The city of Fort Worth has put the operator of the venerable Forest Park miniature train on notice to get its caboose in gear.
The city has notified Forest Park Rides Inc. that it is in default of its contract with the city. The contract allows 60 days to address contractual breaches. If Forest Park Rides, based in Haltom City, doesn’t return the “beloved amenity of the city,” as Council member Elizabeth Beck described it, to operational, the city can terminate the contract immediately.
The train, on the tracks since 1958, hasn’t been operational since March because of equipment issues, according to the city.
“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.”
It is indeed a Fort Worth cultural icon, brought to us originally by Bill Hames, the carny who made a career as a showman and ran the concessions and carnival portion of the Fort Worth Zoo for years.
Hames was an interesting guy. Left an orphan at age 4 or thereabouts, Hames worked as a farm hand at $10 a month, according to those who knew him when he died in 1960. He went from farming to railroading to show business and, well, back to railroading, but this line was for children.
He also toured the state with the Bill Hames Show, which played to every large fair in the state of Texas.
His mantra: “Make friends, especially with kids.”
He introduced the train in 1958. His daughter Pam christened the maiden voyage with milk bottle. Generations of children — and adults — have enjoyed it since.
Hames’ investment was $150,000 on the line.
More than 89,000 took a ride on the train in the first six weeks of operation, according to news archives.
Passengers came from 25 states and Canada. City leaders from Beaumont, Lubbock, Shreveport, and Memphis wanted Hames to start a train in their cities.
The route today is the same as it was 64 years ago, a 5-mile roundtrip that beings near the Fort Worth Zoo, crosses the Trinity River, and enters Trinity Park. It turns around near the Lancaster Bridge and returns to its starting point.
The current contract was signed in 2006, an agreement of 10 years with two five-year renewal periods by “mutual consent.” The second renewal was made in Nov. 1, 2021 and expires on Oct. 31, 2016.
According to the officials, the contract calls for the city to take in 15% of gross receipts up to $150,000, and 20% of gross receipts of anything over $150,000 to $350,000. If the train does better than $350,000, the city would make 25%.
The train hasn’t done anywhere near that in recent years. The pandemic and its associated shutdown quashed business the two previous years.
The city’s take in 2020 totaled just under $16,000 and a pittance in 2021, $9,178, according to the city. The best years in the past 10 were 2013-14.
The city also makes 15% of gross receipts from the concession and souvenir stand.
The city owns the property on which the train runs but doesn’t own the tracks or bridge.
“We don’t know how big a deal it is to get running in 60 days,” said Lewis, the parks director, during a briefing to the City Council on Tuesday. “We’re not aware of any major things that will keep it running in 60 days.”
If in 60 days, Forest Park Rides remains in default, another conversation will have to take place if the city wants to take the step of terminating the contract. Part of the conversation would follow of what will the train look like if the city does terminate.
All harrowing thoughts for longtimers who grew up on that thing.
