Ridge Runner on track for May opening
bluefield — It was a year ago when the historic Ridge Runner made its last one-mile lap for the season around Lotito Park. Since that time the park has been hit with both the remnants of a hurricane and a flood five months later.
Hurricane Helene toppled thousands of trees across the two-state region last September, many of which fell at city park. Five months later the park also was impacted by the Feb. 15 flood.
Repairs to the railroad tracks at city park are continuing with the goal of having the Ridge Runner operational by Memorial Day weekend, according to Bluefield Parks and Recreation Director Rick Showalter.
'We are actually just now finishing up repairs from Helene on the railroad tracks,' Showalter said.
A meeting was held two weeks ago with parks and recreation staff to plan for the train's reopening on Memorial Day weekend.
'That's our plan,' Showalter said. 'We've hired train drivers and the staff at the depot for ticket sales. We have a mechanic who has on the punch list the engine to make sure it is in good shape.'
The goal is to finish all of the track repairs so that the train will be ready for late May.
'Public works has been working on the tracks,' Showalter said. 'It wasn't just the wind. There was water too. They've been working on that. So everyone is in the loop and working toward that goal.'
Each summer the miniature train transports visitors across city park on a mile-long trip that includes two bridges, a tunnel and a train depot.
In May of 2023, the train was down for the entire season after another flood hit the Bluefield area — this time on Memorial Day — also causing widespread damage to the railroad tracks at the time.
The historic train has a long a history with Nature's Air-Conditioned City that dates back to 1964.
At that time, a private corporation brought the Ridge Runner to the East River Mountain Overlook as part of a larger plan to develop the mountaintop into a major tourist attraction, according to the city's online narrative of the train's history. For a period of time the train was a big hit on the mountain drawing visitors and tourists to the area.
However, with the completion of Interstate 77 in 1976, and the opening of the East River and Big Walker tunnels, the volume of traffic over the mountain was significantly reduced, and the attraction faded away with little fanfare.
The city briefly relaunched the Ridge Runner in 1984, but with limited revenues as well as increasing maintenance costs, it didn't last long. At that point the train was stored away.
It was resurrected again in 2011 after a controversial proposal by former City Manager Andy Merriman to decommission the train was met with overwhelming community opposition. That led to the creation of the Save the Ridge Runner committee and ultimately got the little train back on track at Lotito Park where it continues to operate each summer.
Thousands of visitors to city park now ride the train each year.
In more recent years, the iconic train has also shared its name with a wooden bat league baseball team at Bowen Field and with the new Ridge Runner Fun Zone at Lotito Park.
Contact Charles Owens at
cowens@bdtonline.com
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