Train lovers set sights on Floyd

The members of the Las Vegas Railroad Society have been working for more than seven years to find a home for their miniature railroad park and museum. They feel that they have found that place in Floyd Lamb State Park, 9200 Tule Springs Road.

The state park, which will become a city of Las Vegas park in June 2007, is being redesigned by Greenways Inc. and JW Zunino and Associates, along with community input.

Trudy Platzer, president of the society, said they are asking to put the railroad park in the west part of Floyd Lamb at Durango Drive and Log Cabin Way. She said this is the perfect location because the railroad park will not be visible to anyone in Floyd Lamb and because there are natural mountains and canyons in which to run the 5-inch scale trains.

"We were thinking about the neighbors wherever they would put us," Platzer said.

Platzer said having the trains run through the mountains also would get rid of any noise that might otherwise exist.

Platzer said the railroad park would be more than 100 acres and would include live steam, diesel and electric-powered trains that can each seat more than 50 children. There would be more than 50 railroad bridges, over 20 railroad tunnels, a miniature village, and miniature towns set up throughout the park.

"We're going to draw the community to (Floyd Lamb)," Platzer said.

A museum that would teach visitors about the history of the railroads, the train's usefulness in helping the state of Nevada, the historical beginnings of the transportation era and the mining history of the West also would be part of the park. There would be a display of a life-size steam locomotive, railroad cars, cabooses and railroad memorabilia, a library and video room, classrooms and workshops.

"We will teach the next generation about machinery and about history," Platzer said. "This is how Las Vegas started."

Platzer said the park would feature year-round events including birthday train rides, an Easter egg hunt, haunted tunnels for Halloween and many events during Christmas.

Youth programs would include educational activities, field trips, job training activities and community service activities for youth groups.

"When you walk in, we want you to forget it's 2008, we want you to think you're in a different era, the steam era," Platzer said.

There are restrictions on what changes can be made to Floyd Lamb State Park because of Bureau of Land Management and state guidelines that require the land to remain a passive-use park. Platzer said the definition of passive use is that a person's heart rate cannot go above normal, and that would not be an issue for someone riding a miniature train.

"We are big advocates for Floyd Lamb State Park," she said.

Platzer said the group has offered to help get federal grants to restore the old historic buildings in the core of the park.

Councilman Steve Ross said he has concerns with the railroad park for a few reasons, including the amount of acreage for which the society is asking.

"The Railroad Society is a great society, they are great people. How (the railroad park) fits into Floyd Lamb, I'm not so sure," Ross said. "What they want and what we can do are just two different things."

Ross said he believes that the park is a great idea for Las Vegas but is too intense a use for Floyd Lamb State Park.

There have been two public meetings to discuss plans for Floyd Lamb, and one more will be held before the park changes hands next summer. For more information about the current plans or to give input, visit www.lasvegasopenspace.com.

If approved, the railroad park could be open to the public by 2008. There would be an $8 entrance fee. All the money would be used to operate the park, which would be run by volunteers of the nonprofit Las Vegas Railroad Society.

Platzer said the park would be extremely community oriented. Free train rides would be given to all schools, Boy and Girl Scout troops, and other local children's groups.

"We're going to be creating memories for kids and parents," Platzer said. "When we're adults, what do we have but memories."