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Rhode Island Dinner Train Rides (2025): A Complete Guide

Published: March 8, 2025

By: Adam Burns

Rhode Island, though the smallest state in the United States, boasts a remarkable array of scenic vistas, charming landscapes, and rich history, making it a perfect destination for a unique dining experience on rails. Dinner train rides are a fantastic way to explore the picturesque settings of the Ocean State while enjoying a gourmet meal.

Overview

Dinner train rides offer a blend of culinary delight and scenic wonder. In Rhode Island, these train journeys combine the elegance of vintage rail travel with breathtaking coastal and countryside views. As the iron horse pulls you along, enjoy a meticulously prepared multi-course meal and revel in the timeless ambiance of a classic railcar.

Newport & Narragansett Bay Railroad (North Kingstown)

One of the most enduringly popular scenic train rides in Rhode Island is the Newport & Narragansett Bay Railroad Dinner Train, offering routes with pristine coastal scenery and elegant dining cars.

The N&NB (formerly known as the "Newport Dinner Train"), is one of New England's more popular such venues operating a former New Haven Railroad branch along Rhode Island's Aquidneck Island and Narragansett Bay.

As the name suggests its hosts full service meals on-board with but also offers other trains such as luncheons and murder mysteries.  These include the Grand Bellevue, Murder On The Bellevue Express, and Murder On The Bellevue Express.  They also have railbike adventures and boating trips, the latter operated as the Newport & Narragansett Bay Navigation Company.

After acquiring the line from Conrail, the state of Rhode Island soon leased the track on Aquidneck Island to the Old Colony & Newport Scenic Railway, a non-profit organization.  In 1988 the island's track became disconnected from the national rail network when flooding damaged the bridge over the Sakonnet River, which was removed in 2007.

In 1997, the state allowed a second heritage railroad to begin using the island trackage.  Known as the Newport Dinner Train, it hosted trains along with the Old Colony & Newport Scenic Railway. 

The two entities were struggling by the mid-2010s; the Newport Dinner Train had shutdown by 2012 and was sold, becoming the current Newport & Narragansett Bay Railroad.  It is also sometimes referred to as the "Grand Bellevue Dining Experience."

The Old Colony & Newport Scenic Railway stopped hosting trains in 2015 and was merged into the Newport & Narragansett Bay.  Today, all trains are hosted as simply the Newport Dinner Train excursion.

The dinner train runs with its own chef which, according to the railroad includes: "...[a] fully outfitted kitchen car, where food is prepared daily. Our menu includes dinner and lunch options. Beers, wines, and spirits are also featured on select trains."

Trains are usually pulled by a little 44-ton switcher locomotive, built by General Electric in 1951 for the Hampton & Branchville Railroad, a short line freight carrier that still serves South Carolina.

The dinner train's other equipment includes:

• A pair of RDC cars (self-propelled rail diesel cars built by the Budd Company in 1956/1957 for Canadian lines, Pacific Great Eastern and Canadian National)

• Dining car Aquidneck Spruce, originally built as a 54-seat coach for the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1946.  It has since been converted into a tabled dining car.

• Theater car Atlantic Rose, originally a 54-seat coach built for the Atlantic Coast Line.  According to the railroad: "In 2018 the car was again rebuilt into a theater car with bistro seating facing a center stage. It now hosts weekly murder mystery performances as part of the Grand Bellevue."

• Dashing Dan’s Clam Car, originally for the Long Island Rail Road in 1956 as coach #2943.  It was updated with modern heating and cooling systems in the early 1970s.  It was again heavily rebuilt in the early 2020s.  According to the railroad: "In 2021 the car was retrofitted with a kitchen, repainted to its original gray and orange, and parked at Portsmouth Junction, where it now serves as a classic seaside clam shack offering breakfast, lunch, and dinner."

• Kitchen car, Bellevue Clipper: This car was originally built for the Chesapeake & Ohio in 1948 by the Budd Company as a lounge.  In 1987 it was rebuilt into a kitchen car and was again heavily modernized in 2016-2017.

Features

Coastal Views: Enjoy stunning vistas of Narragansett Bay, the East Passage, and the iconic Newport Bridge.

Gourmet Dining: Featuring a four-course meal, the menu is carefully curated by top chefs, offering classic New England cuisine with a modern twist.

Vintage Ambiance: The beautifully restored, vintage dining cars bring you back to the golden age of train travel, complete with attentive service and an intimate atmosphere.

Conclusion

Rhode Island’s scenic dinner train rides offer more than just a meal; they deliver an experience. Whether enjoying sun-drenched coastlines, rolling green hills, or the storied past of one of America's early industrial regions, these trips provide an enchanting way to appreciate the state’s scenery and gastronomic offerings. Each train ride stands out for its unique itinerary and approach to dining, ensuring that no matter which you choose, an unforgettable journey awaits.

In a state famed for its natural beauty and history, blending these with the allure of vintage rail travel and exquisite cuisine guarantees an extraordinary evening. Whether you are a local seeking a fresh look at Rhode Island or a visitor eager to experience its charms, a scenic dinner train ride is a journey you will remember long after the last spoonful of dessert.