5:30 p.m., departs 6:00 p.m.
Boarding location: 305–363 Davis St., Jackson Center, Ohio
Age requirement: 21 & over only (this is a tasting event)

The Star of the Show: Quincy Bridge

The marquee moment is the crossing of the Quincy Bridge, which ORE highlights as towering over 107 feet high and stretching 1,185 feet long.

The bridge’s dimensions aren’t just marketing flair—they’re rooted in local railroad history. Quincy’s historical notes explain that the existing bridge (DT&I No. 163.54) was built in 1911–1912, using multiple steel I-beam spans, with a total length recorded as 1,185 feet 10 inches and a maximum height above the Great Miami River of 107 feet. In other words: it’s a true “high bridge” crossing, and it reads that way from the window when you’re rolling out over open air.

If you’re the kind of rider who loves that intersection of engineering and scenery, this is the sequence you’ll remember: the train easing onto the bridge, farmland giving way to treetops and river valley, then the long glide across the structure as the light starts to soften toward sunset.

Two Ways to Ride: Tasting Train Seating Options

ORE offers two classes for this event, and the inclusions are different enough that it’s worth choosing based on how you want the evening to feel.Table Class (reserved tables)

If you want the most “date night” or “friends’ night out” version of the trip, Table Class is built around shared seating and a bit more structure:

Each passenger receives three appetizers
A complimentary “Welcome Aboard” cocktail to start the ride
Tickets are sold as 2-person or 4-person tables

Pricing for the Quincy trip:Coach Class (casual + tavern access)

2-person table: $150 (2 tickets)
4-person table: $300 (4 tickets)

Coach Class is simpler and more flexible—ideal if you want to mingle, sample, and spend more time moving between your seat and the concession/tavern setup:

Two complimentary beer or wine tickets
Access to the Queen City Tavern car for an assortment of meats and cheeses to sample

Pricing for the Quincy trip:

Coach Class: $50

For both classes, ORE notes that passengers can purchase additional drinks, and soft drink substitutions are available.

The Queen City Tavern Car: A Rolling Conversation Piece

Even beyond the tastings, ORE’s food service setup has an interesting preservation story. The Queen City Tavern car (RPCX 1379) began life as a coal-fired kitchen car built in 1953 for the U.S. Army, later moving through Amtrak ownership and rebuilds before eventually being acquired and rebuilt for entertainment service (and later purchased by Cincinnati Scenic Railway). Today it serves as the social hub for snacks and beverages, with an open-air vibe on warmer days.

That kind of “equipment with a backstory” is a subtle but real part of ORE’s charm: you’re not just buying a drink—you’re doing it in a car that’s lived multiple railroad lives.

The Ride

The Quincy Sunset Tasting Train is designed to be relaxed: settle in, watch rural Ohio slide by, and let the tastings turn the ride into a rolling small event rather than simply transportation.

Because this is a two-hour out-and-back with no layover, the pace stays steady. It also makes the trip appealing for travelers who want an excursion experience without committing a full day. You’ll still get that “somewhere else” sensation as the train threads through open country and rolls onto the high bridge, but you’re back at your car early enough to keep the evening going—whether that means dinner in the area, a quiet drive home, or simply calling it a perfect, self-contained night out. To learn more about this experience please click here to visit the ORE's page regarding the Quincy Sunset Tasting Train.

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