The Greenport Express Miniature Railroad will stay open into the evening on the Fourth of July, giving families a chance to enjoy a ride before Greenport’s annual fireworks display.
The Greenport Rotary Club announced the miniature railroad will operate from 6:00 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday evening, July 4, marking a special holiday schedule in addition to its regular daytime operations.
The extended hours are intended to accommodate the large crowds that gather in the village for the Independence Day celebration, offering children and families an evening attraction before the fireworks begin.
The holiday opening comes just weeks after the beloved miniature railroad returned to service following an extensive engine rebuild. The locomotive’s vintage Wisconsin engine — a model no longer manufactured since the 1970s — was sent to a specialty shop in Pennsylvania after a mechanical failure cut short the 2025 season.
Colin Van Tuyl photos
Originally built by longtime Long Island Rail Road engineer Frank Field behind his Greenport home, the miniature railroad has entertained generations of local children since the mid-1980s. After Field retired, the Greenport Rotary Club took over the operation, relocating it to village-owned property on Moores Lane beside the Greenport Skate Park.
Known as the Joe Cherry Choo Choo, the train honors late Rotarian Joe Cherepowich, who helped lead the effort to preserve the longtime community tradition.
The quarter-mile track winds through Moore’s Woods, with rides departing approximately every 15 minutes. Admission is $6 per ride.
The July 4 evening schedule represents a new special event for the attraction and is expected to become a festive stop for families heading to Greenport’s waterfront to celebrate Independence Day.