ELGIN — As William Shakepseare said, “All the world’s a stage and all the men and women merely players!”

The Eagle Cap Excursion Train out of Elgin is the stage for fun and entertainment this fall.

For the trains on Sept. 10 and Sept. 17, riders will be joined by performers from the Opera House Shakespeare Company — a new group that is earning accolades.

Passengers will have the opportunity to meet and interact with some of the world’s most famous characters and hear snippets in the lovely language of Shakespeare as the train rolls along.

Other September rides highlight Oregon’s Alpenfest with costumed Alpenfest officials and an accordion player (Sept. 21) or feature Bigfoot “sitings” and conversations with experts from Squatch America (Oct. 1).

The fall scenery should be on display, and a boxed lunch is included and served on the train.

The End of Season Bounty Train caps off the season on Oct. 22, with lunch that features local produce and meat.

All fall rides depart from the Elgin Depot at 10 a.m. and travel down the Grande Ronde River to or beyond Rondowa Bridge, which spans the confluence of the Grande Ronde and Wallowa rivers.

Check the calendar and make reservations online at www.eaglecaptrainrides.com.

For booking assistance, please call the depot, 541-432-3652, and leave a message, or send an email to tickets@eaglecaptrainrides.com.

The Friends of the Joseph Branch is the non-profit organization that manages the excursion train business on the Wallowa Union Railroad.