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Miniature Train and Ovid Hazen Wells Carousel at Wheaton Regional Park
Wheaton Regional Park
2002 Shorefield Road
Wheaton, MD 20902
301-942-6703
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Seasonal Hours of Operation
The Train and Carousel will open for the season on Saturday, March 27, 2010. Weather permitting, the ticket window hours will be:
- Open 7 days a week beginning Saturday, May 1 - September 6
- Monday through Thursday 10am-5:30pm (1st train at 10:30; last train at 6pm)
- Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays & Holidays 10am-7pm (1st train at 10:30; last train at 7:30pm)
- September 4, 5 and 6 (Labor Day weekend) : 10am - 7pm (1st train at 10:30; last train at 7:30pm)
- Saturdays and Sundays only in September (after Labor Day):10:00am- 5:30pm (1st train at 10:30; last train at 6pm)
- Closed the first weekend of October for the Halloween Train event set up
Look for upcoming details on our "Haunted Train and Creepy Carousel " held in late October!
- Monday, May 31 (Memorial Day) 10am-7pm
- Monday, July 5 (Holiday Observed) 10am-7pm
- Monday, September 6 (Labor Day) 10am-7pm
HOLIDAY HOURS:
Tickets are $1.75 each (children age 2 and younger with a paying adult ride FREE), and are good for one ride on either the carousel or miniature train. Standing adults require a ticket on the Carousel.
Discount books of 10 tickets are available for $15.75 (save the cost of one ticket!)
July 8, 2010 - We apologize for the inconvenience, but our handicapped train car is currently out of service. We will update this website when the car is repaired. Thank you for your understanding.
Party Room Rentals
The Party Rooms at the Wheaton Train Station are perfect for your child’s next birthday party or family celebration!
The spacious Train Station Party Room party room features a fun train motif, and can accommodate up to 60 people.
The Carousel Party Room located inside the Carousel building is a good, affordable option for smaller gatherings (up to 15 people).
Every Party Room rental includes:
- Use of tables, chairs, and a full-size refrigerator
- Complimentary train/carousel tickets (see below for quantities)
- Special photo opportunity for the birthday boy or girl on the locomotive engine (BYO camera)
- Special "No-Wait" priority seating on the train for your whole party!
Party Room Rental Rates (April - October)
The Party Room is available 7 days a week during the regular season.
$150 for a 2-hour time block in the Train Station Party Room
Choose from 3 time slots: 10am - Noon; 1 - 3pm; or 4 - 6pm
20 complimentary tickets included with each 2-hour rental (each ticket good for one carousel or one train ride).
Additional tickets are available at $1.75 each, or get a book of 10 tickets for $15.75 and save!
$50 for a 2-hour time block in the Carousel Party Room
Choose from 2 time slots: Noon - 2pm or 3 - 5pm
10 complimentary tickets included with each 2-hour rental (each ticket good for one carousel or one train ride).
Additional tickets are available at $1.75 each, or get a book of 10 tickets for $15.75 and save!
We're taking Party Room reservations now for rentals from April through September 26. Information on our winter rental program with discounted rental rates beginning in November will be posted soon!
For complete information (including "Frequently Asked Questions") and registration details, download the Party Room Rentals brochure (.pdf 904KB)
Ovid Hazen Wells Carousel
Children young and old are enchanted by this historic symbol of bygone days. The beautiful Ovid Hazen Wells Carousel was built by the Herschell Spillman Company of Tonawanda, New York in 1915. It features 33 jumping horses, three zebras and two chariots, making it a mixture of Herschell-Spillman (circa 1905-1915), Spillman Engineering (circa 1920) and Allen Herschel (circa 1920) carvings.
During the 19th century, carousels were common features at city parks, carnivals, state fairs or resorts, and thousands of beautifully decorated, hand-built structures with delightful hand-carved animals were manufactured. Of the thousands produced during that time, only a few hundred survive. From the 1960s until the 1981 this carousel was operated on the Mall in Washington, D.C., when it was acquired by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission and relocated to Wheaton Regional Park.
Miniature Train
The miniature train is a replica of the 1863 C.P. Huntington, a 4-2-4T steam locomotive purchased by the Southern Pacific Railroad and named in honor of Collis P. Huntington, President of the Southern Pacific Company. Passengers depart the train station for a 10- minute tour of the park’s forests and meadows, over a trestle bridge and past Pine Lake.
Directions
From I-495 take Exit 31 for Georgia Avenue/MD 97 North. Follow Georgia Avenue for almost 3 miles, then turn right onto Shorefield Road. Continue on Shorefield Road until you reach the parking area.
Date of last update: July 23, 2010
Montgomery County Department of Parks