Spirit of Jasper Train Will Skip 2026 Season Due to Safety, Repair Costs

The Spirit of Jasper excursion train will not operate during the 2026 season as Jasper Park & Recreation officials address track issues and needed maintenance on the train's railcars. The cancellation affects the full June-through-October schedule, including the train's signature runs to French Lick and its popular outings tied to Dubois County Bombers baseball games.

Club Car #200, originally built for the Milwaukee Railroad in the 1940s and rebuilt as a passenger car with a club-seating configuration in 2009, holds 46 passengers. It is now the central obstacle to any 2026 service. The car needs $60,000 in truck, or wheel assembly, repairs before it can return to the tracks, according to Jasper Park and Recreation Director Tom Moorman. "That is a process that would start in August and end by the time November's there, which is basically our train season," Moorman said. "They won't let us run with it the way it is."

In addition to railcar maintenance, sections of track owned by the Indiana Railway Museum also require attention. Recent routes have primarily headed south toward Huntingburg, while the more popular and scenic trips north to French Lick, featuring trestle crossings and a major tourism draw, have been limited. The Indiana Railway Museum is exploring grant options to fund the track repairs, though Moorman said he has heard a wide range of cost estimates and no specific figure has been confirmed.

With reduced capacity and less desirable routing options, officials determined that operating the train this year would not be financially practical. Rather than run a limited service, the department opted to pause operations and focus on long-term improvements. "More of anything it's a safety issue," Moorman said. "We want to make sure everybody's safe that rides our trains."

The city has no funds budgeted for the repairs. Moorman said the Redevelopment Commission has some funds that could potentially help with maintenance, "but there's not a million dollars to fix everything." The Redevelop Old Jasper Action Coalition, known as ROJAC, a nonprofit community organization developed to build economic development through tourism, may also be able to assist the park department with repair costs. No funding commitments from either body have been confirmed.

The historic train, which is more than 100 years old and was refurbished about two decades ago, typically offers seasonal excursions throughout southwest Indiana, including trips to French Lick and special outings tied to Dubois County Bombers baseball games. The Spirit of Jasper Train Depot hosts events and rental spaces for parties, with more than 80% of visitors coming from outside of Dubois County, making the suspension a notable loss for regional tourism as well as local riders. The Jasper Depot remains open and will continue to be available as a rental facility for community events, private gatherings, and special occasions.

Officials say they are taking a day-by-day approach as they evaluate repairs and discuss the future of the train, and despite the temporary shutdown, the Spirit of Jasper will return to service once maintenance is completed and conditions improve. Additional meetings are planned to discuss the train's future beyond this season. Moorman said he would love to see passengers back on the train cars in 2027.