Open-Air Veteran's Day Express: 1930s Scenic Train Over Memorial Lake

Board the Veteran's Day Express - Open Air Seating at South Woodstown Station, 650 Alloway-Woodstown Road in Woodstown, New Jersey, and ride a faithfully restored 1930s passenger train through the open fields and lakes that define southern New Jersey. This open air, fifty minute, fourteen mile round trip places you in an Open Air Gondola with bench seating and no roof, windows, or doors for unobstructed sightlines. The train crosses Memorial Lake, passes through historic Woodstown, and rolls across the Oldmans Creek Trestle while Trainmen narrate firsthand stories of regional rail travel and mechanics from a century ago. The trip is simple to enjoy and accessible to a wide range of visitors. Key scene features include the Oldmans Creek Trestle, the shoreline of Memorial Lake, the restored 1930s rolling stock, and the open gondola that frames the landscape like a moving platform. Natural elements are raw and immediate here: low lying farmland, scattered wetland edges, and broad skies give the ride a distinct southern New Jersey feel. Expect the occasional soot or cinder from steam engines, and be aware that engineers will sound horns at all public grade crossings. Woodstown Central Railroad makes this experience a local touchstone because it combines working heritage equipment with community programming. The Veteran's Day Express invites all veterans to ride for five dollars during the event and donates proceeds to The Rescue 22 Foundation, connecting public commemoration with practical support for combat veterans. That civic mission, coupled with hands on narrative interpretation, turns a short scenic ride into a meaningful local ritual. Plan to arrive twenty to thirty minutes before departure to check in at the track side ticket window, browse the gift shop, and position yourself for boarding about fifteen minutes early. There are restrooms on board and a port a potty at South Woodstown Station. Because the gondola is exposed to weather, bring layers and rain protection; staff will relocate passengers to enclosed coaches if seating permits during bad weather. Note that the vintage cars do not meet modern ADA accessibility standards. Why go now? For photographers and families this ride is an immediate, low effort way to capture active rail heritage, close water views at Memorial Lake, and the dramatic geometry of the Oldmans Creek Trestle. For veterans and neighbors it is a compact public ceremony that raises funds and tells local stories. At under an hour, the Veteran's Day Express offers a brisk, sensory window into southern New Jersey and a rare chance to stand in open air as history moves beneath your feet. Book tickets early, arrive prepared for open conditions, and consider this short trip as an efficient, memorable way to support veterans, local heritage, and family outings.