Wichita City Council approves new locomotive for Watson Park

The miniature train at O.J. Watson Park is on track to get a new locomotive engine.

The Wichita City Council approved Tuesday issuing $300,000 in general obligation bonds for the train’s engine, a passenger car and other park improvements. The 4-0 vote with three council members – Mayor Jeff Longwell, James Clendenin and Bryan Frye – absent from the meeting. They are in Mexico visiting Wichita’s Sister Cities.

In presenting the proposal to the council, Larry Hoetmer, with Wichita’s Park and Recreation Department said the park has 20,000 annual “raving fans” of the train.

“This is a very popular feature in Watson Park,” Hoetmer said. “This number is probably very conservative. With 25,000 tickets sold in 2014. This number does not reflect train riders that use coupons. The number is probably closer to 40,000.”

In addition, the train is used for special events such as Polar Express, Spooky Train rides and Cowboy/Cowgirl classes.

“We have participants come all the way from Kansas City and Oklahoma to come to this,” Hoetmer said. “It is the main attraction for the park. People come to ride the train.”

The existing train engine was built in 1984 by Chance Manufacturing and can no longer handle the demand of all the passengers. It’s had two major overhauls and is often down for repairs, Hoetmer said. It currently is in the shop for transmission and other repairs.

The new engine will take about seven months to build. In addition, a third passenger car will be created to increase the number of passengers the train can carry and help reduce wait times for those waiting to ride.

City Council member Pete Meitzner said the price tag of the project caused him to pause.

“In spite of the attention we need to give this park, it is still well attended,” Meitzner said. “This expense adds to the quality of life. I think Chance Manufacturing has their footprint around the world. And for one of our own to have their footprint in Wichita – the combination of that allows me to be very supportive of this.”

The money will be used to purchase a new crossing signal and fix the existing engine so park visitors won’t have to wait until the new engine is built to ride the train. The project also calls for buying more kayaks, refurbishing and improving the park’s miniature golf course and installing benches around its playgrounds, a shade structure for the boat dock and new signs.

The motion to adopt the bonding resolution and authorize the projects was made by council member Jeff Blubaugh and seconded by Vice Mayor Lavonta Williams.

“This has been a great addition to the city, I look forward to the train being overhauled and back on the tracks,” Williams said.

This story was originally published September 15, 2015 at 1:18 PM with the headline "Wichita City Council approves new locomotive for Watson Park."