Nickel Plate Express bringing rail bikes to downtown Tipton

Submitted by City of Tipton

The City of Tipton and Nickel Plate Express announced Thursday, July 9 that rail bike rides are coming to town, with the first rides planned during the Tipton County Pork Festival from Sept. 10 to 12.

The pedal-powered rail bikes, which seat up to four passengers, ride directly on railroad tracks and are designed for all ages and ability levels. Riders will depart from a station on the east side of downtown Tipton, located along the rail line near The Shack.

City officials have been working with Nickel Plate Express and the Hoosier Heritage Port Authority over the past several months to bring the attraction to town. The Pork Festival rides will serve as an introductory run, with regularly scheduled service to launch at a later date. Booking details and a full schedule will be announced as they are finalized.

“Tipton is building for the future, and projects like this show exactly the kind of community we intend to become,” Mayor Kegan Schmicker said. “Bringing rail bike rides to downtown Tipton is more than a new attraction; it is validation that the work we have invested in is working. This will make Tipton one of just two places in the state offering rail bikes, demonstrating confidence in the community, our dedication to revitalizing downtown, and our belief that Tipton can attract visitors, investments, and new opportunities. By activating this historic rail corridor, we are turning an existing maintenance liability into a catalyst for growth and creating new momentum that will help position Tipton for the next generation.”

Nickel Plate Heritage Railroad, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates Nickel Plate Express, has offered rail bike excursions in Noblesville since 2024. In the program’s first two years, approximately 22,000 passengers have ridden the rail bikes, with an additional 4,200 riders so far in 2026.

“We are thrilled to expand our rail bike program north to Tipton and introduce riders to a new section of this historic railroad corridor,” said Emily Reynolds, executive director of the Nickel Plate Express. “The Tipton route will offer guests a fun and memorable way to experience the railroad while bringing them directly into the heart of the community. We are grateful for the City of Tipton’s vision and partnership, and we cannot think of a better way to launch this new experience than during the Tipton County Pork Festival.”

The rail line through Tipton is part of a 37-mile corridor owned by the Hoosier Heritage Port Authority, which stretches from Tipton south through Hamilton County. The corridor has been in use for heritage rail operations since the late 1990s.

Photo provided by City of Tipton

“We are very excited to expand our successful partnership with Nickel Plate Express and the rail bike program into the City of Tipton,” said Darren Peterson, president of the board of directors for the Hoosier Heritage Port Authority. “This program will activate our final leg of our underutilized asset, and we look forward to expanding rail opportunities in the City of Tipton.”

The initial rides during the Tipton County Pork Festival will serve as a soft launch for the new attraction. The festival, held annually on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday following Labor Day, draws tens of thousands of visitors each year.

City officials see the rail bikes as part of a broader strategy to attract visitors to Tipton and connect them with the community’s downtown offerings, including local shops and restaurants.

“One of our goals is to build on the momentum that already exists in Tipton and leverage the assets that have strengthened the local economy over the last several years,” said Collin Huffines, Director of Special Projects for the City of Tipton. “Projects like this connect quality-of-life investments, tourism, downtown development, and economic growth into a single strategy. While traditional business attraction remains important, communities that thrive are the ones that create distinctive experiences and places where people want to spend their time. By activating an existing community asset and bringing new visitors into downtown, we’re supporting local businesses, enhancing recreational opportunities, and continuing to position Tipton as a community that offers both economic opportunity and a high quality of life.”

For more information about Nickel Plate Express and its rail bike programs, visit NickelPlateExpress.com. For more information about the City of Tipton, visit tipton.in.gov.