Come now, Eolafan, the food is the best part of Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede!
I've been to Branson with my family five times now, so here are some of our favorite things to do.
Regarding shows, Shoji Tabuchi is excellent. I also very highly recommend seeing Pierce Arrow. The "Presley's Country Jubilee" and Jim Stafford are also very good. If you really want to hit all the Dolly Parton shows, you could also ride the Showboat Branson Belle, in addition to the Dixie Stampede.
For food, I would try the Branson Cafe in downtown Branson. Danna's Bar-B-Que is also delicious. You might also want to see a show at Branson's IMAX theatre. While you're there, be sure to eat at McFarlain's Family Restaurant.
Branson Landing was opened a few years ago on the Lake Taneycomo waterfront. There are all kinds of shops and restaurants there. They also have an impressive "fire and water show" each night.
In addition to the shopping at Branson Landing, there are plenty of small "mom and pop" stores in downtown Branson. There are also a few outlet malls scattered around the city.
Silver Dollar City is a kind of theme park. The theme is mainly centered around the style of the Ozarks. There are plenty of rides, attractions, and shows there.
You might also want to "Ride the Ducks". "The Ducks" are probably what I look forward to the most in Branson, so I would be sure to check them out.
Finally, there are plenty of miniature golf courses. Pirate's Cove Adventure Golf is the best, in my opinion.
This website should give you plenty of additional ideas for what to do:
http://www.branson.com/
My one recommendation is that you should always leave plenty of time to get wherever you're going in Branson, especially during the evening. Most of the shows start at 7:00 PM, so the roads get pretty congested at that time.
Freight trains are rather scarce in Branson. The Branson Scenic Railway runs on tracks owned and operated by the Missouri and Northern Arkansas Railroad. I've found that the most likely time to see a freight train is just before any of the departures of the Branson Scenic Railway. In addition to Missouri and Northern Arkansas freight trains, there are occasionally Union Pacific trackage rights coal trains through Branson.
Outside of Branson, if you have time, you could spend a day in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. It's been several years since we were there, but I believe Eureka Springs is particularly well-known for their bed-and-breakfast inns and shopping opportunities. They also have a scenic railroad. However, what I would most recommend in Eureka Springs is "The Great Passion Play". Here's a link to the official Eureka Springs website:
http://www.eurekasprings.org/
Those are my top picks, but I'm sure some other folks can provide you with more stuff too. If you have any questions let me know, and have a good time!