Bring a Train Back to Talihina

With a name like Talihina, shouldn't we have a train in town?
Jerry Pearce has brought to my attention a Park Train which is for sale at Queen Wilhamena. This is a 16 gauge running gear with a 2 cylinder engine. It has passenger cars to carry 32. It also comes with 3000 feet of rail. The owner is willing to come to Talihina, help us find the best location and teach a group how to lay the rails and operate the train.

Wouldn't this be awesome for our young families and tourist!!! We would need to raise $40,000 pretty quick to secure the deal. Cost is $35,00 for the engine,cars and rail and then an estimated $5,000 for gravel and wood planks.

Would you be willing to work on a committee to raise the money and bring a train back to Talihina? It will take lot's of folks to raise the money, select the site and to install the rails.

Rhonda wrote:

With a name like Talihina, shouldn't we have a train in town?
Jerry Pearce has brought to my attention a Park Train which is for sale at Queen Wilhamena. This is a 16 gauge running gear with a 2 cylinder engine. It has passenger cars to carry 32. It also comes with 3000 feet of rail. The owner is willing to come to Talihina, help us find the best location and teach a group how to lay the rails and operate the train.
Wouldn't this be awesome for our young families and tourist!!! We would need to raise $40,000 pretty quick to secure the deal. Cost is $35,00 for the engine,cars and rail and then an estimated $5,000 for gravel and wood planks.
Would you be willing to work on a committee to raise the money and bring a train back to Talihina? It will take lot's of folks to raise the money, select the site and to install the rails.

What would be the attraction that would interest tourist enough to take this train ride?

Do other towns with trains have long lines of people waiting to ride?

Rhonduh wrote:

Do other towns with trains have long lines of people waiting to ride?

my point is.....what are the point of interest for a tourist too want to pay money to ride this train?

Many towns have park trains. Sometimes you stand in a line, sometimes not. I remember riding the one in my hometown, Enid, many times- never got tired of it. I have riden trains in Durant, Kingfisher, Ft. Smith,OKC zoo Queen Wilhemena many times. Kids(and parents) enjoy the ride.
Points of interest here in town- You could enjoy the scenery in the upper Harper park, or we could set up old west towns and historical boards about the Frisco Line. Tell the history of Talihina. It would also just be something to do. When you travel with small kids, this would be ideal.

Aren't you a train lover?

Rhonda wrote:

Many towns have park trains. Sometimes you stand in a line, sometimes not. I remember riding the one in my hometown, Enid, many times- never got tired of it. I have riden trains in Durant, Kingfisher, Ft. Smith,OKC zoo Queen Wilhemena many times. Kids(and parents) enjoy the ride.
Points of interest here in town- You could enjoy the scenery in the upper Harper park, or we could set up old west towns and historical boards about the Frisco Line. Tell the history of Talihina. It would also just be something to do. When you travel with small kids, this would be ideal.
Aren't you a train lover?

That would be neat. I think that would be go clean family fun.

We need to raise the funds for the train fast. I visited with the owner yesterday, and he has another town interested. If we all pitch in some money and find some larger investors we can make this happen. I'll donate a $100. Who else can help? The public meeting is set up for this Friday, July 3rd at City Hall, 6:00.

Maybe Chief Pyle would be interested in the tribe buying it and setting it up to run from Talihina to the hospital to all the other facilities the tribe has built out there as a kind of "show and tell" thing. The tribe might be more interested in it for the Council House grounds though to run during all the festivals they have out there.

Why is it being sold? The upkeep of a train is EXTREMELY costly. I could see maybe like the town I am currently in, having a train in a park for kids to see. kind of like the tank up by the library, but a running train is going to have a lot of expense. It's a fantastic idea but the long term care and expenses should be the first decision. Can Talihina afford to keep it going? Will it bring in enough cash to maintain itself. I do think the thought of speaking with the tribe about it would be your best bet for raising the money and possibly help with maintenance. Good Luck.

Oh had one more thought. In a town where people let their small children run free and unsupervised, is it safe to have a train track. seems to me a very tall heavy duty fence would have to be erected along the track to keep unsupervised children out of harms way. and it would have to be constructed before the train could be in operation and start making money.

talihina tiger wrote:

<quoted text> may be they should run a train on your mom starting at pub n grub and ending at the back alley bar she loves the cock!

Daddy!
We've found you at last.
Mom's lawyer has some papers for you, oh happy 4th!

Unsupervised children- We don't have tall fences around our city streets or highway. Stumbling over a properly laid track is a much lower risk.

Train maintence- The train will generate money to cover the upkeep. Even with a modest 6000 riders a year at say $3 a ride, that would be $18,000. The train at Queen Wilhemena does 3 times that.

Grant money- There simply isn't time to apply for a grant and wait for funding. This train will sell quickly. We do plan to apply for grants to set up landscaping and historical displays along the ride.

Why is it being sold- The owner purchased it to run a second location, but his land deal feel through. I am sure he is also selling it to make a profit. It has been inspected and is in good running condition, however, our committee with engine minds, will be going over to inspect it closer.

Ownership of the train- We had a very positive meeting last night with represenatives from several nonprofits. It was decided that the best course, would be for no one nonprofit to take ownership of the train, but to work together and have the city take ownership. The city could then cover it under their liability policy, help with maintence and partcial funding.

Amazing things can be accomplished when positive minds work together; unlike some of the negative attitudes and childish comments made on this forum. I appreciate all the positive suggestions and questions.

Rhonduh wrote:

<quoted text>
Daddy!
We've found you at last.
Mom's lawyer has some papers for you, oh happy 4th!

lmao Hi children do I get to claim you on my taxes daddy loves you!

who's land or where will this kiddie train ride going to be on? a 1000 foot circle/oval loop could run circles around the new visitors center?

Rhonduh wrote:

<quoted text>
my granpa, your pa and brother, says as long as my ma, your ma an sis, has us brother an sisters as tax dependents, yo can't be on anothers claim,
even if you're my dad and brother, so pay up uncle dad bro

gess u didnt know 2nd cousins ain't really cousins! ask my wife lol

I think the idea of a train is ludacris. I have 4 kids at 3.00 a ride No way would we take it more than one time, even if we were passing thru. And further more What tourist? we have alot of bikers they are'nt gonna stop riding to get on a train. And the skate park sounded like a great idea. What happen to it? Sounds like alot of money to be raised for a bad idea. I cant even get my roads fixed in this town and we are wanting to raise money for a train. NO WAY....

Before a train Talihina needs to repair or construct new sidewalks not only on main street, but from the old gymnaseum,and from the school and also get the water system updated, some disabled individuals do like to walk or ride their moterized wheelchairs to town.

condemn and level out the old buildings on the East side of the highway to make the highway double wide.
needs a New post office away from the busy highway anyway, or a hwy 63 bypass around the West side of town

DZf9 wrote:

condemn and level out the old buildings on the East side of the highway to make the highway double wide.
needs a New post office away from the busy highway anyway, or a hwy 63 bypass around the West side of town

Wow! You must not be from around here! A 'bypass'....'busy hyway'????? You must have clicked on the wrong city forum!