Forest Park mini-train operator urged to reinstate service

Published on November 01, 2022

City staff is taking steps to ensure the beloved miniature train in Forest Park and Trinity Park will chug once again.

A Haltom City company, Forest Park Rides Inc., has been operating a miniature train ride in the parks near the Fort Worth Zoo since 1958. The five-mile round trip begins in Forest Park, crosses the Trinity River and enters Trinity Park. The train turns around near the Lancaster Bridge, then returns to its starting point on Colonial Parkway.

Due to equipment issues, the train has not operated since March 2022.

Fort Worth Park & Recreation Department staff members have been encouraging Forest Park Rides to repair the train so it can run again. However, due to lack of progress, the City issued a notice of default to the contractor. The contract allows 60 days to address contractual breaches.

If the contractor does not return the attraction to operating status, the City can terminate the agreement immediately.

“It’s our sincere hope that the contractor will return the attraction to operating status soon so Fort Worth residents and guests can enjoy the miniature train ride once again,” said Dave Lewis, interim director of the Park & Recreation Department. “The Forest Park train is a longstanding part of Fort Worth’s entertainment and recreation scene, and generations of families have fond memories involving that attraction.”

Photo: Forty-minute roundtrip rides on the Forest Park train cross six bridges over five miles.

Get articles like this in your inbox. Subscribe to City News.