One of my early childhood memories is riding the miniature train at Houston's Hermann Park. My mom & dad would take me and my sisters there to go to the park, the zoo, and to go on picnics. One of the highlights was the train ride through the park
When my own boys were small we did the same thing, only now the park has the Houston Natural History Museum as well, where my kids loved the T-Rex skeleton. Of course, the train was also a big part of the park then.
So it was with some sadness that I noticed the story in the Houston Chronicle that said the train made its last run on New Year's Day after a fifty-year run. Surely, they weren't going to do away with this Houston institution and important part of my childhood!
Well, they are, and they aren't. The old train is indeed shut down for good; but a new, improved version is slated to be open by March. The new train is to be longer, safer, and make stops at the Zoo, the Natural History Museum, the Miller Outdoor Theater, and the Texas Medical Center. It also will connect with a stop for MetroRail, the city's light rail system.
The next time I get down to Houston, I may just have to give the new "choo choo" a ride. Who knows, it could be fun!
Click on the video below to play it.
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