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Miniature Railroad Getting Ready To Roll

Carl Orth/SUNCOAST NEWS

All aboar-rrr-d! Jerry Smithson instructs Commissioner Ann Hildebrand how to operate the steam locomotive during a test run.

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By Carl  Orth | The Suncoast News

Published: December 14, 2007

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All aboar-rr-rd! Wooo-wooooo! Clickety-clack, clickety-clack, clickety-clack. Clang! Clang! Clang!

These sounds might be brand new for many generations of area residents who never have seen trains rumbling through the West Pasco area, visited a train station here or waited at a railroad crossing.

For nearly four decades now, railroads have been a rare sight in the West Pasco area.

But the new Central Pasco and Gulf Railroad will make tracks to Crews Lake Wilderness Park later this month.

The miniature train ride will open to the public with a golden spike ceremony at noon Saturday, Dec. 29. The park lies in the Shady Hills area north of S.R. 52 near the Suncoast Parkway.

In January, birthday party groups can begin making reservations for a donation to the nonprofit CP&G.

First depot in 1914

Not since 1914, when a train depot first opened in downtown New Port Richey, has a railroad generated this much excitement. Practically the whole town turned out for the launch of Tampa & Gulf Coast Railroad passenger service back then.

Likewise, on Dec. 29, a slew of county officials and other community leaders are expected to flock to the opening ceremony.

"That is too much!" Commissioner Ann Hildebrand exclaimed after serving as railroad engineer on a recent test run. She tooted the steam locomotive's loud whistle several times. She even stoked coal into the locomotive's boiler.

The non-profit CP&G organization is dedicated to preserving railroad heritage, Vice President Bill Donati explains.

In fact, the route of the CP&G mimics part of the Orange Belt Railway that ran from Sanford to St. Petersburg through Pasco County starting in the 1880s.

While a standard gauge of railroad track is 4 feet and 8.5 inches wide, the CP&G train ride will roll down rails set 7.5 inches apart.

16 hobbyists

A dedicated band of 16 railroad hobbyists have been laboring long and hard to build tracks, clear the path through brush, and tune-up the finely detailed replicas of miniature locomotives and train cars. Members come from Hudson, Palm Harbor, Tarpon Springs, New Port Richey, Land O' Lakes, Port Richey, and even Tampa and Brooksville.

The first phase opening on Dec. 29 includes about 2,500 feet of track. Long-range plans call for an extensive route as long as 15,000 feet.

During a test run, Jerry Smithson provided some TLC for steam-powered locomotive 1641. The Allen Mogul is a 2-6-0 model, meaning two small guide wheels up front, six large wheels providing the traction and no wheels on the back end of the locomotive.

Running any railroad is an expensive proposition for startup costs, and the CP&G is no exception.

Synovus Bank of Tampa Bay infused money into the project, so the depot is named Synovus Station.

Scott's Tractor Service, PAW Materials, Western Florida Lighting, Archie Hamlin Nursery and Samuelsen Builders have been other major boosters of the CP&G. The railroad will sell brick pavers engraved with the name of sponsors at the train station. And more members are being recruited.

Impressive feats

Carving a path in the brush of the wilderness park was just one of the impressive feats to get the CP&G on track.

The route through the brush had to be smoothed to a grade of no more than 1.5 degrees, Scott Schuering of Scott's Tractor Service explained.

He and Rick Wohlfiel of PAW Materials examined the tracks and switches already laid down.

Stainless-steel rails and treated railroad ties will eliminate much of the maintenance for the CP&G.

At the end of one spur line were volunteer workers Paul Andersen and Gerry Vandervlis as they assembled the sections of track to be put into place later. On a good day, they can put together 200 feet of track.

Tracks have long since disappeared from the West Pasco area. The Seaboard Coast Line Railroad largely paralleled Dixie Highway, now known as Grand Boulevard, according to the city of New Port Richey Web site.

Rail comeback

Yet, in an era of soaring gasoline prices, rail might make a comeback in the years ahead.

Hildebrand spoke about the Tampa Bay Regional Transportation Authority that is seriously considering high-speed commuter trains along tracks in the medians of interstate highways.

The cost for hauling freight shows the advantage of rail, Hildebrand remarked. It costs about $4 per ton to ship by rail, compared to about $14 per ton for trucks. And that was before gasoline prices spiraled upward, Hildebrand emphasized.

So get on board for the renaissance of railroads, CP&G members say.

Railroad at a glance

Golden Spike Ceremony to open the Central Pasco and Gulf Railroad miniature train ride to the public

Noon Saturday, Dec. 29

Crews Lake Wilderness Park

Contact the CP&G Railroad

Phone: 727-569-2289

Web site

E-mail:

Birthday Trains

For a donation to the CP&G, the railroad station can be reserved for a birthday party as well as train rides.

Birthday Trains are expected to begin on the CP&G in January 2008. They will be available on the first, third and fourth Saturday of each month. Available time slots will be 9-11 a.m., noon to 2 p.m. and 2-4 p.m. Call 727-569-2289 for information and reservations.

Donation for a Birthday Train is $150. The tax-deductible donations are used for future construction of the railroad.

Charter RR members

The members of CP&G are Alan Fazzan, Andrew Habasevich, Bill Donati, Bob Habasevich, Bob Hall, Bob Moutray, Chuck Hackett, Dennis Mills, Gerry Vandervlis, Jere Wendt, Jerry Smithson, Martin Van Zanten, Paul Andersen, Robert Tielemans, Stan Turecki and Vincent Rizzo.

Membership classes and an application form can be found on the membership page of the Central Pasco & Gulf Railroad Web site.

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