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By KLINT LOWRY | The Suncoast News

Published: September 25, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY - The West Pasco Historical Society is hitching itself to this weekend's Founders Day celebration with "Pasco County Railroads," a celebration of the past, present and possible future of local train service.

Founders Day patrons can stop in at the West Pasco Historical Society Museum and Library, 6341 Circle Blvd., in Sims Park, and experience several educational and entertaining train-related attractions. The schedule is from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28.

Visitors can learn about the railroad that once ran through the middle of downtown New port Richey and was and streetscape project it inspired.

"Most people I've talked to didn't even know there was a railroad here," said Bob Hubach, a member of the historical society's board of directors and the organizer for this event.

There was indeed a railroad depot once upon a time in New Port Richey, near what is now the intersection of Grand Boulevard and Nebraska Avenue.

Hubach has created a 16-minute video presentation that will continuously show throughout the celebration about the Tampa and Gulf Coast Railroad. The line provided rail service between Port Richey and Tarpon Springs from 1914 until 1943.

Along with the video presentation, there will be maps and photos on display.

There will also be a continuous presentation about the Railroad Square project, a railroad-themed downtown streetscaping project. The first phase of Railroad Square development is nearing completion on the former depot site on Nebraska Avenue.

Hubach is planning on having a third visual presentation by the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority on its efforts to design mass transit rail systems for the region.

Representatives of the Tampa-based TBARTA is scheduled to be back Oct. 9 at the historical society to give a more a more detailed presentation of their plans.

Train enthusiasts of all stripes will be on hand during the weekend to share their passion. The Central Pasco & Gulf Railroad Club will be running its 7½-inch-gauge steam locomotive and period rail cars from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday on 200 feet of track outside the museum.

This is a small-scale version of an actual functioning steam locomotive and cars patterned after the old Tampa and Gulf Coast Railroad line.

Meanwhile, The West Pasco Model Railroad Association and historical society member Ray Feldt will jointly display an H. O. scale replica of the Tampa and Gulf Coast Railroad equipment, along with a scale model of the Port Richey Depot.

For those interested in learning more about the history of these local rail lines of the past, can hear Gregg Turner, former director and curator of the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society, at Harvard Business School. Turner is now on the business faculty of Southwest Florida College, in Fort Myers.

Turner will be at the historical society from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday signing copies of his sixth train-related book, "A Journey into Florida Railroad History." Turner is scheduled to give an informal talk on the subject at noon.

Whenever guests drop in, there will be all sorts of railroad antiques and artifacts on display throughout the weekend.

Along with showcasing an aspect of the area's history as part of the Founders Day celebration, Hubach said, the aim of this railroad-themed extravaganza is to draw residents' attention to the West Pasco Historical Society, to take advantage of and take part in its efforts to preserve the past.

Klint Lowry can be reached at 727-815-1067 or klowry@suncoastnews.com.

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