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With aid, Largo Central Railroad train to keep chugging in park

By RITA FARLOW
Published March 29, 2007

Seven-year-old Caitlyn Conway's eyes lit up when she talked about riding the Largo Central Railroad with her grandmother.

"We get to go in a big tunnel. It's kind of scary but it's mostly fun, and then we get splashed by water. It's so awesome," said Caitlyn, who was at Largo Central Park on Tuesday for a spring break field trip with her church.

Later that evening, city commissioners agreed to reimburse the Largo Central Railroad up to $21,500 a year to keep running the train, a popular feature of the 70-acre park in the heart of downtown Largo.

Commissioner Gay Gentry, who served on the advisory board that approved the railroad in 1991, said the railroad has been a real asset to the park.

Commissioner Mary Gray Black thanked the LCRR for providing "good, clean family fun" for so many years.

The money from the city will pay for insurance and maintenance for the track and trains. The LCRR, a nonprofit organization of train hobbyists, will continue to pay for club operations and new acquisitions with money collected from yearly membership dues and donations.

When the railroad opened in 1991, about 1,500 people rode the train each month. These days, it's common for 4,000 people or more a month to come to the park on weekends when the track is open for public rides, said LCRR vice president Jerry Smithson.

More riders means more wear and tear on train engines, Smithson said.

"Basically, those engines were made for light hauling, but because of our increased (ridership), we've just torn these engines up like you wouldn't believe," he said.

The club purchased a new, more powerful diesel engine this year for $15,000 and is considering buying another to keep up with the demand of park visitors.

Furthermore, according to Smithson, the club's insurance has skyrocketed from $400 to $4,000 over the past three years, despite a perfect safety record. The unforeseen costs led club officials to ask the city to subsidize their operations, Smithson said.

"The success has hurt us in a way, because of the increase in popularity, and I say that in a good way," Smithson said. "We just hate asking the city for any money. It's a pride thing for a lot of us."

As a nonprofit organization, the LCRR can't charge for rides, Smithson said. That would classify the train as an amusement park ride, which would further increase insurance costs and require strict regulation by the state.

Robert Holm of Indian Shores often takes his 5-year-old grandson, Brandon Haynes, on the ride. It curves under sprawling live oak trees and chugs through beds of liriope grass and Japanese boxwood,

Holm said the train helps draw visitors to the park and that it would be a shame if increased costs shut down the train.

"It would be a detriment," he said. "It would be a big disappointment to a lot of people. It keeps this here park going."

IF YOU GO

All aboard

The Largo Central Railroad is open to the public 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. the first full weekend of each month. The next public run day is April 7; the track will be closed on Easter Sunday, April 8. For information, visit the Web site at www.lcrailroad.com or call 585-9835 .

By the numbers

Largo Central Railroad

16 Number of years the railroad has operated in Largo.

1.2 Length of track, in miles.

10-15 Duration of an average ride, in minutes.

4,000 Estimated number of people who ride the train each month during free public ride days.

[Last modified March 28, 2007, 23:38:10]