Trackless train rentals, explained

Three details about a trackless train change how you plan around one: nothing has to be laid down, a driver comes with it, and it is booked in a two hour block rather than for the whole day.

Every figure below comes from our own product pages and FAQ.

1. There is no track to lay

A trackless train is a small road-going vehicle. A gasoline locomotive tows passenger cars on wheels, and it drives whatever route you choose across the surface you already have. Nothing is laid, nothing is leveled, and nothing has to be lifted afterwards.

What it needs instead of track is a surface that suits it. Our Engine No. 246 can run on cement, asphalt or very smooth grass. Our Western train is described on its page as suited to any outdoor application with a smooth flat surface and no hills.

Check the "no hills" part when you walk your site. A parking lot with a drainage slope, a school field that dips toward one corner, or a park path with a short rise to a shelter may not count as flat. Walk the actual loop you have in mind before you commit to it, and tell us what you found.

2. A trained driver comes with it

Our product page says it directly: our trackless train comes with a trained driver, so you do not need to find a volunteer to drive it.

That takes one role off your volunteer roster. The line still needs somebody, because managing a line of children is a different job from driving. Our published rate for event attendants is $75 per hour to manage large events, and that is a separate line item from the train. If you want paid help on the line, ask for it as its own item rather than assuming the driver covers it.

3. It cannot go indoors

Both trains are gasoline powered, and both product pages say our gas trains are not for indoor use.

That rules out a gym, a fellowship hall, a covered arena or a warehouse, so settle it early and check it against your rain plan. If your plan is to move everything inside when the weather turns, the train cannot come with you.

So plan it as an outdoor-only attraction, and make sure the indoor version of your day still works without it. Games and concessions move indoors easily; this does not.

We do not publish a weather limit for the train. Our policy about winds of 20 mph or more and about rain is written about bouncers, so ask about the train when you book.

4. It is a two hour rental, not a six hour one

Our standard rental for most equipment is up to 6 hours. Both trains are two hour rentals. That is on both product pages.

Additional hours are published on our FAQ at $100 per hour, so a four hour Western train is $795 plus two additional hours at $100, which is $995.

Plan the train as a scheduled attraction rather than an all-day fixture. Announce the ride window. Put it on the flyer and on the schedule board. A train that runs from 1 until 3 with a posted time draws a crowd at 1; a train that runs at some point during the afternoon has people wandering past it all day wondering whether it is open.

Capacity, and how to work out your own throughput

Engine No. 246 has 3 cars and holds up to 12 kids comfortably. Its page also notes it suits young children and adults up to 200 pounds, so a parent can ride along with a young child.

Twelve per trip is the number to plan your line around. To estimate how many rides you get:

• Lay out your route first, then ask us for the loop time on that route, since it depends on the layout.
• Divide your two hour window by the loop time to get the number of trips, and remember to allow for loading and unloading between them.
• Multiply trips by 12 for the number of rides. Compare that against your expected attendance to see whether the train can be your main attraction or one of several.

If that sum comes out well below your headcount, add other attractions alongside it, such as the games in our carnival games range.

What ours cost

Read from the product pages in September 2026:

• Western Trackless Train, from $795. Our newest train. A twin cylinder gasoline locomotive with a hydrostatic drive for smooth starts and stops, and it includes a PA system with speakers in each car, a train whistle and a bell.
• Engine No. 246, from $1,395. Three cars, up to 12 children comfortably, riders up to 200 pounds, and it comes with music, lights and sound from the conductor.
• Additional hours, $100 each, as published on our FAQ.

Delivery is charged separately and is based on the miles to your event location. Setup and takedown are included in the rental price. Deposits are 50% of the total order, are non-refundable, and can be applied to a future event if you need to reschedule.

Who these suit

Our Western train page says its rides are great for businesses, city attractions, parks and churches, or any other organization. That can include fall festivals, church carnivals, city events and company family days.

The common thread is scale and a walkable outdoor site. A train needs somewhere to go. It suits a park, a large church campus, a school field or a business park lawn better than a small backyard.

A short checklist before you call

• Walk the loop and confirm it is smooth and free of hills.
• Confirm it is outdoors, and that your wet-weather plan works without the train.
• Pick your two hour window and decide whether you want to pay for more.
• Estimate your headcount and work out the rides using the steps above.
• Ask about the weather limit for the train specifically, and about anything your venue needs from us in writing.

Where to look at the options

Both trains sit in our interactive games and rides range, alongside the other attractions that tend to go on the same order. If you want the overview aimed specifically at trains, our trackless train rental page is the place to start.

Common questions