OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The all-new trackless train made its debut at Menominee Park in Oshkosh this year.
With a more public-facing route and collaboration with the zoo, city officials say it was a success.
“It was a great great season, we had just over 25,000 riders this summer so families definitely loved it and came down to take a ride,” said Revenue and Facilities Manager Jen McCollian. “We also sold 614 family passes, so those people were kind of repeat customers throughout the summer.”
That’s double what the city saw last year with the old on-rails train. Taking the train off the rails not only boosted ridership, but lowered maintenance costs.
“That track, it was really hard to maintain,” McCollian explained. “And an old train is hard to maintain. As far as the maintenance values and stuff, those were much lower for us. So we hope it only goes up from here.”
Last year, the train was set to close due to budget restraints.
A GoFundMe was started by a student to get it running one more season before it was replaced.
The $100,000 train was funded entirely by private donors through the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation.
“Now the train is right by the entrance to the zoo and right across the street from the playground, and just even a half a block from where the beach is,” foundation President and CEO Bill Wyman told us. “So it’s all combined right together, it makes it much more accessible and it makes the park look like there’s a whole lot going on.”
And with the train now free to drive around the park, its season doesn’t end at Labor Day.
The train is set to be part of the city’s Christmas Parade later this month.
