Tweetsie Railroad's ready to get back into the boo business

October in the mountains? That's the season for the Ghost Train Halloween Festival - Tweetsie Railroad, in Blowing Rock, reopens Friday and Saturday nights for boo business.

From 7:30 to 11:30 those nights, the Wild West train is decked for out Halloween, with Casey Bones and his crew running things. The after-dark park redo also includes The Boneyard, the 3-D maze, the disorienting Black Hole, the 13-room haunted house and a black-light show at the Tweetsie Palace. The Freaky Forest walk, which debuted in 2009, has been enlarged.

Some Halloween attractions are geared to adults and older kids; family-friendly festival-night activities include traditional trick-or-treating throughout the park and amusement rides at the Creepy Carnival.

Admission is $27; 2 and younger free. Tickets are limited and demand is high: Buying tickets online in advance via www.tweetsie.com is a good idea.

The regular Tweetsie Railroad attractions and Wild West theme are still in operation. Times for those are 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through the end of October ($32; $22 for ages 3-12).

The park is on U.S. 321, between Boone and Blowing Rock. Details: Details/tickets: 800-526-5740; www.tweetsie.com.

This story was originally published October 2, 2010 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Tweetsie Railroad's ready to get back into the boo business."